Last Fall Chicago-based sextet Umphrey’s McGee put a number of inventive packages up for sale involving once-in-a-lifetime experiences with members of the band in an effort to recoup the costs of making their Death By Stereo LP and raise money for charity. One of these “Deeper Packages” was called the “Bill Graham For A Day Package” in which the purchaser would receive a “private UM concert for you and your friends at an intimate Chicago venue (let’s talk). You collaborate with us on the set list and introduce us from the stage.” This show took place last night at the cozy confines of Martyr’s in the band’s hometown and UM delivered a performance absolutely stacked with rarities and even a few debuts.
[“Aftermath of 100’s of bras and panties being thrown at #umphreys (and me)” – @JeffersonWaful]
The first set at Martyr’s included UM’s first version of Down Under by Men at Work since 2008 (and only the second since 2004), the second-ever rendition of The Weight Around from their Safety In Numbers LP and a take on Paul Simon’s 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (last played in 2009). In addition, the sextet offered a “Jimmy Stewart” with lyrics out of the rare Robot World and worked In The Kitchen teases into Puppet String – the only Umphrey’s original penned after 2007 played during the two sets.
Set One: Wappy Sprayberry > Space Funk Booty > Last Man Swerving > Out of Order, Down Under, The Weight Around, Robot World > “Jimmy Stewart”* > 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover > Puppet String**
Set Two: Utopian Fir, The Trooper$, Baby Honey Sugar Darlin’, Hurt Bird Bath > The Other Side of Things > Hurt Bird Bath, The Good Times Are Killing Me$$ > Nopener%, The Triple Wide, Hangover%%
Encore 1: 2 Dips, 1 Bump & A Fuckload of Pills&, Wizard Burial Ground
Encore 2: Waiting RoomNotes: private show put on by fans, billed as “Bill Graham for a Day”
* with lyrics
** with In the Kitchen teases
$ debut, Iron Maiden
$$ debut, Modest Mouse
% lounge style
%% with La Grange (ZZ Top) jam
& debut, Written by Brendan with Wade Wilby and Clayton Halsey[via Umphreys.com]
For the closing stanza, UM reached even further into their bag of tricks and came out with cover debuts of The Trooper by Iron Maiden and The Good Times Are Killing Me by Modest Mouse as well as their first take on the originals The Other Side of Things since July 20, 2001 and Baby Honey Sugar Darlin’ since November 14, 2009. As if that wasn’t enough, the group worked a La Grange (ZZ Top) jam into Hangover, revisited the famed “Zsa Zsa Gabor Fi Fi” jam in a lengthy Utopian Fir and brought drummer Kris Myers out front to deliver the seldom-seen lounge version of Nopener. The setlist shenanigans continued through the double encore as UM treated attendees to the debut version of 2 Dips, 1 Bump and A Fuckload of Pills – a hilarious ditty penned by HT contributor Wade Wilby with Brendan Bayliss and Clayton Halsey. The evening ended with Umphrey’s cover of Waiting Room by Fugazi, another highly-regarded rarity.
Reactions to yesterday’s concert on UM message board The Bort border on ecstatic, with many attendees calling it the best Umphrey’s show they’ve ever seen. Here’s hoping a recording circulates so those of us who weren’t there can judge for ourselves. Following the just-completed three-night stand in Chicago, the band is off the road until the end of June with the exception of festival slots at Hangout, Summer Camp, Wakarusa, Bonnaroo and Re:Generation.
