Yesterday we kicked off a new feature called Tour Diary with the first of four entries from the Umphrey’s McGee crew about their recently completed West Coast tour. Here’s UM Lighting Crew Chief Wade Wilby with a behind-the-scenes look at the Portland and Ventura shows, and their day off in Sacramento:

02/09/08 Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR
Dub Trio opened
Set I: Nothing Too Fancy> Roulette, Much Obliged> Eat> 2×2> Eat, Syncopated Strangers> Jimmy Stewart> Syncopated Strangers
Set II: Plunger, Kula, August> End of the Road> August, Wappy Sprayberry> Resolution> Nothing Too Fancy
Encore: London Calling1, Wizard Burial Ground

1 First Time Played (The Clash)

All photos by Matt Ziegler

Portland is starting to become one of those cities in Umph lore that brings out the best in the band. Could be Brendan’s brother Pat’s overwhelmingly positive attitude (he lives in Portland), could be the Northwest air, who knows? One thing is for sure; the boys came and brought it once again, this time at The Roseland Theater. Nothing 2 Fancy got things fired up right from the get go, and from Much Obliged till the end of the first set things didn’t let up. The same can be said for set 2, with Kula igniting the packed and sweaty dance hall. Jake nailed the vocals on the night’s new cover of London Calling by The Clash. After the show we hung tough with the Portland Family, and were excited to travel to Sacramento for a day off. Read on for more from Portland, Ventura and a well-earned trip to The Beat…

En route to my favorite record store in the country…Commix in the discman. (check out the new Commix album Call To Mind. Ridiculous break beat record)

Sacramento Day Off: Went to In-N-Out Burger, per usual, and then off to my favorite record store: The Beat. Jake, Myers, and myself did some serious damage. I found a record I had been looking for vigilantly for 10 years: Brian Eno and U2’s The Passengers. It is a collection of soundtracks to independent foreign films based largely in the ambient / downtempo field. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. Big listening session on the bus before bed.

En route to slumber…Love Is Hell in the discman.

02/11/08 Majestic Theatre, Ventura, CA
Dub Trio opened
Set I: Mulche’s Odyssey, Ocean Billy> Alex’s House> Great American> Uncle Wally> Great American
Set II: The Triple Wide> Ocean Billy, Rocker Part II> Got Your Milk (Right Here), KaBump> Words, In the Kitchen
Encore: Dear Prudence1

1 First Time Played (The Beatles)

California hit us like a freight train full of Ambien, or rather, ambient music. Discrete but discernible channels of calm were running in the bloodstream of the improvs in Ventura, which is always a nice theater to work in. The run from Ocean Billy through Great American had the pulse of a sedated rail car piloted by Brian Eno, but still with enough West Coast sensibility and funkiness to keep the crowd enthused. It reminded me of the set from Truckee, which has now gained an infamous following, without the epic peaks.

California is a different planet for Umphrey’s, and I believe they always try their best to adapt to any situation, which would prove itself to be true in LA especially. Come Closer was first attempted here by the band, but they soon realized what an ambitious feat it was and bowed out for a mellow encore of Dear Prudence, which seemed to fit a lot better into the night’s motif. Rocker Part II showed new signs of life in the rotation, and Kabump peaked its head out after weeks in the fridge.

En route to SD…Love Is Hell in the disc man.

That’s all of the time we have for today folks. Tune in tomorrow to see what happens as the boys make their towards San Francisco…