Umphrey’s McGee | 01.22 – 01.24 | CO
By Team JamBase Jan 30, 2009 • 2:04 pm PST

Umphrey’s McGee :: 01.22 – 01.24 :: Colorado
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One suspects that the band intentionally picked an undersized venue to boost their confidence and get a feel for the new material before barring their souls in the larger markets of Boulder and Denver. Over the last few years their performances have changed; for the band, it’s no longer a floating party, now it’s a career and they take their business seriously. And as consummate professionals with an enviable work ethic, they don’t leave anything to chance, especially not the debut of their most important work to date.
Before the 2007 release of The Bottom Half – a collection of outtakes, extras and alternate versions of well known songs – rumors of a nearly completed album of all new material began to circulate on Internet discussion boards. By 2008, the band was confirming that they did indeed have a new record, but refused to either divulge its contents or perform any of the songs before its official release. While that approach is standard operating procedure for mainstream recording artists, it’s anathema to the tour community, and it fueled endless speculation about the record’s contents.
Umphrey’s invested more than secrecy in the project, they also employed a novel marketing strategy. They allotted tiers of bonus material that would be made available as the number of preorders increased. The more units sold, the more freebies, and they remained true to their word about never playing the tunes live prior to release. Sure, they played “Made to Measure” over the most recent NYE run, but other than that, not a note was heard until the Mantis release party. Being pranksters of the highest caliber, the band opted to perform only one new song, “Cemetery Walk,” that night, setting the stage for last week’s Colorado run with expectations so high they bordered on the unrealistic. The devout would have to travel to the Rockies in the dead of winter if they wanted to be among the first to hear the new songs. Those that did weren’t disappointed.
01.22.09 :: Aggie Theatre :: Fort Collins, CO
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Any apprehension or miscommunication ended at set break. The next five sets were for the books and will ultimately be circulated with great enthusiasm. The second set featured two more premiers, “Spires,” and then the title track “Mantis” in the encore slot. As the crowd poured out of the sweatbox, the mood was electric. Of course, contrarians could be heard complaining about the song selection and execution just as loudly as another contingent was hard at work fluffing the performance. The reality was that it had been a solid show, slightly above average, but still missing the X-factor that would elevate it into the pantheon of all-time greats.
Set I: Search 4, Great American, Turn & Run*, Bridgeless > Sociable Jimmy > Bridgeless
Set II: Cemetery Walk, In the Kitchen, Spires*, FF > Making Flippy Floppy$ > 2nd Self
Encore: Preamble* > Mantis*
Notes:
* first time played, originals
$ with 2nd Self teases and “Seven Nation Army”/”How Many More Times” jam
01.23.09 :: Boulder Theatre :: Boulder, CO
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Even with the band delivering two full sets of inspired playing they were barely able to keep up with the visual styling of lighting designer Jeff Waful, who was busy making a splash with the fan base. In Boulder he finally had a large enough space and the infrastructure to support the massive rig the band just purchased, and he put the equipment through its paces like a man possessed. Even Jake Cinninger‘s most frenetic bursts of soling were no match for the multihued explosions of color Waful relentlessly sprayed through the venue.
They repeated “Spires” from the night before, and the improvement was instantly noticeable. The only debut was “1348,” but there were plenty of crowd favorites like “2×2,” “Soul Food I” and “Ocean Billy” stuffed to the point of bursting with new explorations and tasty hooks. Every time you think you’ve heard everything this band has to offer, they raise the ante by developing new sections and motifs inside of familiar tunes. The table was set for the final night and the anticipation was even higher – if such a thing were possible.
Set I: Made to Measure > “Jimmy Stewart” > White Man’s Moccasins, Partyin’ Peeps, Nothing Too Fancy$ > Walletsworth, Morning Song > Nothing Too Fancy
Set II: Spires, 2×2, Mail Package, Soul Food I, Ocean Billy, Alex’s House > 1348*
Encore: Mulche’s Odyssey > Immigrant Song
Notes:
$ with Divisions teases
* first time played, original
01.24.09 :: Fillmore Auditorium :: Denver, CO
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As the lights came up, people stood around with dazed expressions on their faces, as if they couldn’t quite believe their ears. Umphrey’s is known for devastating new fans and spoiling other bands. Once you’ve experienced their virtuosity it’s hard to settle for a mediocre performance by anyone else. If this last weekend was any indication, Umphrey’s McGee is busy reinventing their live act and has yet to peak. One can only wonder about where it goes from here, but you can be sure that the best is yet to come.
Set I: Turn & Run, Intentions Clear > The Fussy Dutchman, Der Bluten Kat > Meeting In The Aisle > Der Bluten Kat, Cemetery Walk > Cemetery Walk II*
Set II: Red Tape* > Hurt Bird Bath, The Fuzz > Utopian Fir > Prowler, Preamble > Mantis
Encore: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
Notes:
Murphy vs Rootz opened
* first time played, originals
And be sure to check our recent exclusive feature/interview with Umphrey’s McGee here.
Continue reading for more pics of Umphrey’s McGee’s Colorado run…
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