Umphreys McGee Comes Up Big At Beacon Theatre

Words by: Scott Bernstein
Photos by: Andrew Blackstein

Umphrey’s McGee w/s/g Joshua Redman :: 1.17.15 :: Beacon Theatre :: New York, NY

On Saturday night, Umphrey’s McGee completed a two-night stand at NYC’s Beacon Theatre with an instant classic performance featuring special guest tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman. While Friday night’s show was a good one, the Chicagoans took it up a notch or three for their Beacon finale.

[Photo by Andrew Blackstein]

Early on it was clear this would be no ordindary night for Umphrey’s McGee. The band took the stage as the clock struck 9 to join in on the pre-recorded intro “Le Blitz,” before quickly seguing into “In The Kitchen.” “ITK” would set the tone for the evening with its blissful jam that somehow was worked into another one of the group’s signature songs -“Miss Tinkle’s Overture.” The Anchor Drops instrumental shows off the near-inhuman tightness of the sextet, but Saturday night’s version also displayed the group’s improvisational chops as they blew threw the song’s normal structure to embark on a descending chord progression similar to the “Mind Left Body Jam” sequence the Grateful Dead utilized from time to time. Umphrey’s then took a page out of the Disco Biscuits’ playbook by finishing the “Wappy Sprayberry” they had started the previous evening. There were lots of look of amazement among members of the capacity crowd by the time UM completed unprecedented “Miss Tinkle’s” > “Wappy” (ending) > “Miss Tinkle’s” sandwich.

Guitarist Brendan Bayliss’ “Morning Song,” perhaps the most truly psychedelic of all UM originals was followed by the introduction of Redman. Josh contributed to an extended “Great American,” and the return of Mantis track “Made To Measure” as the saxophonist continued to show an uncanny ability to pick his spots among the many notes Umphrey’s plays. An inventive “Der Bluten Kat” > “Yoga Pants” > “Der Bluten Kat” sequence featuring Redman finished off the best set of the run up until that point, but it would soon be topped by the closing stanza.

Unlike nearly all jam acts, metal is a big influence for Umphrey’s McGee. On a night in which the band’s metal inflences were on full display, “JaJunk” was a fitting selection to kick off the second set. The high-octane opener contained a dance-rock jam and led into “The Floor.” Next up was “Full Frontal,” one of the group’s newest originals, and a well-jammed “Conduit,” as on this night there was improv in nearly every song. Even a jerk who threw a beer in the direction of keyboardist Joel Cummins’ rig couldn’t stop the flow as Bayliss took a moment to chide said audience member before strapping on an acoustic for a cover of The Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” The Pixies classic returned to action for the first time since its debut at UM’s 2,000th show back in November at Madison’s Orpheum. Apparently there were many alt-rock fans in the house as the cover received a huge reception.

[Layla -Shot by Paul Giza]

Redman’s final turn on stage was his strongest thanks in part to song selection. “Intentions Clear” has always worked best with sax as displayed by the studio version found on 2006’s Safety In Numbers. The extra harmony added by Joshua to “Intentions Clear” fit in nicely, but it was his melodic and powerful solo during its jam that most stood out. In a surprise twist, the sextet and Redman swerved for a quick romp through Miles Davis’s “In A Silent Way” before embarking on the run’s final heavy-hitter -the instrumental “Blue Echo.” “Bad Friday,” another new song with a similar m.o. to “Full Frontal,” brought Set Two to a close. Umphrey’s put an exclamation point on another stellar weekend in the Big Apple with a cover of “Layla.” The Derek & The Dominos song had been missing in action for nearly a year until Saturday night. Guitarist Jake Cinninger’s tasteful slide work and Joel Cummins’ spot-on performance of “Layla’s” majestic piano coda sent home many in the capacity crowd well-satiated and wondering when Umphrey’s will return to The Big Apple.

More Photos By Andrew Blackstein

Videos By Paul Giza

Playlist (As Of 1/18 12:30 p.m. PT): #5, August, Hurt Bird Bath (w/ Joshua Redman), Professor Wormbog (w/ Joshua Redman), Wappy Sprayberry > Hajimemashite, Educated Guess (w/ Joshua Redman), In The Kitchen > Miss Tinkles, JaJunk, Der Bluten Kat (w/ Joshua Redman), Conduit, Intentions Clear (w/ Joshua Redman), Layla

Setlist (via All Things Umphreys)

Set One: Le Blitz > In The Kitchen > Miss Tinkle’s Overture[1] > Wappy Sprayberry[2] > Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Morning Song, Great American[3], Made to Measure[3] > Der Bluten Kat[3] > Yoga Pants[3] > Der Bluten Kat[3]

Set 2: JaJunk, The Floor, Full Frontal > Conduit, Where Is My Mind?[4], Intentions Clear[3] > In a Silent Way[3] > Blue Echo[3], Bad Friday[3]

Encore: Layla

[1] with Mind Left Body (Kantner/Garcia) tease
[2] finished 1/16/15’s version
[3] with Joshua Redman on saxophone
[4] with Brendan on acoustic guitar

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