Joshua Redman & Umphrey’s McGee Wrap Run In Michigan

On Saturday night Umphrey’s McGee and Joshua Redman played the final show of a four-show run together at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. UM’s first time performing at the arena continued the focus on improvisation and deep cuts seen over previous nights of the collaborative tour.

Umphrey’s McGee took the stage at the venue guitarist Jake Cinninger and bassist Ryan Stasik grew up seeing shows at with the sounds of “Bathing Digits” playing over the PA. The band got down to jamming right away with a lengthy “Miss Tinkle’s Overture.” After “Divisions,” Stasik stepped to the mic to mention the specialness of the venue – noting he had played hockey there in high school – and to present Libby Ballengee with a trophy for winning the inaugural SiriusXm JamOn fantasy football league. A work up of “Loose Ends” moved into a jam that saw the emergence of Redman who helped the segue into “Believe the Lie.” Redman stuck around for a thoroughly jammed rendition of “Bad Friday.” UM ended the first set without their guest, offering up the menacing prog closer “Wizard Burial Ground,” dedicated by Cinninger to the metal-heads in the audience as well as Dimebag Darrell while noting he had seen Pantera at Wings Event Center “about 10 times.”

Set two started with Redman on hand to embellish “Der Bluten Kat” > “Amble On” > “Der Bluten Kat” that provided another chance for the band and saxophonist to go deep into improvisation. A cover of The Police’s “When the World Is Running Down You Make the Best of What’s Still Around” marked the final Redman sit-in of the run. The always fun “40’s Theme” found Cinninger trading solos with guitarist Brendan Bayliss as the former shouted nods to his home state. Introduced by Bayliss as “for Mikey,” the band’s staple “All In Time” was to be the final song of the set, but not before they dropped just the second rendition of “Gravity’s Real” – the first since its debut at UMBowl IV on April 26, 2013 and a 267 show gap – in the middle of the frequent UM set closer.

Returning for the encore, UM delivered “Puppet String” before a lively Cinninger led the band through a rowdy rendition of Michigan-native Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights” with the guitarist namechecking Kalamazoo in the altered lyrics. Umphrey’s McGee takes the stage again on Wednesday, February 3 at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut with TAUK again set to open. A webcast is available via TourGigs.

Setlist (via All Things Umphrey’s)

Set One: Bathing Digits > Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Divisions, Loose Ends > Believe the Lie[1], Bad Friday[1], Wizard Burial Ground

Set Two: Der Bluten Kat[1] > Amble On[1] > Der Bluten Kat[1], When the World Is Running Down You Make the Best of What’s Still Around[1], 40’s Theme, All In Time > Gravity’s Real > All In Time[2]

Encore: Puppet String, Hollywood Nights

• [1] with Joshua Redman on saxophone
• [2] with YYZ (Rush) and Spirit of the Radio (Rush) teases

Notes:

After Divisions, Joel played We Are the Champions (Queen) while Ryan presented the inaugural Sirius XM JamOn fantasy football trophy to Libby Ballengee last Gravity’s Real 04.26.2013 (267 shows)