All Things Umphrey's > umphalex → Reviews

umphalex July 19, 2014
Umphrey's first sell out show at Red Rocks never disappointed throughout the entire evening. A debut opener was to be expected from such a magical venue and the first sell out which will hopefully bring two nights at the rocks next year. Melded perfectly into conduit which has a great rock/psychedelic jam to it that reaches a good level and dumps off into a standard version of cut the cable. Jajunk gets the treatment and ends up being one of my favorite jams of the night. Joel takes it to another level with the dance infused funk keys, but the entire band is on point and brings jajunk to a place like I've never heard before... Seamless transition into an always welcomed Ocean Billy which set the tone for the first set and let you know that it was going to be a rager of an evening. Awesome placement and choice on putting Gents in the jam portion of ocean billy. Originally an in the kitchen jam which has gotten the Umbowl treatment but I believe was first at the Belly Up in aspen last year. It has an in and out jam which keeps dumping back and forth and has a great tone. This is one cranked up All in Time next that has instant classic rocker written all over it. Midway through the jam in All in Time I can remember thinking that the first set was already nuts and they would be wrapping up the first set after that. But then we got the always gorgeous notes from Jake playing Jerry's 74 guitar to end of the road. Educated Guess was an awesome treat to get debuted and was playing in my head throughout the next morning. Set 2 opens with Jake calling out Kris Myers on the kit and getting right down to it with the second Little Gift which has some good rock qualities that get you in the UM frame of mind. Bridgeless is where the band starts to jump off and take us into a jam filled evening with fresh takes on everything being played. Very rock/funk oriented bridgeless that no one wanted to ever end which moves into the funky dance groove of Bad Friday. Dominic Lalli blows up on Bad Friday and there wasn't a person not dancing in that place. My second favorite jam of the night came with Dump City... I went absolutely nuts when I heard the first notes of dump city, and I feel this song should get the treatment way more often! Very dark oriented space groove that allows the listener to dance but also blast off into a little weirder space. Slacker has a good jam on it that has Joel offering some really fresh licks on the piano and a good old nostalgic rock and roll feel to it. Wappy sprayberry offers its typically awesome dance party and it never ceases to amaze me how many different jams they keep putting into this song. A fitting back side of Jajunk to close out the night and let everyone know how far UM has come as a band and being one of the tightest, if not the tightest, band today. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect encore being a gigantic Band fan...Ophelia invites some horns out to take a classic look at this classic cover. Haji has always been a fan favorite and gave me gigantic chills and goosebumps with Brendan's lyrics echoing throughout the rocks. If that wasn't enough then they made sure to seal a perfect night with the raucous back side of bridgeless that left no one in doubt of how powerful a show this really is.

umphalex August 19, 2013
UM brought the ruckus at this show for sure...Lot of tight improv and jamming going on throughout.

Le Blitz set the tone right off the bat, but the bridgless with jimmy took off to amazing places.

Dear Lord being stuck in between the plunger was a nice twist, and I've never seen this before....(Dear Lord is an amazing song)

Really into the feel and lyrics on No Diablo, and the interplay between Jake and Brendan has a good supertramp-esque feel..

Tribute to the spinal shaft got busted open big time with lots of psychedelic jam, and it's followed with serious versions of conduit and the linear.

Let's Dance had so much sound with both bands being on stage and the horn players too...I think it was about 15 people on stage jammin out some Bowie...Pretty cool stuff!

Any show with 4 Jimmy Stewart's in it is worth listening to in my opinion, and this show packs a punch...

umphalex July 4, 2013
One set never sounds all that great anymore before you go, but they always treat summerfest really well and this was no exception.

Big fan of "Le Blitz" as an opener, really gets the UM vibe and crunchy guitar jams rolling....

It's been a long time since we've gotten turn and dub, and this ones jam goes all over the place...its really sick. Robot world's jimmy takes a darker turn and ends up being some pretty heavy jam.

Out of order is such a great tune and I personally think it should get more play because it is one of those classic UM sounding tunes...Let's dance of course brought the funk vibe and Sinclair on the sax was a nice treat!

Rest of show is awesome as well, but the dear lord in the encore with sprinkling rain really had an impact on the crowd and was one of those beautiful moments.

P.S. Joel announced before the encore that Milwaukee would be treated to year 2 of Halloween at the Riverside, and this year is 3 nights: 10-31 thru 11-2!!! Thank you UM! Wisco loves you!

umphalex July 1, 2013
This show is seriously under rated and never talked about. But when it's a general admission $10 summerfest ticket and UM plays like this, WOW!

Opener of resolution with two seperate jams wrapped around the tune, first jam is a rocker, and second jam is funky...

Pretty standard versions of PW, S4, and then an always wonderful zeppelin cover to get the party goin.

Nothin too fancy can be heard on UM-Hall of Fame and is one of the greatest ambient UM grooves I've heard to date..its tasty.

Push the pig has a good healthy jam, and Milwaukee was diggin the harder groove that "in bloom" brought...

One of the coolest Fuzz jams I've ever heard, its like bar room rockin jamboree shit..really is quite killer...

Encore embodied some hendrix teases and ended the night in serious fashion! UM always rocks out at summerfest

umphalex March 29, 2013
The House of Blues on sunset strip is actually really cool on the inside and has pretty amazing sound too! This night was a serious rager and is my favorite show of 2013 thus far.

This was my 49th show and my first time to ever do the UMVIP, which was really sick... Got a signed poster included, laminates, soundcheck on Saturday, and a meet and greet with the BAND!!!

Got pic's with all the different band members and everyone was soooooo cool....

As for the second night of Hollywood nights, well their was no shortage of pure unadultered jammin going on!

My first live "there's no crying in mexico" which always gets you in the mood for some dancy fun...And a super jammy bridgeless that goes to a nice place.

Wappy sprayberry was it's usual dance party with a great MJ tease that was funky as hell with a beautiful backside to brigeless.

Wife soup doesn't get played alot anymore and was really nice to see on the west coast, since we are from Madison WI. The Der bluten kat takes the cake for the first set though...

Both Jake and Brendan taking turns on keys in DBK and also a first time ever great hip hop tune!

Mulche's got taken to a much higher level than normal and had Jake and Brendan facing in on each other battling out sick guitar riffs

Anytime you get DBK and then Divisions in a show you know it'll be a special night. Divisions has a serious Jimmy Stewart that gives goosebumps, and then followed by a plunger (which usually I dont care for too much) but the plunger contains one of the funkiest grooves I've heard to date....

Hangover gets seriously elevated to an insane jam level and then the triple wide into divisions to end!?!?! Wow, this is one of those shows....

Good encore with some California lyrics in "the song remains the same" to really let people know why UM is the best out there!

umphalex February 20, 2013
For some reason this NYE show always stick out in my mind as one of the most memorable nights of mine...This was my second NYE show and it delivered on all fronts.

The first set is a real treat with Cemetery Walk 1 getting ppl in the mood early for a rager, which was followed by a short but great triple wide.

This was my first headphones and snowcones which is always welcomed and should be played more! The whole second set is gold, and the tower of power cover takes the cake! Kris Myers is truly amazing, vocals and drums.

Set 3 contains alot of good jamming, starting with the much obliged that gets super funky to bring in the new year. Phils farm still may be my favorite version, good bass wapping fun...

Of course turn and dub is always welcomed, but I'll never forget stasik in his shiny pink shirt singing cant take my eyes off of you! Hilarious!!!

Reelin in the years was jsut ppl having fun and enjoying being at somehting as special as an UM NYE!

umphalex February 20, 2013
Ahhhhh, my first UM show! Young and at Bonnaroo to see all my favorite jam bands! This set of UM opened my eyes to appreciate UM as one of the top bands coming up...

When moe came on and then Michael Travis too I didnt even know what was going on, it blew my mind!

Highlights were definitely the jam in resolution which is long and tasty, along with a nothin too fancy and bright lights that has made me do 48 shows to date!

This whole set though is just pure UM energy and if you've never heard the download I would strongly suggest it!

umphalex February 19, 2013
One of the greatest first sets I've ever heard! The floor is pretty traditional but then 2X2 has this sick asian sounding jam in it...

Turn and Dub is like 18 minutes of good phsychedelic jam followed by a great american with 2 big dance jams in it...Sweet sunglasses is a great cover and a good set closer.

Still one of my favorite Tribute's to start out set 2 which had a Law and order intro with stasik slappin the bass.

Highlights in set 2 for me was Raymond and Fool in the rain. Madison is a great setting for UM.

umphalex February 19, 2013
This could be one of the funnest nights of summercamp that I've ever experienced...and the fact that they released it on DVD is just sick!

The jam in 1348 is pure energy and really gets you moving...Once I heard Red Tape bust out I knew it was gonna be twenty minutes of heaven. It seems like every year UM takes a tune and just rages it 20 mins every time they play it but in different ways..(ocean billy, 1348, red tape, etc...)

Their is two distinct sides to the red tape, one being super trancie electronica and one being an uplifter...The pay the snucka with bulls on parade got everyone ragin.

My first senor mouse and I love this cover!!!!

Second set is classic....I absolutely love the miss tinkles higgins twister! In and out and in and out of both tunes...EPIC!

Rocker Pt 2 is of course a legendary builder and this was my first Day Nurse. I kept thinking by this point that this was one of the greatest nights ever!

Hourglass is a great mellow tune with solid lyrics and national anthem brought the heat big time.

Encore of triple wide in where joel's part is absolute fire...such great musicianship....

Summercamp is the shit...

umphalex February 19, 2013
UM had a lot to prove to make this show better than the last time they were at the Orpheum and they did not dissapoint.

Nippletrix into 2nd Self was a nice touch to get the show started with a good vibe. The puppet string has some really good improv and good length. Not quite as funky as some versions I've heard but original and good in its own way.

My fiance called the Mantis on this show and is always a nice treat these days to get that, especially the backside of it.

Triple wide is a great version, taking you through peaks and valleys of electronic grooves...All night long had more thump than normal with 3 ppl playing percussion including Jake.

It was my second time getting headphones and snowcones (once before on NYE with Mirro) and its a great jazzy riff.

I love when they put two jams into Resolution and both of them had a reggae - ish theme which was great!!!

Set two was a rager, dancy jajunk, rocker of a slacker, and the set never let go....

Hollywood nights I went absolutely nuts because me and my fiance will be going to do VIP HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS on 3-22 and 3-23 in Hollywood....Its as if they knew we were going by playing it in our hometown of madtown!

Great show...UM in madison never dissapoints!

umphalex February 14, 2013
This was my first Valentine's Day show and it was one that never dissapoints. First and second sets both deliver big time.

The August opener is huge and goes into really good dance grooves.

Syncopated Strangers is 18 mins long and the jimmy stewart inside of it had the whole place dancing!!!

Sociable Jimmy is huge too, with the Xxplosive jam just started this show out with pure energy.....

Probably my favorite All in time I've still ever heard (its now 2013) and the mullet over is always a treat.

Great four night run! Thanks UM, Madison loves you!

umphalex February 4, 2013
Let me start out by saying that this is a pretty underated show. It's definitely pretty proggy and out there at times but a great show.

The Miss Tinkle's Overture is still by far the best version I've ever heard to date and I've been to 50 plus UM shows and have downloaded tons tons more. It is pure energy and pumps you up with a sort of metal dance party.

The visions with the blues for los angeles jam is down right nasty....deep trancy, jazzy, jam that is super tasty and not a usual sound for the band.

Set 2 Highlights were of course the nice beatles cover, but the Crooked one into Utopian is big and bad. The crooked one gets a little dark but very jammy and the Utopian fir gets dark as well but has a really nice tail end of reggae that's a bit longer and extended than normal.

Hot for teacher was real appropriate since the teachers were all striking up at the capitol and made for a great end.

Night 2 of this run was the bee's knee's though....

umphalex February 4, 2013
I would have to completely disagree with the final comment on the first review of this show about the other covers slowing down the show.

I can say that this was my 5th NYE show with UM and my 35th show of UM all together and thought ALL of the cover choices were spot on.

The Demolition Man cover was excellent, UM has covered a ton of Police over the years and this one was a real treat off of "ghost in the machine" album.

And then the Beck cover of Mixed Bizness to bring in the new year was some great funk with fun lyrics!

Definitely highlights of this show are the whole first set being a free flowing complete piece of music that was quite beatiful. Also Kris Myers putting on his soul shoes and doing James Brown right in set 2 was a real treat!

The All in time of this show will be forever in my mind of how far UM can take it, in all different facets and forms of music. And dont forget about how badass it gets wheen cody dickinson does washboard on the slacker. Jake and Cody get dark and heavy and wonderful.

Great show!

umphalex October 29, 2012
This night rivals night 2 at the Riverside in my opinion....both were phenomenal but this night is silly good. Intentions clear gets really funky and jammy and then I went absolutely bolistic when I got white pickle into den...anyone who went to UMbowl 3 should have a deep appreciation for how insanely great these two tunes really are! I called the Padgett's profile before the show and was going nuts when they ended set 1 with it. UM was really going for it in the new venue and the sound was AWESOME downstairs! Set 2 continues with a bunch of stuff we havent gotten in a while....Mail Package, resolution wiht great jam from previous halloween, and morning song was beautiful! Kris Myers was in rock star mode for Mother where he sang and ran all over the stage....awesome start to the weekend!

umphalex October 29, 2012
This mash-up weekend was a blast! Anyone from Wisco has been wishing and hoping for UM to start rocking the Riverside instead of the horrible sounding Rave across town. I was super excited to hear smell the mitten which has a nice dance party jam on it....I havent gotten that one in many years now. All the mashups are spot on but my favorite was Life During Exodus. Rocker Pt. 2 is an epic uplifter and the Kabump was a gem to get as well...5 out of 5....great rager!

umphalex October 23, 2012
UMbowl 3 may be the greatest umphreys performance to date...its simply amazing how they completely get better and better year after year...I can recall after umbowl 2 thinking you couldnt play a concert that compares with it, but sure enough umbowl 3 crushed it. It was nice to see my people vote in a little GD and we all enjoyed that a ton. Too many high points to recap but set 2 and 4 are statements in how much better this band is than anyone!

umphalex October 23, 2012
Highlights in this night was the 1348 and especially Haji with Allie Kral crushing on fiddle. Also all the choir parts are just amazing with a perfect closer of you cant always get what you want...epic two night stand.

umphalex October 23, 2012
These two Thanksgiving shows will always have a special place in my heart! Epic sets both nights and UM truly was destroying all there jams on these nights. Red tape is unusually "steely dan" jam esque and I really dig where it ends up. Wappy sprayberry is hands down the best version I've ever heard in 45 plus live shows and listening to hundreds...


Powered by Songfish