3/2/11 Umphrey's McGee @ Barrymore Theatre - Madison, WI

Umphrey's McGee
3/2/11
Barrymore Theatre
Madison, WI

I: Phil's Farm> Words > Miss Tinkle's Overture, Visions of Parin > Andy's Last Beer, The Linear > Phil's Farm

II: Prowler> Syncopated Strangers, I am the Walrus, The Crooked One, Utopian Fir, The Floor

E: Walletsworth, Hot For Teacher


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http://www.archive.org/details/UM2011-03-02.MK22

I drove up to Madison during the early afternoon. The 2 hour and 45 minute drive was uneventful and I hung out with my college friend Kacie and her boyfriend before the show. We took a cab down to the venue. The Barrymore was not sold out for this Wednesday night show. The weather had been sunny but had remained cold in Wisconsin. I found a spot in front of the soundboard.

UM took the stage around 8:30 to Ride of the Valkryes by Richard Wagner. This song is closely associated with the helicopter attack in Apocalypse Now. There is a company along the beltway known as Phil's Farm Store which perhaps inspired the first set sandwich. I wasn't wild about the placement of Words but this was well played. Miss Tinkle's was a powerful version that was clearly the highlight of the show. The rarely played Visions of Parin was a treat and this built to a heavy jam that finally dropped into ALB. I went outside for that. The Linear was relatively straightforward and eventually transitioned into the end of Phil's.

Prowler > Synco was an old school start to the second set. There were many old faces in the crowd for this hallowed Umphrey's McGee venue. I could have done without I Am the Walrus but I'm sure a new fan would have enjoyed that. The Crooked One had a very successful jam/stew before returning to the end of the song. That was probably the highlight of the second set. Utopian Fir is always welcome, however, this version had a very heavy jam that didn't do much for me. The was a rock show for the most part. They hadn't played in a few weeks and they were still reconnecting. I didn't feel the communication that I saw in Lawrence and Omaha last month. The Floor was a high energy ending to the set. Walletsworth works in that slot in the encore and it set up the Hot for Teacher. This was dedicated to the teachers of Wisconsin.