2/19/12 Umphrey's McGee @ The Canopy Club - Urbana, IL

Umphrey's McGee
2/19/12
The Canopy Club
Urbana, IL

I: Jazz Odyssey > 40's Theme, Room to Breathe, Ringo, Pay the Snucka > The Crooked One > When the World is Running Down > Pay the Snucka pt. III

II: Divisions > Day Nurse, I Want You (She's So Heavy), Hurt Bird Bath, FF > Go to Hell, Much Obliged > Divisions

E: Domino Theory




postshow P.A. music was "Mama I'm Coming Home" by Ozzy Osborne


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I spent the day recovering from the journey to Chicago for moe. The Blackhawks defeated the St. Louis Blues in a nationally televised game. I picked up the other resident Umphreak from town and his girlfriend we were on the road by five. There was a large line assembled waiting for the doors to open prior to 8 pm when we arrived. It was good to see a lot of familiar faces and our group took position on the Jake side.

I was impressed with the energy of the first set. The whigs on Pony, BB, and Kris were comical. Pony would look cool if he actually had hair like that. The opening J.O. is apparently known as Gurgle. 40's Theme got people dancing. Room to Breathe was appropriate with everyone crushed like sardines. Ringo was probably the best jam of the night. The Snucka sammy with The Crooked One and The Police cover was a nice way to end the set. Jake's guitar was growling during pt. III.

Divisions is one of their most classic songs. I was happy to hear them start up the new dance number Day Nurse. I definitely could have done without The Beatles cover but I understand they are always trying to attract new fans and this was a show on a college campus. HBB was big as usual on this occasion. I've never been a big fan of FF but it spawned an intersting jam which eventually segued into Go to Hell. This heavy piece is quickly becoming one of my favorites. MO featured a fairly standard jam that predicably found its way into the end of Divisions. The second set did not have the raw energy of the first set but the entire show was engaging from start to finish. Domino Theory is a song off the new album that I initially hated but I've grown to enjoy the improvisation that it has yielded in the live setting.  After the show I drove us back home. We stopped for Wendy's in B-N.

2/18/12 moe. w/ Family Groove Company @ Riviera Theatre - Chicago, IL

moe.
2/18/12
Riviera Theatre
Chicago, IL

I: Smoke > Stranger Than Fiction, Bring It Back Home > Blue Jeans Pizza, Suck A Lemon, George, Lazarus > Ricky Marten > Lazarus

II: Paper Dragon, Head > Interstellar Overdrive > Head, Captain America > Recreational Chemistry, Queen of Everything, Can't You Hear Me Knocking > Buster

E: Downward Facing Dog



[Family Groove Company opened]


AUD

It was a nice afternoon that felt more like spring than winter as my friend Craig and I drove into Chicago. We hung out at my buddy Steve's place before the show and watched the Bulls lose to the Nets nearby at the United Center. My sister and her boyfriend Ian stopped by and we enjoyed Lou Malnati's delivery. The crowd was larger than when moe. played two nights at the Riv in 2010. FGC was turned up way too loud. I do like Janis on bass though. They did a good job with a cover of American Girl by Tom Petty.

The first set seemed disjointed with them opening with Smoke and then doing a no huddle segue into STF. BIBH > BJP was by far the highlight of the first stanza. George always bring a good amount of energy to the table. I was disappointed when they didn't segue into Lazarus. Like I'd heard in Lawrence this was the album version of The Bones of Lazarus and the song seems to lose a lot of its buildup. They should go back to playing Laz and Ricky Marten seperately.

The second set was much better starting with a fiery version of Paper Dragon. Head > Interstellar Overdrive > Head was fantastic. This was my favorite part of the show. Captain America was a great version with a smooth segue ala their live album L into Rec Chem which was also another highlight of the second set. I thought perhaps they would end the set with QofE but they added on the Stones cover into Buster to wrap up an extended stanza of moe. I preferred this second set much more than then one I saw in Lawrence. Downward Facing Dog ended the first leg of the Winter Tour. The Riv seemed like a bigger dump than usual on this occasion with the toilets in the basement flooding out the men's room.

2/12/12 moe. @ Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS

moe.
2/12/12
Liberty Hall
Lawrence, KS

I: St. Augustine > lylelovit., One Life, Moth > Shoot First > Moth, Bring It Back Home > Happy Hour Hero

II: McBain, Lazarus > Ricky Marten > Lazarus, Haze > Buster > Haze, Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Okaylalright

E: Don't Fuck With Flo, Suck A Lemon, Cornflake Girl



AUD



I made the six hour drive out to Kansas City last Sunday by myself.  My friend Ryan was already down in the area staying at his sister Sally's house.  The three of us made the short journey from suburban Lenexa, KS to Lawrence.  We ate dinner at Quinton's where I had a BLT and we watched the Grammy Awards.  It was sad to see the turnout before the show started but when moe. started the venue filled up for the most part though far from sold out. 

St. Auggie was a fairly standard start but things improved when they dropped the rare lylelovit. I really like One Life and this was the best version I've ever heard.  They should have used that song for the new album.  Moth > Shoot First > Moth was a unique sandwich.  The segue from Shoot First back into Moth was impressive.  Chuck clearly teased Timmy Tucker at one point during the jam.  BIBH > HHH was a well executed segue. 

McBain always brings energy but there was little to write home about this rendition.  I am not a fan of the newly reworked The Bones of Lazarus.  Haze > Buster > Haze was clearly the highlight of the set, perhaps the show.  NCD > Wormwood > OK was a standard way to end the set.  Flo, Suck A Lemon, Cornflake Girl was an above average encore. 

After the show I decided to drive home to avoid the snow storm that hit the KC area on Monday morning.  On the way home I hit some bad weather around Des Moines.  This was an enjoyable experience but it seemed perhaps they were tired from the weekend in Colorado.