10/26-27 Umphrey's McGee @ Riverside Theatre - Milwaukee, WI

Umphrey's McGee
10/26/12
Riverside Theatre
Milwaukee, WI

I: Flamethrower > Miami Virtue > Intentions Clear, Anchor Drops, Conduit, Comma Later > Padgett's Profile

II: Mail Package, Resolution, Clint Eastwood > Deeper, Bridgeless > Cherub Rock, Morning Song, Tribute to the Spinal Shaft > The Bottom Half    

E: Mother, Walletsworth > Bridgeless



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I worked until 4 pm on Friday and then within a half hour we were on the road.  My neighbor Jamie rode with me for this two night run of Umphrey's McGee.  It was their first time playing the Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee.  I consider that a major step up from Eagles Ballroom at that shithole known as The Rave.  The drive was uneventful.  We parked in the Courtyard Marriot garage and walked down the street to the venue.  It was a major hassle at the willcall window.  I saw all the usual suspects of my UM friends.  I was on the Jake side underneath the balcony on the first level. 

The first set of Friday was the best set of the run.  Flamethrower had been the opener at my previous time seeing UM in Des Moines.  I love that intro to start the show.  This led into Miami Virtue which had more high octane playing.  Flamethrower > MV > IC was the highlight of the show.  Intentions Clear had a slick groove going before they dropped two repeated stews named Den and White Pickle.  Anchor Drops worked in that spot.  Conduit kept things going nicely  Comma Later into Padgett's was amazing work.  I liked that they exteneded Comma Later a bit.  Great energy throughout the set. 

I was hoping for something a little dancier than Mail Package to open set II.  Resolution had a good jam.  Clint Eastwood was appropriate with Trey's new album having just come out and me having see his solo band perform that Gorillaz cover.  This was the best version of Deeper that I have seen.  It was interesting the way they jammed out of Bridgeless finally settling upon Cherub Rock.  They do a good job with that Smashing Pumpkins tune. I felt Morning Song was a bit out of place in that slot.  Jake owned the peak of Tribute before the drop into The Bottom Half.  This was a fun show but the second set felt disjointed.  I loved Kris doing the Danzig cover in the encore.  Great job!  Walletsworth appeared to be the end of the show with Cummins playing some tasteful notes before the unexpected end of Bridgeless. 


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Umphrey's McGee
10/27/12
Riverside Theatre
Milwaukee, WI

I: Wappy Sprayberry > All in Time > Smell the Mitten, Loose Ends > Slacker, Exodus/Life During Wartime/City of Tiny Lights^, Jajunk

II: Triple Wide > Rocker pt. II, Ace of Spades/It's Gonna Be A Long Night, Kabump > Mulche's Odyssey, Andy's Last Beer, Prowler > All in Time

E: Relax/Thunderkiss '65/Have A Cigar



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We stayed in a room at the Courtyard with my friends Jesse and Sam.  There were several others in the room and it was crowded but we made the best of it and I had fun.  The hotel was connected to the mall and I enjoyed my stay.

Wappy got folks moving early on and this led into the first half AIT and then into Mitten.  Loose Ends is a different side of UM and I don't mind the tune.  Slacker kept this set going well.  I'm not a huge fan of the mashups but I did like that Exodus by Bob Marley was one of the songs.  Jajunk was the best jam of the set and the show. 

Triple Wide  and Rocker II was a great start to the set.  The mashup, however, staled that momentum and the next string of tunes weren't what I was looking for.  The playing was good and energetic but I wasn't feeling it. They ended the set with the final part of AIT and the guitar dual.  I liked Relax in the encore mashup.  In the end this show fell flat and with the disjointed second set the night before I felt this run didn't live up to expectations.  Musically it just wasn't all that special.  I had fun and the costumes the band wore on Saturday were funny.  This Must Be the Band was a decent opener both nights.  They weren't bad.  Jajunk was the highlight of the Saturday show.  After the show I drove us home.  This was my 145th time seeing Umphrey's McGee.



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10/19/12 Trey Anastasio @ Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL

Trey Anastasio
10/19/12
Chicago Theatre
Chicago, IL

I: Gotta Jibboo, Scabbard, Corona, Push On 'Til the Day, Caymen Review, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Frost, Night Speaks to a Woman, Valentine, Pigtail, Sand

II: Alive Again, Ooh Child, Money Love and Change, Architect, Clint Eastwood, Plasma, Magilla, The Devil Went Down to Georgia, The Way I Feel, Goodbye Head > First Tube       

E: At the Gazebo, Traveler



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This was my first show after starting my new job.  I went to the city to see my sister who had recently run the Chicago Marathon.  I met up with Doc and we walked over to our friend Steve's apartment in Wicker Park.  It was pouring down rain.  We found a parking spot downtown and ate at a restaurant near the venue.  I purchased the Jim Pollack poster.  It was disappointing that the prints were still wet.  Before the show I saw a lot of the usual Chicago Phish people.  The sound was really poor on the first level.  Garry Brown should have been able to do better than that.  After a couple songs I moved up to the balcony where it sounded better.

This version of TAB sounded good but it was void of any risk taking whatsoever.  The new Traveler material made the evening interesting for me.  I liked seeing Trey on the red Fender for Corona.   Frost seems like it could work as a Phish ballad.  It was cool to see Pigtail with TAB after seeing it first with Phish in Worcester 2010.  Sand was the highlight of the set and featured some nasty licks. 

Alive Again is a song from his self titled album I've always enjoyed.  Ooh Child made the night for me.  MLC was a highlight in the second set.  Architect seems to confirms rumors of Trey becoming more religious in recent years.  Plasma was the highlight of the show.  Great version.  I could have done without Magilla and the Charlie Daniels cover.  The Way I Feel is one of my favs from the Trey solo canon.  I liked hearing Goodbye Head with this lineup.  Without stopping they started up First Tube to end the set.  At the Gazebo put me in the mind of Summer 2001 when that material was still fresh.  Traveler had some trademark Trey noodlings in the live setting.  I like the Tom Marshall even if you stand still you are traveling too.  This was my 13th time seeing Trey outside of Phish and was an enjoyable experience.  Postshow music was "Baby What A Big Surprise" by Chicago.