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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