7/2/13 Umphrey's McGee @ Summerfest - Milwaukee, WI

Umphrey's McGee
7/2/13
Summerfest - Briggs and Stratton Stage
Milwaukee, WI

O: Leblitz > Plunger, Turn and Dub > Mail Package > Wife Soup, It's So Easy, Robot World > Out of Order, Pay the Snucka^, Let's Dance^, Bright Lights > Another Brick in the Wall pt. II, 2x2 > No Comment > 2x2

E: Deeper, Miss Tinkle's Overture, Dear Lord, Pay the Snucka pt. III

^ w/ Kevin Sinclair on saxophone





On Tuesday I worked my normal truck day shift and was able to get on the road by about 5:45.  My neighbor Jamie was my companion for the roadtrip.  The familiar 3 hour drive to Milwaukee was uneventful.  We were able to find a parking spot in one of the nearby lots for $15.  Admission to Summerfest only cost $17 but I was willing to pay the premium for parking because we were short on time.  The stage was down toward the Marcus Amphitheatre where New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, and 98 Degrees were playing.  I hate the bleachers that everyone stands on.  Why they insist on having those I'll never know but they've been there every year I've attended this event which has been 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, and now 2013.   My friend from high school, Craig, lives in the area and met us at the show.

This was a  noob friendly rock show but obviously that was what this setting required.  Leblitz was the opening instrumental jam that sounded like something out of Miami Vice.  Plunger was sans improv.  Turn and Dub did feature jamming but I felt the success was limited.  It seemed like the time off may have taken its toll early on.  Jake pulled off a good transition into Mail Package.  They did a no huddle segue into Wife Soup.  Craig recognized the Guns 'N Roses cover right away.  I hadn't heard that since Lawrence, KS 5/7/04.  Robot World developed into one of the highlights of the evening before they segued into Out of Order.  The saxophone guest really augmented the sound during the first two parts of Pay the Snucka and especially during the ensuing David Bowie cover, Let's Dance.  Bright Lights was one of the few dancey moments but that as impossible given that we were standing on bleachers.  This slowly became the third cover of the evening which I could have done without.  2x2 is classic Umphrey's and they did a well executed sandwich of No Comment in the middle to end the set.  A generous but rather disjointed four song encore was highlighted by Miss Tinkle's Overture which my buddy mentioned that it put him in the mind of something out of Top Gun.  Snucka pt. III wrapped up the show and ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" sent us off into the night.  This was a fun experience.