Umphrey’s McGee is known for tight compositions, ambitious improvisation, and their genre-hopping musical abilities. However, one of the most underrated elements of their skill-set is their sense of humor. Fans get to experience their zany sense of humor each year on Halloween with the band’s mash-up Halloween costumes, as well as during older songs like “40’s Theme”, “Slacker”, and “Hangover”, which date back to their days as a college band. One of their most rare songs that showcases this side of the band is the ever-elusive “Nopener”.
There are multiple versions of the song (a “rock” version and a “lounge” version) and you never know which version you’re going to get. The song always features drummer Kris Meyers leaving his kit to perform a glorified tribute to opening acts from the front of the stage, which, combined with itss loungey vibe has led to comparisons to Phish‘s “Lawn Boy”. The song was a staple after its debut in 2003, and remained in regular rotation until 2006, after which it started to fade from setlists. The song has been performed only seventeen times in the past eleven years since, making it one of the most rare songs in Umphrey’s McGee’s catalog.
This past weekend in Detroit, Umphrey’s busted out the “lounge” version of “Nopener” for the first time since their 2015 Halloween run. Meyers was as rambunctious as ever, showing off his famous impressions of Christopher Walken, Al Pacino, and more before starting the song up and absolutely nailing it.
Now, TourGigs, who was on the road with Umphrey’s McGee for three nights of webcasts, has released pro-shot footage of the “Nopener” bust out from Detroit. Check it out below, and experience the wacky “Nopener” in all of its glory.
 [Filmed by C.J. Strehlow & Colin Anders. Edited by C.J. Strehlow.]