Umphrey's McGee Kicks Off Three-Night Philadelphia Run With A Scorcher [Review/Videos/Gallery]

Progressive jam kings Umphrey’s McGee hit Philadelphia last night to perform the first of three nights at the beautiful Fillmore. This was the band’s first time playing the Fillmore, yet by the end of the night, Umphrey’s and their fans felt right at home in Philadelphia’s newest room. Boasting excellent site lines, a wide stage and top-level production, the band took advantage of the Fillmore’s cozy confines by turning in an excellent two-set performance that showcased their dominance of the live circuit. The show was filled with incredible songs, wild and intense improvisation, and a huge bust out that would leave any fan of progressive rock in awe.

The first set blasted off with immediacy as guitarist Jake Cinninger rung out the opening notes of “Glory”. “Glory” flowed perfectly into “Plunger” which featured a heavy dose of early-show improv. Umphrey’s are known to come out of the gate sprinting, given their extensive pre-show warmup routine, and this “Plunger” might be a perfect example of this preparedness, with the band launching into an impressive, multi-section jam. The improvisation started out as a thumping dance-jam that eventually flowed into a soaring, dual guitar peak that contained traces of “Jessica” by The Allman Brothers. Suddenly the jam came to a halt and bassist Ryan Stasik kicked off the intro to Similar Skin bonus track “Room to Breathe”. “RtB” is a high-energy rocker with a punchy bass line that always gets the crowd moving, and this version was no exception, taking the momentum of the “Plunger” jam and harnessing it perfectly to complete the show’s opening segment.

Finally giving themselves some room to breathe, guitarist/vocalist Brendan Bayliss said a quick hello to the crowd before the band settled into “The Linear”. “The Linear” also featured its fair share of improv, with Umphrey’s taking things out deep with a progressive metal jam. Drummer Kris Myers eventually picked the beat up into double time, pushing the energy higher and higher as they whipped the crowd into a frenzy. The jam fizzled out just as “Go To Hell” began, with the punishing rock tune delivering a true moment of full-crowd head-banging. The instrumental number is always a favorite, and the band absolutely crushed this version at the Fillmore.

The funky “Deeper” provided an opportunity for everyone to settle down, before the set picked back up with a wild “#5”. “#5” has become a rarity of late, only appearing in setlists three times in 2016, and the old instrumental favorite was certainly well received. The band worked through several sections of raging improv before drawing the song to its conclusion. Before the first set ended, Umphrey’s had room for one more song, so they transitioned into another reliable favorite, the bright and bouncy “2nd Self”.

After a short break, Umphrey’s returned to the stage to start their second set, and they delivered a huge bust-out with “Red” by King Crimson. “Red” was a favorite cover of Umphrey’s from 2005-2008 before it got shelved, showing up after 100+ show gaps on each occasion it has been performed since then. Last night’s bust-out was no exception, as the band performed the heavy progressive song for the first time in a whopping 485 shows.

“Ringo” followed, providing another moment of extended improvisation. Cinninger once again turned to “Jessica”, playing the song’s famous melody over the jam that formed out of “Ringo”. “Spires” came next, and the band locked into some energetic improv that seemed to build and build until it dropped directly into “Phil’s Farm”, which seved as the standout jam of the evening. The band weaved into each other perfectly, listening intently and working as a unit throughout the instant-highlight.

The show’s second set was brought to a close with an epic “Wappy Sprayberry” -> “Hurt Bird Bath” -> “Upward” -> “Hurt Bird Bath” segment that rocked the Fillmore to its core. “Wappy Sprayberry” gave fans a chance to dance, before the ultimate jazz-fusion of “Hurt Bird Bath” took the band in several different directions before landing on the uplifting “Upward”. Umphrey’s transitioned back into the composed section of “HBB” to bring the top-notch set to an end.

For the encore, the band turned to a familiar rager with “The Floor”. “The Floor” is as heavy a tune Umphrey’s performs, delivering another moment of raw intensity for the stunned crowd to pump their fists to.

Umphrey’s McGee were at the top of their game last night. Their dedication to improvisation, while infusing elements of jazz, metal and alternative rock, continues to show no signs of slowing down. Both sets were filled with impressive jams and fan-favorite songs, delivering a “best of both worlds” performance for their fans at the Fillmore. If this was only the first night, I can only imagine what the band has in store for the next two nights. Umphrey’s McGee returns to the Fillmore tonight for night two of their three-night run at the venue.

All photos in this article appear courtesy of Karl McWherter, and a full gallery is below. Check out full setlist from night one at the Fillmore below. Also, check out some fan-shot videos from the show below, courtesy of YouTube user brett walford.

“Glory” -> “Plunger”