Umphrey’s McGee Closes First Leg of Summer Tour at The Stone Pony - 7/17
Words: Steven Vickner | Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU!
These were the parting words from guitarist Brendan Bayliss of Umphrey’s McGee as the band left the stage following a raucous tour closer at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Sunday marked the band’s fifth show at the coastal venue, and for this reviewer/budding fan/native New Jerseyan of 40 years, my inaugural visit to the House that Bruce built.
With absolutely perfect weather, the ocean at our backs and the sun setting behind the stage, the Mid-westerners opened with an extended version of the band staple “Plunger”. A dance party quickly ensued when the groove-themed “Turn and Dub” dropped for the first time in 130 shows. This version becomes unhinged for several minutes of free-form jamming. The 100th version of the blissful, uplifting “Words” allowed people to catch their breath and hug it out before the band dropped back into set list mainstay “Puppet String”, which segued into “Yoga Pants”, absent for 49 shows. The night literally and figuratively turned darker when the band welcomed Corey Frye from opening band The Main Squeeze to sing vocals on “War Pigs”. Now, I have never seen Sabbath live, but when any band plays Sabbath you can on some head-banging. A mini mosh pit broke out at a jam-band show and I even saw a couple people crowd surf, which I blame on the 147 show gap in plays. The set would not end before yet another bust out dropped in “Liberty Echo”, absent for 131 shows.
“Robot World” opened the second set and treated fans to more of the musical exploration many love to hear. The heavy rocker “Hindsight” and driving “End Of the Road” followed, before another bust out in “Pay the Snucka” returned after a 49 show gap. A friend loaned me his headphones to listen to part of Snucka, which added to the full show experience offered by Umphrey’s. When an unassuming attendee asked me why people would wear headphones to the show I replied in my best Cal Naughton, Jr voice “because we like to party." The shaking and baking would continue with “Miami Virtue” segueing into “Get in the Van”, also returning from a short stint on the set list bench. During the 12-minute “Ringo” that followed, I turned my attention to lighting engineer Jefferson Waful’s playground (Picture). If you are a newcomer to UM, or any jam-type band, I highly recommend picking a song or two and focusing solely on the lights, essentially looking through the band on stage and allowing the lights and notes to guide you for a moment…great stuff! “Believe the Lie” and “Gulf Stream” would close the set, but the band returned for a double encore before a 10:15 curfew. We then heard the debut of “Last Caress” from NJ-native band The Misfits, a fitting tribute, followed by “Attachments”.
Umphrey’s returns to our area on August 13 for the annual Peach Music Festival at Montage Mountain in Scranton. When you visit the tour dates page you will be presented with two options: A) I Want to Rock B) Rocking’s Not For Me
I suggest you choose option A! Be kind, peace out and see you at The Peach.
These were the parting words from guitarist Brendan Bayliss of Umphrey’s McGee as the band left the stage following a raucous tour closer at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Sunday marked the band’s fifth show at the coastal venue, and for this reviewer/budding fan/native New Jerseyan of 40 years, my inaugural visit to the House that Bruce built.
With absolutely perfect weather, the ocean at our backs and the sun setting behind the stage, the Mid-westerners opened with an extended version of the band staple “Plunger”. A dance party quickly ensued when the groove-themed “Turn and Dub” dropped for the first time in 130 shows. This version becomes unhinged for several minutes of free-form jamming. The 100th version of the blissful, uplifting “Words” allowed people to catch their breath and hug it out before the band dropped back into set list mainstay “Puppet String”, which segued into “Yoga Pants”, absent for 49 shows. The night literally and figuratively turned darker when the band welcomed Corey Frye from opening band The Main Squeeze to sing vocals on “War Pigs”. Now, I have never seen Sabbath live, but when any band plays Sabbath you can on some head-banging. A mini mosh pit broke out at a jam-band show and I even saw a couple people crowd surf, which I blame on the 147 show gap in plays. The set would not end before yet another bust out dropped in “Liberty Echo”, absent for 131 shows.
“Robot World” opened the second set and treated fans to more of the musical exploration many love to hear. The heavy rocker “Hindsight” and driving “End Of the Road” followed, before another bust out in “Pay the Snucka” returned after a 49 show gap. A friend loaned me his headphones to listen to part of Snucka, which added to the full show experience offered by Umphrey’s. When an unassuming attendee asked me why people would wear headphones to the show I replied in my best Cal Naughton, Jr voice “because we like to party." The shaking and baking would continue with “Miami Virtue” segueing into “Get in the Van”, also returning from a short stint on the set list bench. During the 12-minute “Ringo” that followed, I turned my attention to lighting engineer Jefferson Waful’s playground (Picture). If you are a newcomer to UM, or any jam-type band, I highly recommend picking a song or two and focusing solely on the lights, essentially looking through the band on stage and allowing the lights and notes to guide you for a moment…great stuff! “Believe the Lie” and “Gulf Stream” would close the set, but the band returned for a double encore before a 10:15 curfew. We then heard the debut of “Last Caress” from NJ-native band The Misfits, a fitting tribute, followed by “Attachments”.
Umphrey’s returns to our area on August 13 for the annual Peach Music Festival at Montage Mountain in Scranton. When you visit the tour dates page you will be presented with two options: A) I Want to Rock B) Rocking’s Not For Me
I suggest you choose option A! Be kind, peace out and see you at The Peach.
Black Sabbath - War Pigs with Corey Frye of The Main Squeeze (captured by Youtube user Kyle Miller)
Set I:
Plunger, Turn & Dub, Words, Puppet String , Yoga Pants, Loose Ends, Black Sabbath, War Pigs(with Corey Fry of The Main Squeeze), Liberty Echo, Puppet String
Set Two:
Robot World, Hindsight, End of the Road, Pay the Snucka, Miami Virtue, Get In The Van, Ringo, Believe the Lie, Gulf Stream
Encore: Last Caress(Misfits), Attachments
Plunger, Turn & Dub, Words, Puppet String , Yoga Pants, Loose Ends, Black Sabbath, War Pigs(with Corey Fry of The Main Squeeze), Liberty Echo, Puppet String
Set Two:
Robot World, Hindsight, End of the Road, Pay the Snucka, Miami Virtue, Get In The Van, Ringo, Believe the Lie, Gulf Stream
Encore: Last Caress(Misfits), Attachments
