The virtuosic jam band’s second-ever appearance at the outdoor amphitheater drew a sell-out crowd of mostly 20-somethings who jammed the lower bowl with red, white and blue garb. (Review, photo gallery)
Flash and Charm: Umphrey’s McGee made a triumphant return to Meijer Gardens. (Photo/Anna Sink)
From the outset, things were a tad different at Wednesday night’s Umphrey’s McGee show at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
A metal barrier at the foot of the stage separated animated jam-band fans from the flower bed which apparently suffered a fair amount of abuse and plucked plants the last time Umphrey’s McGee played the outdoor amphitheater.
And unlike that show three years ago, Kent County Sheriff’s Deputies were on duty, ready to quell trouble – whatever that might be – and take into custody marijuana imbibers if need be.
If that seems over-protective for a generally well-behaved, if exuberant and youthful, crowd, it probably was.
An enthusiastic capacity crowd greeted Umphrey’s McGee. (Photo/Anna Sink)
Because while the vibe of this particular Meijer Gardens show was more like a rock festival than the typical concert held here, the lion’s share of devoted “UM” fans bouncing and gyrating in the bottom third of the amphitheater was nothing if not gleeful, appreciative and downright fatuous of this Indiana-bred, Chicago-based band that takes a funky prog-rock approach to its infectious music.
JAM-BAND JAMMING AND SURPRISING COVERS
Perhaps as tight as any band that’s graced the Meijer Gardens stage, the immensely talented six-piece not only lived up to its jam-band reputation (the first song of the night lasted 13 minutes, the first three covered a full half-hour), but also its penchant for completely revamped set lists each night.
On Wednesday, that list included unexpected, rollicking covers of J.J. Cale/Eric Clapton’s “After Midnight” and ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses.” It’s a band that seamlessly flows from funk to jazz to prog-rock to reggae, often within the same song, with the obligatory flashing lights and stage fog to enhance its display.
Getting into the spirit:
Umphrey’s McGee.
The show – two sets with no opening act – was as much an event as a concert, with ebullient fans sporting “Umph Love” stickers, greeting chums, mouthing the words to favorite Umphrey’s songs, dressing resplendently for the occasion, dancing nonstop and imbibing whatever they imbibe.
PATRIOTIC SPLASHES ON STAGE AND IN THE AUDIENCE
“Tomorrow as you know is the Fourth of July,” guitarist Brendan Bayliss chirped to the crowd at one point. “We don’t have a show tomorrow. So, tonight we’ve got to celebrate America.”
And so they did, with bassist Ryan Stasik getting into the spirit by wearing patriotic pants and knocking out an impressive rendition of “America the Beautiful.” The crowd certainly was ready to cheer the nation’s birthday, too, flaunting red, white and blue hats, halter tops, hot pants, capes, bandanas, glasses, belts, shirts, hair and more. Older patrons kept their distance, watching the fray with bemused interest from the amphitheater’s upper reaches.
The late-arriving capacity crowd of 1,900 (tickets were still being sold after the concert began and it eventually sold out) came off at times like a New Millennium version of Deadheads of old, especially because there were plenty of Grateful Dead shirts and hats in the house.
But it’s also clear that Umphrey’s McGee resonates with its own Midwest charm, which can create a milieu that a place like Meijer Gardens has rarely experienced.
UMPHREY’S MCGEE AT MEIJER GARDENS: LOCAL SPINS PHOTO GALLERY BY ANNA SINK (JULY 3, 2013)
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music
