Concert: Umphreys Mcgee

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Umphreys Mcgee is a jam band that came out of the Midwest in the mid-'90s ; the brand of music played by Umphrey's McGee bordered on the Frank Zappa side of the improv rock scale, which was completely opposed to the Grateful Dead/ Allman Brothers Band direction adopted by many of their contemporaries, in the rock genre like the Big Wu. The band's music is unique and remarkable in more ways than one. They are honest about their work and play within the limits of their inherent talent. This is one of the foremost reasons that the band has become one of the more popular acts on the rock circuit. They are on tour now and you have your chance to get a ringside view to watch the band play live. So go get your tickets now.

The band was formed following a chance meeting between the members of Umphrey's McGee at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. All six future bandmembers had been gigging for various campus bands when they decided to get together over spring break in 1998, taking their name from an older relative of guitarist Brendan Bayliss

The band quickly began disseminating their live shows, owing to the fact that the national jam band infrastructure was already in place, and soon releasing their first album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 3. The songs of by Phish and moe were often included live in this set and this fourth-generation jam band also became famous for its unusual selection of wacky covers.

This sextet soon started garnering a large following in the South Bend area. The graduation of the bandmembers saw the group instating a more and more rigorous rehearsal schedule. Not surprising, but creditably, half of the band had degrees in music, thus there was a huge emphasis on constant precision, with the band religiously studying tapes of their performances in order to improve them. Though their record sales have never reached the high levels that are the norm for such a talented band, the group used its live recordings to pave the way for gigs in parts of the country they has so far bee unable to penetrate. A story is in circulation that the band had a sell out crow in Colorado, for their live shows even before their first trip; thanks largely due to the distribution of live CDs. Songs for Older Women, their live recording was released by the band in 1999.

In 2000, the band moved from their native South Bend to the lively metropolis of Chicago. This change of base enabled the band to embark upon two-week jaunts throughout the Midwest, wherein they occasionally hit on other markets and shared the stage with an assortment of musicians, which included Béla Fleck, Topaz, the Chicago-based blues harmonica player Sugar Blue, Dr. Didg (aka Graham Wiggins), and many others. New Year's Eve 2000, witnessed the release of the bands third album ,One Fat Sucka, another live album that earned them much needed popular as well as critical acclaim. They are now touring America and you might just be lucky enough, to see them live at a venue near you. This is a once-in a lifetime opportunity, and you must book your tickets well in advance to avoid heartbreak.