Hands up, air-guitar/drums/keyboards at full volume, eyes closed. I can’t stop moving. Cheshire smiles crawling all around me. I feel it. Do you feel it? Doyoufeelit? “The UMPH.” Take a big swift breath. Hold in the air. Ready? “Woooooooo!” Umphrey’s McGee’s “2 x 2” has the room in vivid motion for their first set.
Umphrey’s McGee is much more than music. It’s about giving in, letting go, unity, transcending, hope, getting fucked up, and appreciating the inexplicable feeling this gift of live music is providing to our souls.
We judge bands by sorting them into cabinets in our heads — which lyrics we remember, which genre the music can be categorized into, etc. Umphrey’s doesn’t have a cabinet they fit in. They’re dark and bi-polar and dynamic and multisensory.
I can’t stop staring at the visuals. They say UM’s lighting tech is the seventh member of the band, and has been compared to Pink Floyd’s tech by Rolling Stone. Being lost in light never felt so right. I love checking my surroundings when feeling something so great. People make the silliest faces when rocking out. Keep those coming, never change. I find my bubble and dance. “She’s either drunk or into me,” after multiple brushes, my head tries to make sense of.
“Zipper’s down.” “What? Ohh. Thank you,” I reply coming from the restroom. This is only night one. Get your shit together.
The Tabernacle has four levels — bathrooms and merch on the bottom, stage and GA standing room on two, balcony on three, VIP on four. This place is gorgeous. “Want a koozie” leads to someone making-out while The Virgin Mary watches — she’s located in the middle bar, likely remaining from when the building was Third Baptist Church. Happy Friday the 13th! 🙂
“Umphrey’s is playing a lot of their old catalog,” The Sober Goat shares with a slurred smile. The craft kegs weren’t working so we stuck with Yuengling (not that we don’t like Yuengling, there were just unique choices we wanted to try). The second set kicks off with “Der Bluten Kat” and is jam-filled with fan favorites like “40th Theme” and “Miami Virtue.”
We pour into the street glowing, most with sweat, too. “Three for $20,” balloons everywhere, it’s like the fair, there’s a Ferris Wheel.
Check out the Umphrey’s McGee 2017 Setlist below, from allthingsumphreys.
Setlist: Umphrey’s McGee | The Tabernacle | Atlanta, GA | 1/13/17
Set 1: Bathing Digits > Bad Friday, Morning Song, FF > Last Man Swerving > 2×2, Wizard Burial Ground > Sludge & Death
Set 2: Der Bluten Kat > Sociable Jimmy > Der Bluten Kat, We’re Going to War -> Out Of Order > 40’s Theme[1], Miami Virtue[2] > Power of Soul
Encore: Divisions[3]
[1] with I Keep Forgettin’ (Michael McDonald) teases
[2] with Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) tease
[3] with Third Stone from the Sun (Jimi Hendrix) teases
You can listen to the full show audio below, thanks to NSL!
P.S. Happy Birthday, Joel! 🙂
Sidenote: We are staying at the coolest Air BnB in Atlanta with the most brilliant host, Thompson. There’s a rock climbing wall and three stories, several rooms, a rooftop lounge, blocks from everywhere cool, graffiti murals slithering across long walls, cold craft beer, nothing matches but solutions to everything exist. Thompson’s place isn’t for everyone. If you’re lame, uncool, rude, prude, have a’tude, swings in mood, then you’re not welcome. If you want somewhere you’ll be telling your friends about forever, try the place we call home in Atlanta. Thompson calls it “Your Place.”
[Not a valid template]Umphrey’s McGee Live Review by Mitch, edited by Spencer Storch.
Umphrey’s McGee Live Concert Photos 2017 by Richie Williams, The Sober Goat!
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- The Commission Beer Chamber
- Kingfish Records (Clearwater)
- Nora's Sugar Shack!
- Park Ave CDs
- Montgomery Drive Presents
- RT-Art Printing
- The Mary Jane 'High-Quality' Art Gallery
- The Owl's Attic Vintage Shop
- Broken Strings Brewery
- American Combat Club
- Lazy Moon Pizza
- Ten10 Brewing
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- The Tipsy Skipper
- Conrad's Beer Shanty
- AKT Shirt Printing
- Smartpunk Records & Shop
- No Clubs Presents
- DaddyKool Records
- Galactic G Skateshop
