Umphrey's McGee 6.28.12

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Richmond, VA
Words & Photos by Benjamin Wilkerson
Progressive-rockers Umphrey’s McGee grace the picturesque and meticulously maintained grounds of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens for a pleasing and family-friendly outdoor performance as part of the Groovin’ in the Garden annual summer concert series. The band has a proven sound, honed through a dozen active years of touring, and they stay true to their fast-tempo, improvisational, and some would even say hair metal roots (no pun intended). Influences aside, Umphrey’s has a solid history of rocking small and large venues alike, and their summer touring schedule has already seen several festival appearances. But, tonight feels like a homely setting for the band’s

Set I: Cummins Lies > Red Tape*, Nemo, Alex's House, Room to Breathe, In The Kitchen, Partyin' Peeps
Set II: Nothing Too Fancy** > The Bottom Half, The Linear > Africa, August, Visions$ > Plunger
Encore: Uncommon > Baba O'Riley
Notes:
* with Can't You Hear Me Knockin' (Rolling Stones) teases
** with Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne) jam; unfinished
$ previously known as Visions of Parin
Also known by the pronounceable


Under the fading dusk, they return to much accolade from the fans and the start of their vivid light show. After first diving into some hefty bars of melodic instrumental improvisation including a take on Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” they continue into some more stylings of drum and bass and electronic dance music before their jams leads into the 80s staple “Africa” by Toto. As the bassist takes a solo in the spotlight wearing hipster fashions; a throwback Pittsburgh Pirates hat, cut-off jean shorts, and a mustache straight out of Brooklyn, NY, some oversaturated male fan yells “I want to have your babies!” Next, they go into a crowd request which sees

Afterwards, as the patrons in the parking lot slowly file out the only and severely bottle-necked exit, some still continue to drink, eat, and fellowship. The boisterous crowd blasts Phish from their car stereos, and with two of this jam titan’s recent shows within feasible driving distance, they joke in reference to last week’s performances in Portsmouth quoting, “You suck at tucking!” in playful jest in the peaceful Virginia summer humidity.
www.umphreysmcgee.com

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