The Canalside Concert Series In Buffalo, NY offers a wide variety of artists in a lineup that can vary from rappers to electronica to country. Last Thursday saw rockers Umphrey’s McGee take the stage for an extended set of hits. Splitting the night into two parts, the band jammed their way through the night with their usual extended versions of most songs. Together for over twenty years, core members Brendan Bayliss (guitar), keyboardist Joel Cummins, and bassist Ryan Stasik led the band through a progressive rock showcase of music that had something for everyone. Their sound is a mixture of early Genesis, Grateful Dead, Led Zepplin with doses of Phish, King Crimson, and Parliament/Funkadelic sprinkled in. The guitar playing of Jake Cinninger is top notch as his playing is diverse that includes soaring high notes and lightning fast solos. Double drummers and Stasik’s steady bass line provide a backbeat for the rest of teh guys including the adventurous Cinninger. The band has developed a steadily following and the packed crowd was ready for a long night. Starting with “Catshot,” the band led the evening off with a tight arrangement and the crowd response was an instant dance party. The band played for well over three hours and ran through a wide variety of songs including “Ringo,” “Wizzard Burial Ground” and “Wappy Sprayberry”.
The fun nature of the song titles don’t indicate the seriousness of the band’s approach to their music. Arguably, Umphrey’s McGee could be the tightest jam band in the world. Their musical talent is second to none. The usual jam-band line up offers no stars onstage. This was evident in the second set as the song list was had each taking turns in their solo spotlight.
“Booth Love” was a stand out here as Cinninger led the funky, rhythmic sound of the track. By the time the encore of “Puppet String,” you can sense the crowd was at exhaustion level as 3 hours was coming to a close. You should get to one of their shows if they happen to play near your city. If its an atmosphere of music and enjoyment while having no cares in the world, then an Umphrey’s McGee concert should be on your list to experience.
Setlist
Set 1
Catshot
Attachments
Fussy
Ringo
Push & Pull
Prowler
2nd Self
Speak Up
Get Wind
Wizzard Burial Ground
Set 2
Triangle
Wappy Sprayberry
Bath
Booth Love
Resolution
Hollywood
Encore
Puppet String
We would like to thank Paige Gress from Canalside for the credentials to review the show.
