By: Penny Piper
Umphrey’s McGee hit town at Empire Live on Thursday, February 5, and I’m not exaggerating when I say the place felt electric before they even walked on stage. That kind of anticipation only happens when a band has earned serious trust from its fans, and after nearly three decades together, these guys absolutely have.
If you somehow don’t know them yet, Umphrey’s McGee formed in 1997 and has built one of the most loyal followings in live music. The lineup — Brendan Bayliss (guitar/vocals), Jake Cinninger (guitar/vocals), Joel Cummins (keys/vocals), Ryan Stasik (bass), Scotty Zwang (drums and vocals), and Andy Farag (percussion) — isn’t just talented individually. Each one is legitimately top tier. But together? That’s where the magic happens. They’re insanely tight, borderline telepathic, and way too adventurous to sit comfortably in the “jam band” box people try to stick them in.
Because let’s be real, they’re not your typical jam band. One minute you’re hearing prog rock precision, then metal aggression, funk grooves, jazz, straight rock… sometimes all in the same song. It shouldn’t work as seamlessly as it does, but somehow it always does. That chemistry after all these years isn’t fading either, if anything, they look like they’re having more fun now than ever. You can literally see it in how they interact on stage.
The set itself flowed like a perfectly paced ride. They built tension instead of blowing it all at once, stretching jams just enough, shifting moods, letting things breathe before cranking the energy again. That push-and-pull is what they do best, controlled chaos that never actually feels out of control.
Hearing “Kitchen” live was a personal highlight for me. But when they dropped into “Seek and Destroy”? Absolute mayhem. The place exploded. No hesitation, and they nailed it with the kind of confidence that only comes from a band that knows exactly what it’s doing. Only Umphrey’s can pull off Metallica, Tenacious D, Van Halen, Blue Oyster Cult, and oh, did I mention the “Hollywood Nights” by Bob Seger encore, that was changed up to “ALBANY NIGHTS!”? Wild times, kids!
And then because apparently a killer show wasn’t enough randomness for one night, comedian Bert Kreischer showed up fresh off his set across the street at The Palace Theatre. Suddenly I’m in the pit laughing, dancing, and hanging with The Machine himself. Surreal doesn’t even cover it.
Of course, Bert being Bert, he eventually hopped on stage, ripped his shirt off, and whipped the crowd into yet another level of chaos. The band leaned right into it. Fans lost their minds. It was hilarious, wild, and somehow perfectly on brand for an Umphrey’s show.
Packed house. Fans raging. Band absolutely on fire. Unexpected celebrity belly cameo. Zero complaints.
Nights like this are why live music still matters — that shared, unplanned, lightning-in-a-bottle energy you just can’t stream or scroll past. Umphrey’s McGee doesn’t just play shows; they create experiences. And Thursday night was one I won’t be coming down from anytime soon.
Set 1:Tango Mike > Concessions, Professor Wormbog, Domino Theory, Sociable Jimmy > Nothing Too Fancy[1] > Pay the Snucka[2] > Seek and Destroy > Pay the Snucka
Set 2:In The Kitchen[3] > Wife Soup, Utopian Fir > Come Closer > Utopian Fir > Mulche’s Odyssey, The Weight Around > Kielbasa > Nothing Too Fancy
Encore:The Silent Type[4]-> Hollywood Nights[5] > The Silent Type
Footnotes:
[1] with Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love (Van Halen) tease
[2] with (Don’t Fear) The Reaper (Blue Öyster Cult) teases
[3] ended with Roundabout (Yes) teases
[4] with Miss Tinkle’s Overture tease
[5] lyrics changed from “Hollywood” to “Albany”
Show Notes:last Seek and Destroy 2008-02-07 (1,674 shows)
with YYZ (Rush) teases before 1st Utopian Fir
Photo Gallery:
