Philzone.org Discussion Board: Archive 2004: Hep C Archive: Mardi Gras!!!!!!!!

Phil has anounced a Mardi Gras show on Feb 12th at th Great American Music Hall in SF. DSO at home in socal the next night, back north to Santa Cruz for DSO on my birthday two days later(with good phriend Llary and hopefully Walt and Kimberly. JA, sound interesting?). Then back to SF for three DSO showsthat weekend. Man is my little? tablin butt gonna be busy that week and a half.
Reminds me, Dave, I need DSO contact to send my letters of intro to. I will be calling Kathy on Monday. Now I'm jazzed and probably won't get to sleep til long after sunup. JA, if you want to help on any of these shows, give me a holler.

Just wish there was something goin on for NYE.

Heading up to Placerville on the 16th to see good phriends Walt and Kimberly. If the weather is OK, then 3 nights of Phil parking table, 17th, 18th and 19th in SF. JA?

PEACE, Mark

Excuse my ignorance, but who is UMPHREY’S McGEE?

The Mule tour ends on NYE at the Beacon. Hope Warren will be there for Mardi Gras. Kevin, any clues?

Sounds purdy darn busy fo sho, Ambassator Mark. Don't crash and burn...lots of running around there for that week. You keep this up you'll become a regular fixture at shows.....not a bad thang. Great excuse for hooking up with phamily hep kats and kittens too. I envy you left coast pholks...you'll have more chances to all get together.

I'm still leaning towards stayin' home for NYE.....

I've heard so much good about Umphrey's McGee...not seen nor heard them either.

UMPHREY'S MCGEE
www.umphreys.com

Chicago upstarts Umphrey's McGee have garnered much attention coast to coast with their guitar-heavy jams and melodic vocal work. Who are these six individuals who played before 12,000 people at the jam paradise of the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee? Around the nation, people are flocking to their local venues to see what all the buzz is about.
Over the last few years Umphrey's McGee has toured the nation coast-to-coast, spreading their orchestral smorgasbord of sound. Having traversed the countryside, Umphrey's McGee has built up quite a repertoire of original music that changes with every show, and a large following of loyal fans to boot. Busting genres left and right, Umphrey's originals span everything from classical to bluegrass, gangsta-rap to hair-metal, jazz improv to downright dirty funk. Throw in some fun, unexpected covers and a great light show and you've got yourself a must-see performance. There really is something for everyone in Umphrey's McGee!

It began in December of 1997 at the home of the Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana when two up-and-coming bands merged to form Umphrey's McGee. After playing together for a few months and releasing their first album, Greatest Hits Volume III, original members Joel Cummins (keyboards, vocals), Mike Mirro (drums, vocals), Brendan Bayliss (guitar, vocals) and Ryan Stasik (bass) had the opportunity to play a few shows with percussionist Andy Farag. In June of 1998, they invited Andy to join the band full-time, and in November they recorded their second release, entitled Songs for Older Women. In September of 2000, guitarist Jake Cinninger (from Niles, Michigan) found himself without a band, and Umphrey's jumped at the opportunity to bring this versatile musician into their fold. After a few practices it became apparent that Umphrey's McGee had found the full sound for which they were looking. Jake joined Umphrey's McGee full-time on guitar and vocals, and the band set its sights on becoming a successful national act. In January 2003, Umphrey's said their farewell to original drummer Mike Mirro, who decided follow his dream to become a doctor and attend medical school. The latest addition to the band's line-up is newly acquired Chicago drummer Kris Myers, who picked up where Mike left off in January 2003.

Umphrey's McGee's live music is some of the most widely spread and highly sought-after on the internet, and the band has a legion of fans who trade and collect their live recordings. Recognizing the fast-paced, unpredictable nature of the music industry, Umphrey's McGee relies on its loyal fans to help with promotional efforts. Working with the band's management, fans burn mass amounts of shows which are then labeled and distributed, along with flyers and posters, to previously untapped markets. As a result, Umphrey's has experienced capacity crowds in places where they have never played before! This innovative grassroots marketing strategy has proven to be very fruitful and effective for the growing organism that is Umphrey's McGee.

By virtue of its prolific live performances and sensational musicianship, Umphrey's McGee has gained a reputation for being a national top draw. The combination of a large repertoire and remarkable improvisatory skills make each of Umphrey's McGee's live concerts stand alone: one night is never the same as another. The group's third release, entitled One Fat Sucka (2000), is a compilation of live tracks recorded from the Fall of 2000 that showcases the band's versatility.

And this brings us to 2002, an incredible year for Umphrey's McGee in which the band landed spots at some of the country's hottest music festivals, including the Bonnaroo Music Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, South By Southwest, Hookahville and HarvestFest, among others. Another high mark is the development of the very first Umphrey's DVD, filmed at the Skyline Stage in Chicago in July 2002, which will be released in February 2003.

Umphrey's McGee has released its third studio album, Local Band Does O.K., that displays the strength of their songwriting: concise yet orchestral melodic ideas blended with unique and thoughtful lyrics. Their first studio release in over four years, LBDO is the result of twelve days spent in Audioasis Studios, a studio/barn in Southern Ohio. "What we tried to capture was the true energy and performances of songs that we had already written, combined with some late-night improvisations," says keyboardist Joel Cummins.

Umphrey's McGee is Joel Cummins (keyboards, vocals), Brendan Bayliss (guitar, vocals), Ryan Stasik (bass), Andy Farag (percussion) and Jake Cinninger (guitar, Moog, synthesizers, vocals), and Kris Myers (drums, vocals).