event Umphrey's McGee
Also Playing: Prefuse 73
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Kevin Browning
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Thu Dec 31
7:30 pm
Umphrey's McGee and Prefuse 73 at Aragon Ballroom
Umphrey’s McGee travels much the same path as hundreds of jam bands, but the Chicago sextet tempers its approach with touches of late-period Steely Dan and Robert Fripp-ish guitar arpeggios. Which isn’t to say that fans of Phish and the Dead can’t still twirl and groove to their heart’s content—though Umphrey’s McGee firmly states in the liner notes of 2007’s Bottom Half that too much work went into the songs to aimlessly play whatever comes to mind. But wait: The double-disc live set Jimmy Stewart 2007, according to its press release, is entirely improvised, while 2009's complex Mantis was its first to be entirely composed inside the studio. The Schrödinger’s Cat of jam bands will play three shows, culminating with the jammiest party in town on New Year's Eve.
Aragon Ballroom 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL
Umphrey’s McGee travels much the same path as hundreds of jam bands, but the Chicago sextet tempers its approach with touches of late-period Steely Dan and Robert Fripp-ish guitar arpeggios. Which isn’t to say that fans of Phish and the Dead can’t still twirl and groove to their heart’s content—though Umphrey’s McGee firmly states in the liner notes of 2007’s Bottom Half that too much work went into the songs to aimlessly play whatever comes to mind. But wait: The double-disc live set Jimmy Stewart 2007, according to its press release, is entirely improvised, while 2009's complex Mantis was its first to be entirely composed inside the studio. The Schrödinger’s Cat of jam bands will play three shows, culminating with the jammiest party in town on New Year's Eve.
Updated 06/16/2011
