Umphrey's McGee: Kids or Jail??

Umphrey's McGee, looking remarkably out of character

The 1600 team had a chance to sit down with the members of Umphrey's McGee before their triumphant return to the 9:30 Club October 17th. We were pleased to catch up with Jake, Brendan, Ryan, Joel, Chris, and Andy, heard some great stories, talked sports, found out about their influences, and heard about the brand new, just released double live album, Live at the Murat, recorded in April at the Murat Egyptian Room in Indianapolis. The interview will air soon on Channel 10 in Fairfax, and will be online shortly after. (So you can figure out why this review is called Kids or Jail!) Don't miss it!

The first set started around 9:30, and the near-capacity crowd was dancing, shouting, and swaying before the band even hit the stage. Umphrey's sound was for the most part, spot on, although Jake was having some difficulty initially with his pedals and effects, but that was ironed out relatively quickly...They opened with "Walletsworth," from their 2004 disc, Anchor Drops, doing one of their trademark jams (a.k.a., a Jimmy Stewart) and returning to the main theme, followed by "Push the Pig," "Believe the Lie" (from the 2006 CD, Safety in Numbers), "Utopian Fir," and "Thin Air."

After a short break to regroup, Umphrey's returned to the stage with "Hurt Birdbath," from 2002's Local Band Does Okay, a title that indicates the band's self-effacing, low-key attitude that makes them refreshingly approachable and down to earth. They continued with "Words," "Smell the Mitten" (A Spinal Tap reference/homage? Pretty funny!), and another Jimmy Stewart, into the title cut from their most recent studio release, The Bottom Half. The set ended on a high note, with "Kabump," and one of their dozens of odd covers, rehearsed and worked out on the bus, at their hotel, and backstage before the show. Tonight's pick was A Flock of Seagulls "I Ran," which I hadn't heard in a very long time, and as enhanced by the Umphrey's crew, sounded pretty good, although I nearly laughed out loud as Brendan launched into the lyrics. Steve was probably the gladdest of all to hear it, however, because it meant that Jerry and I wouldn't have to crush his spleen for suggesting "Sister Christian," another bad 80's tune the band occasionally performs live.

They solo, they duel, they improvise on the fly, and take chances- something few bands (even jam bands) can do as seamlessly, or as apparently effortlessly. But they admit to practicing like crazy (Adrian Belew told us that Umphrey's sometimes even works on material between sets! How hard core is that?) and after 10 years together and over 2,000 shows, the time and effort they put into their music definitely shows! The band goes from one song to suddenly veer off and break into another, completely different style, each member taking off in different directions, and then pulling back right back together to finish the song that started the medley, throwing out the occasional hand signals, or counting off, and watching each other's every move. And the audience moves right along with the beat, nonstop- dancing, laughing and playing, while soaking up every note.

So, look for them to come back in the spring to the DC area and see what the fun is all about. And look for us down by the right speaker, dancing along...

40 Acres and That Goverment Mule You've Been Dreaming Of

After touring earlier this year with the Allman Bros., Warren Haynes recently took his alter ego Gov't Mule on the road for a series of high energy show this fall. The band spent two solid, well- attended nights at DC's 9:30 Club where they jammed the night away playing their unique blend of rock, pop, and soul, drenched in blues, and buoyed by the big man's masterful guitar and soulful vocals. And as usual, the 1600 team was there!

From hearing bits and pieces of their live shows over the years, I was really looking forward to checking these guys out in person. Virtuoso guitarist Haynes, flanked by Matt Abts (drums), Andy Hess (bass), and Danny Louis (keyboards) were also joined by saxophone master and DC perennial, Ron Holloway, a longtime member of Susan Tedeschi's band, who improvised with inspired enthusiasm with his old friend Haynes, collaborating on several songs each night.



Another brief word here about the opening act, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Walking in that night, I was accosted by several friends who all cautioned me not to miss a minute of her set. So, denying ourselves the customary bathroom/smoke/beer walkabout usually reserved for opening acts, we stood at the edge of the stage, hanging on her every word, taking in the 24 year-old "Vermonster's" tasty slide guitar and Hammond B3 organ- fueled jaunts through her entire one hour set. It was good advice, and I'm glad we heeded it. Grace growled out her original songs with an authority reserved for the likes of seasoned blues vets.

The band, comprised of lead player Scott Dournet, bassist Bryan Dondero, and drummer Matt Burr, cooked with a fiery intensity, playing a loose but well-rehearsed set that included several songs off their second record, "This is Somewhere." Highlights included Ah Mary, Stop the Bus, Ain't No Time, and Big White Gate. 1600 anticipates that this band will headlining the next time they come to town, and looks forward to seeing them again soon. See www.gracepotter.com for more info, future dates, downloads, and pictures.

But as usual, I digress. The band we went to see was Gov't Mule (get more info at www.mule.net). And their reputation for playing great shows is well- deserved. Steve, a longtime Mule vet, accompanied by friend of 1600 Tommy Gavin, managed to make it both nights, and I could kick myself for missing out on many of Mule's signature tunes, including Thorazine Shuffle, A Million Miles From Yesterday, and Mr. High and Mighty, as well as their excellent reading of the Rolling Stones' Play With Fire, and duets with the forementioned Ms. Potter on Find the Cost of Freedom and Ohio. The band rarely repeats a song two shows in a row. My bad.

As for the show we did see, the first set kicked off with Streamline Woman and Brand New Angel, setting a high bar for the night. Bad Little Doggie, Blind Man in the Dark, with Ron Holloway eliciting a whooping response from the crowd as he laid down some blazing sax leads, and Unring the Bell found everyone at the 9:30 Club on their feet and dancing. We were also treated to an exultant Southern Man, with Warren sharing vocal duties once again with Grace Potter, just before the break.

After we caught our collective breath, the band soon returned and launched into another high energy set. Holloway sat in on several songs, including Soulshine, a great jam with drummer Abts, and my favorite song of the night, a cover of Traffic's Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. The set also included the Beatles' I'm So Tired, and Unblow Your Horn, from the new release "Mighty High." The encore featured a somewhat lackluster cover of U2's One, a song not really well suited for Mule's strengths, but finished on a high note with a powerful rendition of of Little Feat's Spanish Moon, with Holloway again at the forefront adding his muscular tenor to Mule's bluesy sound.

Fans can download songs and entire shows from the band at www.muletracks.com, through their most recent stops in DC and Richmond VA last week. The more I hear, the better I like these guys, and the mix of covers (everything from the Grateful Dead to the Blues Bros., Jimi Hendrix and Prince) and their own originals make Gov't Mule another "must see" band that's worth every penny of the price of admission, and then some.