Umphrey’s McGee jams

The packed audience Friday night at the IU Auditorium was on its feet screaming well before the Umphrey’s McGee concert began.\nAs the lights dimmed, the mixed crowd of college students, high school students and middle-aged fans chanted “Umphrey’s” as people left their seats to mesh into one seat in front of the stage. The band began by playing hard metal that eventually led to guitar solos, bongo playing and a few vocals now and then.\n“This is my 13th show,” said Mark Cottrell of Indianapolis. “I definitely like how they came out with the opener. The way they came out and went right into the show, there was no introduction; they just went right into it.”\nSome describe Umphrey’s McGee as an art-rock group. \n“I love the different styles they bring into their sets,” said senior Alan Werskey. “It’s a little bit of everything for everybody. They are unique because of the way they do construct their music. They provide so much more from the normal jam band.”\nMuch of the music was 1970s-inspired, with many instrumental pieces.\n“The expectation of them playing long jams drifting from one song to another is what I look for,” Werskey said. “The songs can go many different ways and everybody’s into it.”\nUnlike many bands of today, the concert was filled with instrumental sets and lyrics as a background notion. The long sets of music made it impossible to tell when one song ended and another one began. The band used its lyrics throughout the show, but it mainly focused on switching between various styles of music.\n“I like how they bring new things to the table every time I see them,” Cottrell said. “Whenever they play in the Midwest, I know it’s going to be good because that’s where they’re from. You know they’re going to bring it.”\nSince the band’s music is mostly focused on the instruments, all six band members received equal playing time. \n“They definitely showed musicianship by their transitions of songs,” Werskey said. “It was really solid. My favorite type of music is jam band. I like listening to lengthy songs that sound just as good at the start as the end.”\nAfter almost three hours of performing, Umphrey’s McGee was greeted by a standing ovation that lasted nearly five minutes. With the crowd still standing, the band came back out to perform an encore set.\n“I thought the performance was phenomenal,” stated Lindsay Walker, a senior at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis. “They all played their own solos. The venue was small (compared to outdoor venues), and there wasn’t much dancing room, but a lot of people meshed together and became friends.”