Umphrey's McGee

On a crisp October day in 2004, we rolled into the Bay Area for our second show ever at the legendary Great American Music Hall. If you have ever set foot inside those hallowed halls, you understand the “if these walls could talk” feeling that permeates the room. Home to countless legendary performances from Sonny Rollins to the Grateful Dead, the energy is undeniable. Our excitement about that show returns today as we roll out the previously unreleased, re-mastered matrix recording from the vault.

From their latest release The London Session recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in England, to their four-quarter fan interactive jam extravaganza fittingly titled UMBowl, the boys from Umphrey’s McGee have developed into a genre-defying powerhouse that only grows by the day. Keyboardist extraordinaire Joel Cummins recently sat down with the Grateful Web to discuss their latest release, how UMBowl came to be, along with what’s in store for guys in 2015 and beyond.

Prolific and imaginative jamband Umphrey’s McGee brings its high energy and multi instrumental act to the intimate Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theatre Saturday, August 22nd, 2015 / 9PM.  Tickets are on sale Friday, April 24th / 10AM.

"Umphrey's McGee stand revealed as consummate musical alchemists, deftly reconfiguring sounds from rock's vast panoply of styles." Entertainment Weekly.

Never one to shy away from giving fans something unexpected, prog-rockers Umphrey’s McGee have surprised their followers by releasing their second studio in album in less than a year.  Just ten months after the fantastic Similar Skin was produced, the band took advantage of an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to record music in the famed Abbey Road Studios in London; the same room that iconic artists like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Hollies, Fela Kuti, and Radiohead all recorded some of their best work.

When Matthew Mirro received an electronic drum set for Christmas in 1985, he had visions of creating a song for a movie in the vein of Axl F. from Beverly Hills cop.  When the instrument proved to not be his thing, it was no surprise when his younger brother picked up the sticks and ran with them.  “Mikey was just born with it inside him”, Matt says.  “He was a natural.”

What do you do with 12 hours booked at the world’s most famous recording studio? You make the most of it! Never a band to play things safe, Umphrey’s McGee surprised their fans and broke the news via Rolling Stone about a special new studio album titled The London Session. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in one day, the innovative group will release The London Session on April 7th.

This Saturday, February 7 music fans in Western North Carolina will be treated to a unique event at the Asheville Music Hall. Following the evening’s performance by Umphrey’s McGee at the local arena, all interested fans can continue to celebrate late night by joining Umphrey’s guitarist Jake Cinninger and keyboardist Joel Cummins, the entire band of Tauk and very special guests who cannot be announced yet.

The Everyone Orchestra has announced three northern California shows in March of 2015. Conducted by Matt Butler, this performance will feature Kris Meyers (Umphrey's McGee), Joel Cummins (Umphrey's McGee), Jamie Kime (Zappa Plays Zappa), Ben Thomas (Zappa Plays Zappa), and Kai Eckhardt (John McLaughlin Trio/Garaj Mahal).

Umphrey’s McGee returns to Colorado this summer to headline the one and only Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the sixth consecutive year on Friday, July 3rd to celebrate Independence Day weekend.

UMBowl VI Weekend in Las Vegas? You bet. Get in on the action with two nights at Brooklyn Bowl - all the excitement and intimacy of UMBowl, followed by a standard 2-set show the following night. Well, as "standard" as a Saturday night in Las Vegas can be.