Umphrey’s McGee opened their three-night run at the majestic Mishawaka Amphitheatre last night with pure rock ’n’ roll swagger and style. What a wonderful evening in the canyon, and holy cow, Colorado, way to show up and support the gurus of groove. The crowd was fully invested before a single note was played; the energy spinning through the audience before the show started was electric, highly enthusiastic, and welcoming. The Mishawaka vibe is something to behold on its own, then you throw in a band like UM and all bets are off as the floodgates of modern-day musical magic are now open for business.

If you are reading this, you are likely aware of the craftsmanship UM brings to the musical conversation. Or maybe I should rephrase that to a rock ’n’ roll stew they mix up and serve to their adoring fans every night they perform. The band’s presentation of musical adventure and intrigue is where they feel most comfortable—and so do their fans. They are constantly evolving musically by experimenting with many different styles and flavors of music that excite the senses. Speaking of the band’s evolution, they have recently welcomed Scotty Zwang on drums. Zwang is no stranger to playing with musicians of such high caliber and musical diversity, coming from bands like Ghost Light, Dopapod, and SunSquabi. Zwang was a logical and ideal person to take the throne, and he absolutely crushed it last night!

Zwang on drums was joined by Brendan Bayliss on guitar and vocals, Jake Cinninger on guitar and vocals, Ryan Stasik on bass guitar and vocals, Joel Cummins on keyboards and vocals, and Andy Farag on percussion. The eclectic group of musicians weaved a tapestry of sounds, moods, and textures to soothe even the most fickle listening palate. UM’s ability to combine metal, funk, rock, jazz, blues, reggae, folk, and country into one mind-bending night of music is not only interesting and inventive—it’s downright astonishing.

Masters of mashing things up, the band infused elements of all things unpredictable and improvisational into their show. From the complexity of the arrangements to the tonal qualities of their instruments, there was a lot to absorb. Not only was the band diverse in their song presentation and technical abilities, they also had on-stage chemistry that drew you even more into what they were doing. They were so comfortable with each other on stage, and after so many years playing together, all of that band synergy was front and center.

Opening the show with “Out of Focus” set an early tone for the weird and wonderful night ahead. The canyon’s towering hills and fast-flowing river provided the picture-perfect backdrop for anything and everything, and that’s exactly what the band delivered. Genre-jumping, to say the least, is the understatement of the year. The band exploded from the stage with powerful musical accuracy and smiles on their faces. The crowd was absorbed by their energy, and the connection between audience and musicians was a great feeling that pushed the evening into otherworldly musical magic.

Thick, chunky guitar riffs stuck to your ribs and expanded your mind with explosive, hard-driving arrangements. The band’s inventive creativity combined with high-energy dynamics were on the evening’s musical menu. It was a feast for your senses that fed your head with musical wizardry. The progressiveness and expansive musical dialogue hit a boiling point fast. The band’s ability to compose music that moves in so many directions is certainly one of their outstanding attributes. The songs were built like a puzzle, weaving in and out of different improvisational jams that felt like there were songs within songs coming at the audience from all directions. The rawness and spontaneous environment the band created was overwhelmingly intriguing, leaving the audience agasp and hungry for more.

What a cool gig and what a display of musical marksmanship. The band sounded tight and well-rehearsed, and the crowd soaked up every ounce of the vibes hitting them from all directions. The band’s brand-new album Blueprints dropped yesterday, September 12th, so be sure and give it a spin!

Thanks to UM for including the Mishawaka on their tour, and thanks to all of the Mishawaka’s and UM’s production teams. Thanks to the guests and all the staff.