Chicago’s eclectic rock band Umphrey’s McGee has been keeping fans on their toes for nearly 27 years now. Though often pigeonholed into “jam band” circles, Umphrey’s doesn’t fit that traditional mold; and their fans don’t either. Is it prog rock? Song-forward, Beatles-esque arrangements? Be careful, they might hit you with some metal riffs mid-set, too. Amongst 2,500 gigs and 300 million tracks streamed, you-had-to-be-there moments include the band’s performance at the first-ever Bonnaroo and selling more CDs (remember those?) than any other act on the bill. A leader in the live music world, Umphrey’s McGee became the first group to launch its own single-artist streaming service with UMLive.net, which houses recordings of every gig since 2005. The service has since grown and now lives on through Nugs.net, which is used by the likes of Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, and more.
Beyond intimate backstage encounters and ski trips with their most diehard fans, Umphrey’s McGee instituted the groundbreaking “Headphones & Snowcones” program, granting fans access to professional headphones and a soundboard-quality mix to listen wirelessly at shows. At their UMBowl, they empowered the audience to vote on the setlist in real-time and choose favorite improv themes via text message. In 2017, they stepped into another realm altogether by integrating themselves into the VR Platform Endless Riff. All of the above has earned the band status as kings of the live music scene with standing yearly engagements at iconic venues, their own events in Iceland (Rockjavick), Mexico (Holidaze), and Marrakesh, Morocco (Morockshow), and co-hosting Chillicothe, Illinois’s long-running Summer Camp festival. Umphrey’s McGee’s latest release, Asking For A Friend, showcases more evolved songwriting and thoughtful arranging from a band continuing to grow and mature with their droves of die-hard, longtime fans.
