Photo by Isaiah Yehros. More on Flickr

With a lighting rig that would rival a Pink Floyd cover band’s and an audience that was, dare I say, unrivaled in energy, Umphrey’s McGee at the Pageant was a Midwestern delight. Known for their groovy tunes and jammy style, the group had a clear target audience (the Midwestern-type stoner type who inevitably will be in annual attendance at Bonnaroo) and one objective: throw a great fucking party.

Umphrey’s seamlessly flowed from one song to the next while lead singer, Brendan Bayliss, piped in with a catchy chorus or verse every once in a while. Although his vocals tended to be pretty one-dimensional and get to the point quickly, they were quite danceable. Whatever your view might be on “jam bands,” Umphrey’s is undeniably a very talented group. This could be noted by any solo performed or genre change or a cappella verse sung. They used this talent in a unique way to cater to a very specific crowd, and it would be hard to argue that they didn’t use this versatility to their advantage. Just measure them up against any other band when it comes time to call for an encore.

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