After the first three shows of the tour displayed a clear upward trajectory, it was a matter of when, not if, the band turned it up to a notch that most others cannot get to. All it took was some familiar surroundings, a sold-out room and a Saturday night rock show to do it.

Set One

Set I: Andy’s Last Beer, Miami Virtue > Educated Guess, Dump City, Nemo, The Linear > Bright Lights, Big City

How They Played

While “Andy’s Last Beer” was fairly standard, the “Miami Virtue” that followed set the tone for the evening as the band established a certain type of sustained power, as if they were hellbent on emptying the tank at every opportunity. They did it here and the transition into “Educated Guess” was pure brilliance, led by Jake Cinninger. A standard performance of the Similar Skin track is good enough, as the most difficult composition since “Mantis” keeps improving with every play.

Like I’ve said for years, if you’re going to give me a long instrumental, let it please be “Dump City.” They just have a way with this tune as of late, delivering standout versions every time it shows up on stage. This one was no different, as Cinninger and Bayliss led the group through a compelling funk jam woven into the fabric of the power-rock riffs that the song already employs. While most of the set was dominated by Cinninger and Bayliss, “Nemo” offered Joel Cummins an opportunity to link up with Cinninger yet again for another stunning build in the tune. Jake played on some riffs that recalled the “Middle Eastern Metal” segment from a recent UMBowl while Joel tenderly sent the completely-unlike-“Nemo” jam to a satisfying peak.

The pairing of “The Linear” and “Bright Lights Big City” to close the set may be the most energetic 25-minutes played by the group this year. For starters, “The Linear” was played at a frantic pace. FRANTIC. Cinninger and Myers wasted very little time playing every note imaginable on the breakdown sections. For the improv, it was more of the same as Myers pounded away while the Michigan native explored every inch of his fretboard. The fifteen-minute “Bright Lights” started out with a patient Bayliss solo as the band navigated the waters and expertly crescendoed with all six members contributing to a more down-tempo version than we might be used to.

MVP

Cinninger laid waste to every note he touched. Everything. “The Linear” burned a hole in the space-time continuum. Confirmed.

Playback Value

“The Linear” may rank as the most aggressive, powerful version they’ve played to date. Cinninger and Myers put the pedal to the metal and led a jam that didn’t quit. The “Bright Lights” that followed felt incredibly mellow given what had just happened.

Set Two

Set II: Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Ringo, All In Time > Last Man Swerving > All In Time, Day Nurse, Divisions

Enc: White Room

How They Played

This is a set told in three parts, the first being the opening pairing of “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” and “Ringo.” While “Tinkle’s” has leaned more towards the standard side in recent years, this version may rank as the most unique. The band dug into a “Somebody’s Watching Me” jam (Rockwell) and not only nailed it but also possibly serves as a preview for whats to come on Halloween night. We shall see. “Ringo” is a beautifully crafted, patient jam that once again sees the Cummins/Cinninger interplay at the forefront (a theme on this tour so far)

After Brendan remarked they were going to play a “new song,” Grand Rapids got its first ever “All in Time” with “Last Man Swerving” stuck in there. The segment, highlighted by bookending “Drums” segments from Farag and Myers truly went the distance and was about as good as a not-so-improvy “All in Time” can get. After a brief dance break in “Day Nurse,” the band had one punch left to throw as they dropped “Divisions.” It’s only right, to cap a heavy-hitters set with the heaviest of hitters. “Divisions” batted clean-up and did so valiantly as Cinninger worked in a Miles Davis interpolation with “In A Silent Way” and Brendan’s vocals shined as the set came to a close.

As they often do, Umphrey’s has wonderful taste when it comes to paying tribute to fallen musical idols. They even somehow made a Whitney Houston tribute work when she passed in 2012. Cream’s Jack Bruce was definitely more up their musical alley and they responded with a well-rehearsed, thoughtful and touching cover of the band’s “White Room” to close the show. A debut for UM, Jake and Joel shared vocals and emptied the tank with a big rock jam to end the show. Cinninger, as if it needed to be said, leaned into the mic and said, “That’s for Jack,” before walking off. A thoroughly rocked performance that Jack would’ve enjoyed.

MVP

The drummers, Kris Myers and Andy Farag, showed up and showed out in the second set. Between “All in Time” and “Divisions,” the “Drums” meter simply read “Widespread Panic.”

Playback Value

Definitely check out “White Room” as well as the Rockwell jam in “Miss Tinkle’s.” As I mentioned, you may be seeing something along those lines on October 31. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything in this set.

NEXT UP: October 29 at the Forum in Binghamton, NY