Holy Hell, Umphrey’s McGee Really Cut It Loose on This “Draconian”

Rob Slater on March 10, 2017

Something about the western part of this great United States has Umphrey’s McGee in a particularly jammy mood, with the band uncorking massive versions of tunes like “Conduit” (18 minutes on March 2), “Hurt Bird Bath” (21 on March 2 as well) and last night’s “Resolution” in Salt Lake City, which topped out at 19 minutes as a part of a jam-filled show that included eight songs over the ten-minute mark. 

One of those joining the 20-minute club on this tour is “Draconian,” the 2015 Raw Stewage product that ranks as one of the most comprehensive in the band’s catalog to date, combining the improvisations of “Eat” and “In the Kitchen” from October 30 and June 19 in 2014, respectively. 

Played on March 4 at the Wilma in Missoula, MT, Umphrey’s took the typically 15-18 minute song a step further, adding even more improvisation to it as they continue one of the most jam-heavy periods in recent memory. Watch pro-shot of that performance below.