Umphrey's McGee Closes Out Four Nights At Brooklyn Bowl - By Bill Kelly

Umphrey's McGee at Brooklyn Bowl

 Musicianship was on display in Williamsburg Friday night as Umphrey's McGee completed a sold out four night run.  Led by the dual guitar team of Brendan Baylis and Jake Cinninger, the band and crowd traded energy all night.  Like a louder, jazz inflected offspring of the Grateful Dead (Bob Weir joined that band during Tuesday night's second set) the band used songs as framework for improvisation, touching on classic jazz (Davis' "So What") and classic Rock, covering Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" and The Who.  The audience and band communicated regularly, moving in unison.  Rounded out by Ryan Stasik's booming base darting in between the two guitarist,  percussionist Kris Myers and Andy Farig and Joel Cummins' keyboard and synth, the band displayed a veteran jams band sense of exploration; pushing, leaving and returning to themes.  It was clear from the reaction of the crowd that that was exactly what they came for.

Brendan Bayliss relaxes with a glass of his favorite red