Enjoy The Progressive Excellence Of Umphrey’s McGee With This Pro-Shot “Utopian Fir”
Umphrey’s McGee are a live music juggernaut. Delivering night after night of high-octane performances, the band’s shows are filled with explosive improvisation, tight, composed sections, and their own blend of rock, metal, jazz, and jam music. Perhaps no song exemplifies Umphrey’s unique live abilities than “Utopian Fir”. The multi-sectional song is one of the band’s most reliable jam vehicles, and fans know to expect fireworks when they bust out the old, reliable favorite.When Umphrey’s performed “Utopian Fir” in at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Asheville, NC on 2/20/2016, it was another landmark version of the song. The band whipped the song into many different directions; first a tease of Heart‘s “Barracuda” during the song’s opening section, then a funky jam that featured guitarist Jake Cinninger hopping onto the piano with Joel Cummins for some syncopated, dual-key action. Brendan Bayliss added some psychedelic guitar licks and took over, before Cinninger eventually returned to the guitar to build up a progressive vibe before closing out the song.Watch the impressive “Utopian Fir” from 2/20/16 below, courtesy of the band themselves, and enjoy the progressive awesomeness that is Umphrey’s McGee.