Examining Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee is a jam/progressive rock band. On account of their unique live shows which contain many parts that are made up right there on the spot, the band is also considered to be a part of the genre known as "improg"; that is improvisational progressive.

The six members themselves come from Indiana, while the band calls Chicago, Illinois their hometown. Brendan Bayliss plays guitar and does vocals, with Jake Cinninger also on guitar and vocals. Joel Cummins plays the keyboard and does some vocals, and Ryan Stasik plays the bass guitar. Kris Myers is on the drums and additional vocals, while Andy Farag rounds out the squad with percussion.

They are almost always touring, performing shows all over the world and quite often, with quite frequent appearances throughout the Midwest United States. Umphrey's McGee is known for playing shows that last for three or more hours and span multiple live sets on a regular basis, and they've also made their impact on the jam band festival scene, as well.

And their sound is just as unique and diverse as their musical influences are, too. The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin are only a few of the bands that have inspired the music and the style of Umphrey's McGee.

Their infectious beats and improvisational jams take listeners through all the emotions of the spectrum several times over. Their light shows dazzle with a variety of different colors and lights, all cast on both the stage and the audience. And their fan base is one of the most supportive and dedicated group of music lovers you'll ever find.

In order to keep their loyal fans happy, Umphrey's McGee releases a new live compilation of songs every month. Called Podcasts, these are available on your Apple Ipod through Itunes, or you can download them from their website at www.umphreys.com. Acting as sort of a live, best of mix CD, Umphrey's McGee's podcasts keep fans satisfied by provided recordings of recent live shows.

And any fan of Umphrey's McGee knows how awesome they are when playing a live performance. That is why the band also releases a soundboard recording of each and every one of their live shows, which can be purchased for a very low fee from www.umlive.net. In addition to providing their own high-quality live recordings, Umphrey's McGee both urges and encourages the fans to tape their shows themselves. Many do just that, and distribute their bootleg recordings completely legally on the internet.