Umphrey's McGee BY MARK DOLEJS The Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw hosted Umphrey’s McGee on Friday night, for the second stop of th...

Umphrey's McGee
BY MARK DOLEJS
The Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw hosted Umphrey’s McGee on Friday night, for the second stop of their Cruising Altitude Tour. They brought three hours of pure bliss streaming through my ears.

Umphrey's McGee
The band has never played the same set twice. This puts some mystery into their shows, which fans thrive on. I talked to numerous fans before the show started. One group caught the show the night before in Atlanta and was planning on catching several more nights as the band played in West Virginia and then a couple more in Virginia.

Umphrey's McGee
Leading off the night with “In The Kitchen,” “Crucial Taunt” and “Fenced In.” The night was split into two sets with a brief intermission in between. The highlight of the first set was “Cut Off,” which they haven’t played in almost two years.
One married couple that I talked to, from Charlotte, was at their first concert in two years since having a baby about a year and a half ago. Many of the people I talked to had seen the band at least 20 times, but many counted in excess of 40 or 50 shows.

Brendan Bayliss
The ballroom was sold out for this show, and frontman/guitarist Brendan Bayliss mentioned they had never played there before, but that they really liked the venue and the area. Many of the traveling fans told me the same thing, impressed with the local restaurants and vibe of the community.

Andy Farag and Ryan Stasik
Joining Bayliss on stage was Jake Cinninger, also on guitar and vocals; Joel Cummins, on keyboards and vocals; Andy Farag on percussion; Kris Myers on drums and vocals; and Ryan Stasik on bass.

Andy Farag
For the second set they came back with a 25-minute version of “Puppet String,” followed by a 20-minute version of “Bad Friday.” The crowd sang along and swayed and jumped to the music all night, seemingly full of endless energy. I think the crowd had as much energy as the band.

Jake Cinninger
My favorite song of the night was “Deeper.” Wow, this song was incredible. From amazing guitar work from Bayliss and Cinninger, and Cummins's magic touch on the keys, the song drifted from one sound to another. At times with a reggae flair, solid rock guitars and bass, and then at one point Cinninger breaking into metal riffs that were nuts.

Joel Cummins
Umphrey’s McGee has been on my wish list to see live for several years, after seeing a video that a friend had posted. This was one of the best shows I’ve seen in the last couple of years. Not that that should surprise anyone, these guys have a huge following, easily selling out the show, and usually playing much bigger venues and festivals. Check `em out!
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- MARK DOLEJS
Photography is an avenue that Mark Dolejs uses to learn about the people and places that cross his path. After more than 30 years as a photojournalist, Mark enjoys concert, macro, and roadside photography. Follow Mark on Instagram at @solidrockpix.
Read Mark's posts here.

Brendan Bayliss

Brendan Bayliss

Jake Cinninger

Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss

Brendan Bayliss
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