Umphrey's McGee at the Mansion

This past week I had a couple of firsts. I finally saw Umphrey's McGee, and I checked out one of LA's newest venues called Crash Mansion. The venue was nice. An upstairs area with a balcony and couches and plush chairs, bars throughout, they served food and they even had a back room where a second stage was set up with a band playing in between the main stage sets.

Lots of hard wood and laid out with a large dance floor. My first impression was this would be a great place for a Rave even though I've never been to one. Sure enough the music in between the sets was electronic and you had kids out on the floor dancing and I even saw a few glow sticks in the crowd.

That is when I realized this was not my usual crowd. I was probably one of the older people in the audience and was surrounded by what looked to be college aged kids. Umphrey's McGee is a jam band with a variety of influences covering everything from metal to bluegrass, and I even saw the connection with electronic music especially in the jam transitions.

I enjoyed their set although a college crowd with a GA dance floor might be something I pass on next time around. The jams were long, with some songs over 20 and even 30 minutes in length. They played about 2 1/2 hours with a small intermission. The highlight of the show for me was the encore where they did a mash up of Come Together by The Beatles and Closer by Nine Inch Nails. A very unique take on two classic songs.

Dub Trio opened and Big Organ Trio was playing the stage in the back room.

Umphrey's McGee
Crash Mansion LA
February 13, 2008
Los Angeles, CA

Set One	All In Time, The Crooked One$ > Kula, Smell the Mitten, Push the Pig^
Set Two	Wizard Burial Ground, Bright Lights > White Man's Moccasins, JaJunk > jam^^ > JaJunk
Encore	Come Closer*
Notes	Dub Trio opened $ unfinished ^ with Willie Waldman on trumpet and Stephen Perkins on percussion ^^ with full band switch with Dub Trio * first time played; mash up between Come Together (The Beatles) and Closer (Nine Inch Nails), possibly similar to DJ Zebra