Concertwire.com

Umphrey’s McGee became popular for their improvisational take on hard prog-rock like that of Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa. Their taper-friendly jaunts across the area college bar and party circuit built a solid grassroots following that propelled them into the national scene with a fierce debut at the inaugural Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2002. At Bonnaroo, Umphrey's rubbed elbows with groups like Widespread Panic and Trey Anastasio and sold copies of their debut studio album Local Band Does OK. After that, Umphrey's McGee became a staple on the festival circuit, releasing several successful albums and making appearances on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live. The band encourages the audio taping and trading of their live performances. "We feel that each show is unique and want to extend the ability to our fans to recreate the live experience long after the show ends." They also maintain an archive of podcasts on their website. "Mantis" is their latest recording.