Umphrey’s McGee

Umphreys+McGee

Ryden Larimore, Reporter

Umphrey’s McGee is probably the most successful and beloved band to come out of South Bend. The group was born in Notre Dame, IN, where the members all attended and played in two other bands, which morphed into the prolific cover band. The band covers just about any genre that can be played using guitars, basses and drums, and sometimes brass instruments. Their name derives from a relative of one of the members, who he claims went by the nickname of Umphrey McGee.

What quite possibly made the band who they are is their use of mashups. Most people are familiar with mashups simply as songs played over each other by DJs at a club when they’re running out of material or maybe the subjects of some YouTube videos, but Umphrey’s McGee took the next up and released Zonkey in 2016. The album features twelve tracks all containing two or more songs that fit together well, also experimenting with instrumentation and how the songs are played. Their most popular song from the album is a mashup of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” and The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face.” Umphrey’s use of mashups is one of the most unique traits of any jam band. 

Since Zonkey, UM has released four albums; the most recent being Asking For A Friend. An album that takes a more pop approach to the jam band setup. The regular 5 minute minimum song style with heavy bass and dreamy chorus pedals with catchy lyrics. The album is introduced by their ska-inspired opener “I Don’t Know What I Want.” It continues into rock infused hits that is yet another solid release from the college band. It is an album you can’t complain about. 

Like a jam band, they have performed thousands of shows for thousands of people. They are touring now with upcoming dates in Fort Wayne and Grand Rapids. The band has previously toured worldwide and continue to do so, bringing the funk, latin, rock, metal and whatever else they have planned to cities near everyone. 

But no one loves the local gem as much as South Bend. To this day, local news sources like the South Bend Tribune continue to rave over Umphrey’s as if it were their child who had been sent off to college and the newspaper is their Facebook account. Everyone back home is very proud of the band that’s been sent off. As they return and play local shows, it is a sure thing that many locals will line up to support and see the South Bend phenomenon.