Also I’m often wrong. nothing matters, nothing lasts, and who cares…so that’s my disclaimer
7/30/10 Dub Soup. It’s not a mind blowing version but I appreciate the uniqueness of it
Was going through my HoF 2020 picks, and MTO from 1/30/20 has a great, untzy jam from 3:08 - 10:15 that includes a great peak and Stasik doing some cool shit. Show has above average jams on Intentions Clear and Silent Type as well
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Can’t seem to link it properly but it’s on the archive.
2003-11-19 40s w/ Magner
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I haven’t heard this show but thanks for the heads up. I’ll scope this out
What don’t you get about the general disdain for some of the business decisions Umphrey’s has made since KB got off the road and joined the management of the band? From my understanding, KB proposed the idea to the band that he could help generate more revenue from the management side and wanted to get off the road so he joined Vince in managing the band back in 2011. Correct me if I’m wrong, but his final show was the Brooklyn Bowl 1.31.11 if I’m not mistaken. What’s happened since then…
In 2011 Death By Stereo was released and the preorder packages featured several cash grab ideas, the main one being a private show for $50,000. My friend inquired about this private show’s attendance cap and KB told him 200. We quickly raised $25,000 among 100 of us and upon receiving this new, KB decided to take us seriously and the planning was underway. The first private show coincided with UMBowl II, the second round of a unique idea that was one of the first $100+ Umphrey’s tickets IIRC. Once UMBowl II was announced, the private show quickly sold out as well.
I’m not too familiar with the second private show, but I believe it was the original group of fans approaching KB again to have the second event. This too coincided with 2013’s UMBowl. While the private shows shut out a lot of the fans, it really was the third one that rubbed the fanbase the wrong way. Placing a private show in the middle of a New Year’s run was a weak move on the band’s part. If anything, they should have made it the first night. Having it be the third night of the run was so dumb. From my understanding, KB was the one who approached the original fans about the private show for the third one.
I’m not sure when UMVip started, but those were a take on the Consider It Dan packages brought in house and have always been cash grabs. To me, the UMVips are almost like mini-Bill Graham for a Day packages that the band sells to cater to the fans that custy up for a pampered experience. I’d much rather have them offer the S2 Improv events for $99 like in 2009 than offer some VIP experience that is marked up quite a bit from my perspective. The VIP sets are too exclusive for my tastes.
Streaming has also been an issue the whole time KB has been managing. TourGigs was a shit platform for the longest time and only in recent streams have they been providing a relatively smooth and glitch free streaming experience. When you look at one of the band’s contemporaries, the Disco Biscuits, who are known for their mismanagement flounders being able to offer free streams on YouTube that are nearly perfect in reliability while Umphrey’s is continuing to use TourGigs while raising the prices on streams year after year you start to wonder if management gives a shit about the fans or is just seeing dollar signs.
The most recent example of the band’s management making questionable moves is this whole Red Rocks fiasco. This lottery has left a bad taste in a lot of fan’s mouths. I was just at Red Rocks. There is no enforcement of the ticket sections. I haven’t paid too much attention to the ticket prices, but from my understanding the band did sell two tiers of tickets so there are now going to be fans in the same sections paying different prices to see the same show from the same vantage point. That would rub me the wrong way if I was one of those fans that felt hustled by this whole experience. Now I know the whole capacity limits were out of the band’s control but can’t the band do something to make it right? Like why not get the promoter to offer a $20 food and beverage voucher for the show to all fans? Keep dreaming, right? But at least a formal apology to the fans for all the volatility of the situation could simmer down some folks.
My biggest gripe as a West Coast fan is the Aspen shows the band plays nearly annually. Before the Aspen run became a thing, the band played more shows west of Colorado every year. I’d have to run the numbers, but I have a good sense of the tours since I’ve lived here and often times Aspen has replaced or shortened the third week of West Coast tour. I was joking about it with a friend, but we feel KB has nailed down the perfect equilibrium year after year for how much he can raise the Belly Up ticket prices while still guaranteeing instant sell outs on the weekend dates. It’s not even the ticket prices that bother me. There are other mountain towns the band could play, like Tahoe or Jackson Hole, and they could mix it up a bit. Why they haven’t is not privy to my knowledge but I’d have to imagine the money is too good at the Belly Up to pass up and they haven’t got an offer from a Tahoe or Jackson Hole promoter that would sway them.
TL:DR: Ever since KB joined management in 2011, the band has had an increase in cash grab ideas like private shows, UMVips, raising stream prices, breaking up New Years runs with private events, having a Red Rocks lotto, and playing the Belly Up too much!
Also, 7.2.2009 Tribute dedicated to Michael is a good West Coast jam that gets overlooked. Has the TQ Funeral jam in it.
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A. You sound very entitled
B. If you don’t like it, don’t pay for it
C. I will agree with the price increase for TourGigs. It’s bullshit to increase prices for a lackluster streaming service.
My only experience doing the VIP thing was actually great. Yea, it was a steep price but I knew that. They literally got fucked over because a bunch of old assholes thought the devil was coming to their town, and in two days were able to move the entire show to St. Augustine. Instead of being on top of a fort they provided us with an open bar (which I much preferred) throughout the entire show with top shelf liquor.
Brah I’m trying to shed some light on why the Bort rags on KB. I honestly don’t give a shit about KB I just want to up my show count as easy as possible. I do think he sucks though, but it’s not going to stop me from giving the band my money as much as I can. And as far as being entitled, I do think the band should give the West Coast more love. They used to play out here twice a year before the first recession.
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KB and Stasik just need to hurry up and come out with the “Ahots” vaccine campaign so that all the dumb anti-vax fans cum their pants and change their tone. Either that or let them all die. that could work, too.
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I can kinda get the lack of west coast love. The cities are definitely further apart and I feel like the majority of the west coast shows I’ve attended have felt undersold. Makes sense to play less shows with bigger crowds and less travel expenses in the East/Midwest.
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I’m all for more WC love, particularly the PNW. But there are also the financial realities for the band. @jcubson is right - West Coast UM crowds aren’t as big compared to the Midwest. I’m originally from the Midwest and I have cousins there who have never listened to UM but they’ve heard of them. Here in WA state it’s like “Umphrey’s who?”
Maybe it’s just not financially feasible to do the WC twice a year? 🤷
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Bridgeless 5-22-15.
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I like the utopian in that set too. Frantic dance party if I’m not mistaken.
Yeah I toally get it from a financial perspective it. It just seems like they’ve given up on growing certain markets. Seattle, Phoenix, Vegas, Reno, Boise…all these cities need some more love and are growing quite fast.
I think the ideal WC Tour would be Phoenix>Vegas>Reno>SLC, Missoula>Seattle>Portland x 2, San Rafeal>Oakland>LA>San Diego.
Throw in Boise, Sandpoint, Bend, Eugene, Tucson, etc. every couple years and just keep it at 16 dates without Aspen. They only need to come out once a year they just need to play 16 dates out here IMO.
/entitledWCphreakopinion
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That whole show is great. Love the proggy composed Mulches
1/22/17 Robot
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I literally talk about that literally all the time
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prove it
Oh is that not redman rochester robot?
nah
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