Umphrey’s McGee at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan

The 4th of July. Rock & Roll. ‘Merica. The freedom trifecta. If you can’t get down, you might as quit reading right now and give the rest of us bald eagles more room to wave the good ol’ stars and stripes in this great big baked apple pie nest we call the US of friggin A. Okay, maybe the patriotic thing is a bit overplayed considering those invasive government wiretaps, drone strikes, and all that (minor details, really), but hey, who’s to say we can’t throw one back for the red, white, and blue every once and a while and get stupid for lady liberty when she comes a knocking? I say we get ‘er done.

Still with me? Good. Now that you’re on board, we’re gonna need some loud ass rock & roll righteousness to convert any remaining freedom haters. Umphrey’s McGee? Yeah, that’ll work. This particular show at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids had the makings of something very special right from the get go. As I was walking through the crowd before the music started, the sheer number of friendly faces was surreal, with high fives, hugs, and beer shwills abound everywhere I looked. There’s no denying that Umphrey’s has put together quite an impressive rock scene unto itself, and this one definitely reminded me of how far we’ve all come down this path together. Only in ‘Merica.

Another kick ass quality of this show was the ridiculous amount of rarities and old school bust outs that were played. The first set offered a song run that any avid Umph fans would lose their shit over, namely the dream section of “After Midnight” (second time played, 537 show gap), “Headphones & Snowcones” (fifth time played since 2002), and “13 Days” (41 show gap). Add some “Cheap Sunglasses” (Hell yes we ZZ Top for ‘Merica) and Kat’s Tune to open the second set (326 show gap), and you’ve got a serious zinger on your hands. Playing it safe for holiday? Not a chance. I gotta give it up to these guys for keeping fans on their toes during every show and continuing to take risks in pursuit of those unforgettable moments that keep us coming out. It’s the type of stuff that separates the good from the legends. Umphrey’s might not be legendary status quite yet, but they’re is certainly putting in the proper groundwork towards being remembered for a very long time.

Other highlights include a Stasik only “America the Beautiful” bass solo, a “Glory > The Fuzz > Glory” capping the unpredictable first set, and “Higgins.” God, I love “Higgins.” Although they drop it into set lists quite often, the song always finds Umphrey’s at their finest. This one was an absolute scorcher, Jake shredding so hard over the final descending chords that I felt like I was being driven into the ground in the tastiest of ways. And then there was the encore, more filth in the form of “Hangover > Liberty Echo > Hangover.” I can’t think of a better way to finish off a holiday show yelling “And I wanna get high!!!” in celebratory unison with the crowd, many of us knowing we’d more than likely feel like shit the next day from our shameless overindulgence. Definitely ‘Merica.

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Call me crazy, but events like this are what life’s about. We all can worry all we want about the little day-to-day things that poke and prod at our psyches, but if we can’t dig deep and enjoy our existence together for what it is, then what’s the f’in point of it all? There was so much awesome happening this evening that I could carry on and on about it — the music, the people, the celebration — it all came together so well that it makes you wonder how even the most critical cynics could come up with a way to hate on what transpired in Grand Rapids a day before Independence Day. A night like this goes to show that this place we call home really ain’t so bad. Or, because of bands of Umphrey’s and the folks who follow ‘em, at least it has its moments. 4th of July. Rock & Roll. America.