The Vic Theatre Chicago IL: December 31, 2002
Notable:
Nothing Too Fancy, very well done. It has a cool jam with Joel on organ and everyone quieting down, until Mikey speeds it up around 16 minutes in, and they eventually drift into Divisions.
It’s a powerful Divisions, with emotion, and they jam it right into Smell the Mitten.
During the beginning notes, Jake says “hi guys, thanks for comin out, how you all doin?”
The Crooked One is a nice version, then Brendan says “thanks everybody, we’re gonna have a friend of ours come out, Josh Quinlan, to play some sax for you.”
Ringo with saxophone is awesome.
Prowler: fast and tight.
Right into Push the Pig to end the set.
Set 2 starts with JaJunk. Just like in 2022; strong showing. A weird improv section.
Joel says “Mr. Kris Meyers over here on the drums, Kris Meyers.” It’s the “Percussion” segment, with Kris on steel drum and piccolo snare.
Then they go into Drums, I think at about 6:30, with Kris replacing Mike on the drum kit. At 13:00 Brendan says “so, you guys should get used to this guy right here all right?”
Kris stays on the drums for Hurt Bird Bath. Mikey stays on the steel drum.
Brendan says after the song, “Kris Meyers everybody, you’ll be seeing a lot of him next year.”
Get in the Van.
Joel announces “this is our tuning segment, make it sound good for you guys, very important. That Jake over there tuning his Taylor acoustic…”
They go into The Beatles’ Because, starting out their performance of the entire B side of the Abbey Road album. Most of the songs are debuts for Umphrey’s.
Set 3: Nelly vocal tease by Mikey: “it’s gettin hot in here, so take off all your clothes.” 40s Theme, a fun version.
Glory begins, including saxophone with just a short two-minute section before the New Year’s Auld Lang Syne.
The Glory sandwich is filled with Miss Tinkles Overture > Mulche’s Odyssey, Professor Wormbog, Der Bluten Kat (unfinished) and back into Glory.
As they go into a jam after Mulche’s, Josh Quinlan on sax comes back in as well as Mike on steel drum. It labeled “jam” in the track list and it’s a full 9 minutes.
Professor Wormbog has Josh on sax. The buildup during the saxophone solo is quite good.
Der Bluten Kat is great as usual, and before ending slides right into Glory ending, and they let it smoothly transition into Hajimemashite, a happy welcome to the new year. I’m the Haji build you can hear the crowd go nuts with cheering.
No pause, and they end the set with a fast-paced Dump City.
Encore: Joel says “we’re going to do something that’s really the first thing that Umphrey’s played, at least the first time that Mike and I put together, something for piano and drums. This one goes way back.”
Orfeo with Joel, Andy, Ryan and Mike. Joel gives a Little Drummer tease in the improv section before the build to the ending.
Joel: “Andy Farag on percussion, Ryan Stasik on bass, Mike Mirro on drums.” And the crown goes wild, knowing it’s Mike’s last show with the band.
Mike: “let’s give it up for this guy right here: Joel Cummins, Western Springs, the man, the myth…the legend.”
Joel: “This next one is probably what some people would call another man’s Abbey Road.”
Billy Joel’s Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, the debut with Jake on acoustic, and Josh Quinlan on sax.
Last Man Swerving begins with Fletch theme led by Joel and Mike (Harold Faltermeyer). The end goes right into the Der Bluten Kat ending segment.
The crowd chants “Mirro, Mirro, Mirro…” at this point, and Mike makes a little speech. “…it’s something I feel I have to do, it’s my calling, but I’m going to miss every single one of you guys. It’s been a privilege to play with musicians of this caliber…I can’t wait for Kris to step in, you guys heard him, he kicks ass. It gonna be great…thank you.” Followed by more crowd chanting Mirro.
The finish by finishing the complete second side of Abbey Road with the short Her Majesty by the Beatles.
Of course as usual after the New Years run, they play What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong over the PA, after the band leaves the stage.
Setlist from allthings.umphreys.com
Set 1:
Nothing Too Fancy > Divisions, Smell the Mitten, The Crooked One, Ringo[1] > Prowler > Push the Pig
Set 2:
JaJunk[2], Percussion[3], Drums[4] > Hurt Bird Bath[5], Get In The Van, Because[6] > You Never Give Me Your Money[6] > Sun King[6] > Mean Mr. Mustard[7] > Polythene Pam[6] > She Came In Through The Bathroom Window[7] > Golden Slumbers[6] > Carry That Weight[8] > The End[8]
Set 3:
40’s Theme, Glory[1] > Auld Lang Syne[1], Miss Tinkle’s Overture[9]-> Mulche’s Odyssey[10]-> Professor Wormbog[1], Der Bluten Kat > Glory[11]-> Hajimemashite > Dump City
Encore:
Orfeo[12], Scenes from an Italian Restaurant[13], Last Man Swerving[14] > Der Bluten Kat
2nd Encore:
Her Majesty[15]
Footnotes:
[1] with Josh Quinlan on saxophone
[2] began with Good King Wenceslas (John Mason Neale and Thomas Helmore) tease
[3] with everyone on percussion, including Kris Myers on steel drums and piccolo snare
[4] Kris replaces Mike on the drum kit
[5] with Mike on steel drums and Kris on drum kit
[6] debut, The Beatles; complete second side to Abbey Road; with Jake on acoustic guitar
[7] with Jake on acoustic guitar
[8] debut, The Beatles; complete second side to Abbey Road; with Jake on acoustic guitar; with Josh Quinlan on saxophone
[9] with Hajimemashite (original, Tashi Station-era version) teases by Ryan and Brendan
[10] with ending jam featuring Mike on steel drums and Josh Quinlan on saxophone
[11] ended with 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Paul Simon) tease from Mike
[12] with The Little Drummer Boy (Katherine Kennicott Davis) tease by Joel
[13] debut, Billy Joel; with Josh Quinlan on saxophone and Jake on acoustic guitar
[14] began with with Fletch Theme (Harold Faltermeyer) jam
[15] debut, The Beatles; complete second side to Abbey Road; with just Brendan on vocals and Jake on guitar
Show Notes:
between two of the sets, DJ Poser (aka Mike LeMaestri) was on turntables.
with Hot in Herre (Nelly) quote from Mike before 40’s Theme
last Mean Mr. Mustard 1998-04-04 (523 shows)
Links to Audio and Apps
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