Umphrey’s McGee’s Summer School Slumber Party
For the second year in a row, Umphrey's McGee invited diehard fans up to Full Moon Resort in the Catskills for a week of musician workshops and facetime with the band. On the last night of camp, the band opened up the invitation to any other fans who wanted to come for an intimate experience that included camping, a gourmet dinner and, of course, a Rock Show.
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Workshops in the Barn
Students crowd around UM bassist Ryan Stasik inside the Full Moon Resort's barn, which was one of three main practice spaces on the property.
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Keyboard Wizardry
Keyboardist Joel Cummins teaches a workshop on playing the keys in the band. He touched on why he uses certain pieces of equipment (i.e. Moog synths) and what it was like to play with P-Funk's Bernie Worrell.
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The Low End
Bassist Ryan Stasik and drummer Kris Myers talk about their role as the rhythm section of Umphrey's McGee. Stasik emphasized working together and having to tone it back at times while also going over the multitude of effects he has at his feet.
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The Birth of a Song
Guitarist Jake Cinninger and "sound caresser" Kevin Browning record a song in the Roadhouse. Jake performed each instrument on the track, starting with the drumline and finishing up with the bass.
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Thunder and Lightning
Jeff Waful, lighting engineer extraordinare, goes over the importance of the visual component to Umphrey's shows. He emphasized the importance in knowing the songs and the tendencies of the band when controlling the lights during improvisational sections.
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Guitar Guys
Guitarists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger take questions from campers about their dueling guitar tactics and songwriting techniques.
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Diehards
A diehard fan shows off his homemade vest.
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Rock Show
The official events of the evening closed out with an intimate Umphrey's set inside a big tent on the premises.
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One Lucky Student
A contest was held so a lucky student could get a chance to show his chops by playing with the band. Zackie Spesh won the honor and impressed Stasik so much that he joked about starting a band with him called Sex Metal.
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Intimate Setting
Nothing was held back despite the small size of the venue.
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Out Into the Night
As the show ended, the night was still young, and guests and campers filtered out into the barn and roadhouse to jam late into the night.