Jam vets Umphrey's McGee are releasing their new studio album Asking For A Friend this Friday (7/1), and if you haven't heard them already, four of its 14 songs are streaming now (listen below). Umphrey's touch on all different types of music, and though you might not guess it from the new singles, they've always had a love of heavier rock, as they've shown off with covers of Fugazi, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Tool, Pantera, Danzig, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, and more. Ahead of the new album's release, we caught up with bassist Ryan Stasik over email to talk about his five favorite metal bands/shows that he saw growing up as a preteen/teenager in Kalamazoo. Take it away, Ryan...
1. Pantera Hands down this was the band that did it for me as a teenager. Fortunate to see them many times as a teen. Always in the pit, always 100% full throttle anger and aggression. It was fucking beautiful.
2. Beastie Boys with Rollins Band in 1992 Henry Rollins is an icon. This pairing was so raw and full of energy that it ranks in my top 5 concerts of all time.
3. Tool My first show was in Kalamazoo in 1995 or '96 I think. Still my favorite band to this day. The progressive metal bug was implanted for life that day. I had never seen production with metal at that level before. I was instantly connected. These are pre cell phone days too thankfully. I was locked in from beginning to end. And every Tool show since, I've been the same way.
4. Prong This band opened up for every band that played Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo in the '90s. I was early to the shows and never missed this power trio’s high energy performances.
5. Nine Inch Nails One of the most memorable nights of my life as a group of 10 of us got dressed up and attended the NIN show. Jim Rose Circus opened before Pop Will Eat Itself did their thing. I was not prepared for the highest level of musicianship, art, production to slap me upside the head. Basically putting a hole in my head. I left shirtless, sweating, possibly bleeding as I enjoyed the pit then. And all I wanted to do was go back for more.
Listen to four songs from the upcoming Umphrey's McGee album...
Umphrey's McGee -- 2022 Tour Dates July 8 - Baldwinsville, NY - Bud Light Amphitheater at Paper Mill Island July 9 - Marshfield, MA - Levitate Music & Arts Festival July 10 - Selbyville, DE - Freeman Arts Pavilion July 14 - Outer Banks, NC - Roanoke Island Festival Park July 15 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony Summer Stage July 16 - Thornville, OH - The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival July 21-24 - North Plains, OR - Northwest String Summit Aug. 5-7 - Kenai Peninsula, AK - Salmonfest Aug. 18 - Indianapolis, IN - TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park $ Aug. 19 - Maryland Heights, MO - Saint Louis Music Park $ Aug. 20 - Pelham, TN - The Caverns Amphitheater $ Aug. 21 - Pelham, TN - The Caverns Amphitheater Aug. 24 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Aug. 26-28 - Bridgeview, IL - Sacred Rose Festival Sept. 1 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park Sept. 2 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium Sept. 3 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater Sept. 4 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Resort & Casino Sept. 8 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Sept. 9 - Bozeman, MT - The ELM Sept. 29 - Richmond, VA - Music at Maymont Sept. 30 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater Oct. 1 - Savannah, GA - Johnny Mercer Theatre Oct. 2 - Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company
$ Co-bill with The Disco Biscuits