Spafflords and the Umph
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Something that has been on my mind since 5/4/18 (New Orleans) is the strong respect that Spafford has for Umphrey's McGee.
Not just the guys in the band, as we hear Brian repeating Joel Cummins name during his sit in to garner more applause, but its also clear listening to a couple of festival interviews that the Spafford shot callers are trying to learn as much as possible about the Umph operation and apply it themselves.
Honestly I think we couldn't be in better luck as a fanbase than for Spafford to one day resemble the touring giant that is Umphrey's. To me, it shows an intention to play music for as long as possible, at as many venues as possible, for as many people as possible. I want Spafford to be doing that while also dishing out albums the same way Umph has.
It's late/early and I'm not sure I'v explained this as well as I'd hoped, but this nugget of an idea has been stuck in my mind for weeks now.
TL;DR: Spafford modeling themselves after Umph equals a long and healthy future for this band and I'm so hyped to be along for the ride! -
This post is dead on. Not only did the operation change for the better after they opened for UM, but I saw a shift in the approach and attitude of the guys themselves. Longevity in this industry takes equal parts talent and business management, and they were lucky to be shown the way by pros.