So, I can’t really judge the show, musically. “Why does this band need three guitars?” I wrote at one point. Maybe I wouldn’t have wondered if I had been down in front or whatever.

Still, a few observations.

• The place was packed. To the rafters. I don’t know if it was sold out, but it looked that way.

• Dave Grohl is a serious showman. Running around, jumping into the crowd, flailing his head around, bantering. I didn’t stay for the whole show (unfortunate, because Bob Mould sat in with them during the encore), but Grohl was in it 111 percent while I was there.

• Taylor Hawkins is the real deal. Impressive chops. I think he got the loudest cheer of the night when Grohl was introducing the band.

Now, the sound wasn’t bad everywhere at this show. I stopped by another section, and the difference was stark. Finally, I could understand some of Grohl’s banter. I liked this line: “We used to fucking suck, and now we shred ass every night.”

I also got onto Google+, but I think the rock and roll bit is much more exciting.

Anyway, here’s one of Guitar International’s musings on the gig:

Anyone who calls themselves a musician must attend a Dream Theater concert at least once, and this would be an ideal tour to catch them. You’ll either put your instrument down in defeat or, as I’m sure the band would hope, you’ll be inspired to pick up your instrument and work at it harder than ever.

Leo did an excellent cover of “Little Martha,” and here’s what he said about the tune after he played it:

What a great tune that is. It came to Duane Allman in a dream. He dreamed that.

Here’s Leo performing “Little Martha.”

I know next to nothing about Umphrey’s Mcgee. In 2004, I bought one of their records, “Anchor Drops.” Frankly, it didn’t do much for me, which was a bit of a disappointment. On paper, this is an act I should love: a Phish-like jam band with prog and metal sensibilities.

But there you go. I didn’t dig it.

Still, when I got a blast email from the 930 Club touting Umphrey’s recent two-night stand there, I was in. At the very least, I figured it would be fun to parachute into another jam band’s scene and compare and contrast with the Phish experience. It turns out I was right about that.

Thing is, I can’t yet call myself an Umphrey’s fan. Maybe with time? Sometimes music grabs you from the opening notes. Like, for example, when I listened to “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” for the first time last summer, sending me on an Iron Maiden bender that hasn’t really let up. But sometimes music requires a bit of work and patience.

Here’s why I’m ready to stick with Umphrey’s, based on a few observations I jotted down at the gig last Friday. (Umphrey’s fans who have stumbled across this post can skip the rest. Nothing terribly insightful on the band is written below.)

• Good crowd. It was fun to see folks rocking out, mouthing the words, knowing the secret cues of when to yell or whatever.

• Two guitars: Nice, synthy guitar interplay and dueling.

• Guitar tricks: Tapping! And at the end of one bit, the lead guitarist finished off by slowly tuning his low E string all the way down. Don’t remember ever seeing a guitar player do that one.

• Why I love jam bands: At one point, I thought the band was losing the crowd in spaced-out, formless jam. But then they took it into a sort of fierce techno jam. A little later on, they launched into a song with a weird time signature, which drew a big crowd reaction. I love jam bands.

• Metal: Umphrey’s metal vibe is something that Phish will never deliver, unless it’s tongue-in-cheek or close to it. The tapping, the dueling guitars, the booming double bass drums – as a metal fan, I have to say it’s pretty gratifying. One point, though, I wrote this: “Enjoying this but I sort of wish they would bust into ‘Run to the Hills.’” Probably a function of my not being familiar with the tunes.

I’ve enjoyed Trey’s 930 shows, although the house has always been really, really packed. Maybe this venue will be roomier. On the minus side, it’s a long poke out to Silver Spring on the red line. Google tells me the commute by mass transit will take just under an hour.

But truth be told, when I am in the middle of their sound, my mind is unplugged, and my heart is in over-drive.  I doubt I could ever explain what it is, or why it happens.  But it is a feeling that I have known virtually my entire life, and the rush of it is a shot to the soul like nothing else.

Forbes just runs the numbers:

The ageless rockers are wrapping up the most lucrative tour in the history of music: By the time U2′s two-year trek ends this summer, the band will have sold $700 million worth of tickets over two years and played to more than 7 million people.

That was what was positively stunning.  You’d turn around and everybody knew the words.  They were playing air guitar.  My favorites were the father and son in the row behind me.  The dad was one of those barrel-chested fortysomething guys drinking beer…and playing every note on his imaginary axe.  But even better was his towheaded not even ten year old son. He was playing every lick too.  And like his dad, singing every word!