Umphrey’s McGee Jams With Bill Evans, Debuts Cover In Bridgeport

Umphrey’s McGee’s fall tour continued at The Klein in Bridgeport, CT last night, where the band had a few tricks up their sleeves. Not only did they welcome an old friend for a jam session, but they both debuted a cover and busted out a cover after a more than 400 show layoff.

The sextet opened with their first performance of the instrumental original “Jekyll & Hyde” since January. Four songs into the opening stanza, the band played Bananarama’s ’80s classic “Cruel Summer,” marking its UM-only debut as the members of the group had covered the song with STS9 at the STUMP tour closer back in September. Later in the first set, Umphrey’s dusted off their version of “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” by Waylon Jennings for the first time since August 28, 2009 – a gap of 468 shows. As if there weren’t enough treats in the set, UM closed out the first set with only the third “All Things Ninja” of 2013.

The second set was no slouch either as they started off with an “All In Time” featuring one of their patented “Jimmy Stewart” with vocals improvisations. After heavy hitters “The Triple Wide” and “The Bottom Half,” UM took an opportunity to dedicate “Women, Wine and Song” to a fan named Aidan and his father. Later in the set the Chicago rockers brought out saxophonist Bill Evans for a romp through “Ocean Billy” before ending the set with a cover of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Cherub Rock” and the conclusion of “All In Time.” For the encore, Umphrey’s delivered one more cover -Led Zeppelin’s “Fool In The Rain.”

Here’s last night’s setlist:

Set 1: Jekyll & Hyde > Walletsworth, Domino Theory > Cruel Summer[1] > Domino Theory, The Fussy Dutchman, Syncopated Strangers[2], Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love), Day Nurse > Wellwishers, All Things Ninja

Set 2: All In Time[3] > The Triple Wide > The Bottom Half, Women Wine and Song > Room to Breathe, Ocean Billy[4], Cherub Rock > All In Time Encore: Fool In The Rain[5]

[1] debut, Bananarama
[2] with Breezin’ (George Benson) jam
[3] “Jimmy Stewart” with vocals
[4] with Bill Evans on saxophone
[5] with Ten Years Gone (Led Zeppelin) intro
Notes:
Women Wine and Song dedicated to fan Aidan and his father

[via All Things Umphreys]