Arthur Barrow Joins Umphrey’s McGee In Los Angeles

Umphrey’s McGee wrapped a West Coast run Saturday night with an appearance at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The band was joined by renowned bassist Arthur Barrow for a number of songs in the first set, including a sit-in on UM’s debut cover performance of a Frank Zappa classic.

The show began with “Le Blitz” > “Educated Guess” followed by a stretched out “The Crooked One” that segued into “Example 1.” Barrow, who played bass in Frank Zappa’s band in the 1970s and 1980s, emerged to replace Ryan Stasik for a take on the Umphrey’s original “Soul Food 1” which then moved to the band’s debut performance of Zappa’s “Treacherous Cretins” from the 1981 Shut Up ‘N Play Yer Guitar LP. Barrow remained for the transition to “Glory,” giving the stage back to Stasik for set concluding “Piranhas” > “Wizard Burial Ground.”

Set two got off to a start with “40s Theme” that saw the typically intense interplay between guitarists Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss. Other second half highlights included a pairing of “Wappy Sprayberry” with “The Bottom Half” and the set closing “Hindsight.” The encore saw the band play R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” once again, followed by “Upward” and the ending portion of “Puppet String” which had been started earlier in the second set that brought the evening and the tour to a close.

SiriusXM’s Jam ON channel will re-air last night’s show, including TAUK’s opening set, beginning at 3 p.m. ET today. Umphrey’s McGee returns to the road Wednesday, April 6 at The Lyric Oxford in Oxford, Mississippi.

Setlist

Set One: Le Blitz > Educated Guess, The Crooked One > Example 1, Attachments, Soul Food I* > Treacherous Cretins** > Glory*, Piranhas > Wizard Burial Ground

Set Two: 40’s Theme, Puppet String > Daffodils, Wappy Sprayberry >The Bottom Half, Hurt Bird Bath, Hindsight

Encore: Ignition (Remix), Upward > Puppet String

Notes:

• * with Arthur Barrow on bass
• ** Debut (Frank Zappa) with Arthur Barrow on bass