Dweezil Zappa Joins Umphrey’s McGee At Red Rocks

Last night, Umphrey’s McGee began a two-night stand at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Opening Saturday’s show was both groove rocker Sinkane and guitarist extraordinaire Dweezil Zappa, the latter of which joined the headliners on one of his father Frank Zappa’s well-known songs.

Currently embroiled in a controversy with his siblings and the Zappa Family Trust, Dweezil opted out of last night’s webcast, but gave those who were tuning in a warning that he’d be sitting-in with UM. After his opening “Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever The F@%K He Wants” set with the band formerly known as Zappa Plays Zappa, Dweezil kept true to his tweet and joined UM to close their first set.

Zappa emerged to create a three guitar attack alongside Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss toward the end of the UM original “Utopian Fir” and stayed onstage as the ensemble transitioned into the debut Umphrey’s McGee cover of Frank’s classic “Muffin Man” which has been a staple of Dweezil’s live performances in recent years.

The sit-in came at the conclusion of a set that opened with the soaring instrumental “Glory” followed by the Chicago name-checking “In The Kitchen.” It also saw the third rendition of recent UMBowl addition “Roctopus,” new go-to “Speak Up” and the well-aged “Water” that was stretched out before the aforementioned “Utopian Fir” that included onstage haze blasters and a “Dr. Feelgood” quote during the intro. The second set started and ended with the riff-driven “Bridgeless” and included UM classic “2×2” paired with party rocker “Bright Lights, Big City,” a well-jammed “Der Bluten Kat” with their instrumental arrangement of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” covered within, and rendering of “Day Nurse.” The two-song “Booth Love” > “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” encore capped Umphrey’s first night on the rocks.

Here are audience-shot clips of last night’s Collaboration captured in Colorado:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHYqWn3gSKm/

Sunday’s Umphrey’s McGee concert will feature opening sets by Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and The Main Squeeze. TourGigs is offering a live webcast of the concert.

Setlist (via All Things Umphrey’s)

Set One: Glory > In The Kitchen, Roctopus, Speak Up > Water > Utopian Fir [1] > Muffin Man [2]

Set Two: Bridgeless > 2×2 > Bright Lights, Big City, Der Bluten Kat > I’m On Fire > Der Bluten Kat, Day Nurse > Bridgeless

Encore: Booth Love > Miss Tinkle’s Overture

Notes:

• [1] with “Dr. Feelgood” quote; with Dweezil Zappa on guitar
• [2] debut, Frank Zappa; with Dweezil Zappa on guitar