Jake Cinninger & Brendan Bayliss Of Umphrey’s McGee Perform Acoustic In South Bend

Guitarists Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss returned to the city where Umphrey’s McGee formed 20 years ago to play an acoustic show on Tuesday night in South Bend, Indiana. The performance at the Morris Performing Arts Center began with a solo set by UM keyboardist Joel Cummins and he and the band’s percussionist Andy Farag joined the guitarists during their set as well.

Cummins arranged covers of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place,” Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig In the Sky,” Miles Davis’ “Blue In Green,” Debussy’s “Pour Le Piano Prelude” and Charlie Parker’s “K.C. Blues.” Joel’s set ended with his original “D’yer Maker D’yer Semba.”

Jake and Brendan opened their set by weaving “Similar Skin” within an opening rendition of the UM classic “August.” The pair then injected Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” within a performance of “In The Kitchen.” Bayliss then switched to mandolin for his 30db original “Susanah,” UM’s “Bad Poker” and Pearl Jam’s “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town.”

Farag then emerged to play drums for the remained of the set, beginning with Led Zeppelin’s “That’s The Way.” Cummins came onstage for the rest of the show, first adding keys to “No Diablo” and “You And You Alone,” before Bayliss switched to electric bass for Stone Temple Pilots’ “Plush.” Jake took over on bass ahead of the UM instrumental “Kimble,” which was followed by “Cut The Cable” and Cinninger taking lead on “Booth Love” and “Women, Wine & Song.” A cover of the Doobie Brothers’ “Blackwater” brought an end to the main set.

The encore started with Bayliss on piano and Cinninger on drums for a cover of Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Farag then took back the drum kit and Cummins the piano as Cinninger went electric for closing takes on “Hajimemashite” and Bob Seger’s “Night Moves.”

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Setlist (via The Bort/PKSConrad)

Set: August* > Similar Skin > August, In The Kitchen > I’m On Fire $ > Kitchen, Susanah@, Bad Poker@&, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town@“, Nemo#, That’s The Way #%, No Diablo#^, YAYA #^, Plush#^~€, Kimble #^£, Cut the Cable #^£, Booth Love #^~, Women Wine & Song#^, Blackwater #^¥

Encore: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road+=}, Hajimemashite #^!, Night Moves#^<

Notes:

• * Rhiannon tease
• $ Bruce Springsteen
• @ Bayliss on mandolin
• & Sweet Home Alabama tease
• “ Pearl Jam
• # Farag on drums
• % Led Zeppelin
• ^ Cummins on paino
• ~ Bayliss on bass
• € Stone Temple Pilots
• £ Cinninger on bass
• ¥ Doobie Brothers
• + Bayliss on piano
• = Cinninger on drums
• } Elton John
• ! Cinninger on electric guitar
• < Bob Seger