The Soul Rebels Guest With Umphreys McGee In Houston

Last night Umphrey’s McGee returned to Houston for the first time in five years as they played the Texas city’s House Of Blues outpost. New Orleans brass band The Soul Rebels not only opened the show, but also sat in with the Chicago rockers towards the end of the first set.

[Photo via The Soul Rebels Instagram]

Each member of The Soul Rebels emerged to help Umphrey’s close out the first set with a cover of Bob Marley’s “Kinky Reggae.” Last night’s “Kinky Reggae” was Umphrey’s first 2015 rendition of the song and just the 39th time they’ve played the Marley cover since 2000. UM’s first set in Houston also included extended takes on “The Floor” and “Push The Pig.” Set Two was notable for the return of the original version of “Cut The Cable” as part of a crazy “Plunger” > “Pay The Snucka” > “Slacker” > “Cut The Cable” > “Slacker” segment. The sextet ended the final set by concluding both the “Plunger” and “Pay The Snucka” they had started earlier in the closing stanza.

Umphrey’s said farewell to Houston with an encore that featured a cover of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” and the end of “Bridgeless.” The two bands now head to Austin for a performance at Stubb’s tonight.

Setlist (via The Bort)

Set One: Bathing Digits > Bad Friday, Turn & Run > 2nd Self, Loose Ends > Dump City, The Floor, Push the Pig, Kinky Reggae[1]

Set Two: Bridgeless > Syncopated Strangers, Plunger > Pay the Snucka > Slacker > Cut the Cable > Slacker, Hajimemashite > No Comment > Plunger > Pay the Snucka

Encore: Baba O’Riley > Bridgeless

[1]: With the Soul Rebels on drums and horns (full band)