Umphrey’s McGee Debuts Prince Cover To Open First Avenue Run

As fate would have it, Umphrey’s McGee were scheduled to kick off a three-night stand at First Avenue in Minneapolis, a venue closely associated with Prince, just one week after his tragic death. While the sextet did cover a Prince song in Tulsa the night following his death, they debuted one of The Purple One’s most beloved classics to begin their First Avenue run on Thursday night.

Umphrey’s McGee opened last night’s show with a debut cover of “Controversy.” The group hadn’t performed “Controversy” in the past, though members of UM did play the tune as part of their Omega Moos project. “Controvery” segued into “Bright Lights, Big City” as part of a first set that included such Umphrey’s classics as “Out Of Order,” “Robot World,” “Cut The Cable” and “Similar Skin.” Last night’s second set featured more of the same with “Hajimemashite,” “Push The Pig” and “Speak Up” among songs played. The second set ended with a rare cover of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Cherub Rock” before UM closed out the evening with a “Phil’s Farm” encore. Umphrey’s McGee returns to First Avenue tonight.

Watch Umphrey’s McGee’s “Controversy” via fan-shot footage from nanarussell3877:

Setlist (via All Things Umphreys)

Set One: Controversy[1] > Bright Lights, Big City, Out Of Order, Made to Measure > Robot World > Attachments, End of the Road > Cut the Cable, Similar Skin

Set Two: Go to Hell, The Linear > Hajimemashite, Speak Up, Push the Pig > Conduit, Plunger > Cherub Rock

Encore: Phil’s Farm

[1] debut, Prince