Umphrey’s McGee Breaks Out ‘Take Me To The River’ Cover As Duane Trucks Joins Tour In Pensacola

Umphrey’s McGee kicked off a four-show swing through Florida featuring Widespread Panic drummer Duane Trucks on Thursday in Pensacola. Last night’s show at Vinyl Music Hall also included guest appearances from Tanner Bardin (Eminence Ensemble) and Will “Bronco” Clark (Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country).

The Chicago-based band tapped Trucks for the Florida shows with Scotty Zwang handling drum duties on the rest of their 2025 shows in the wake of Kris Myers' departure after 22 years earlier this month. In 2023, Duane Trucks was among the drummers who filled in for Myers while Kris recovered from rotator cuff surgery. Duane was behind the kit for an August run through the Northeast and a three-night stand in Athens, Georgia that fall.

Duane Trucks showed off the powerful, freight train style originated by his uncle, the late Allman Brothers co-founding drummer Butch Trucks, last night. Trucks propelled an extended “Domino Theory” opener and the adventurous “Resolution” that followed. The sextet quickly worked through “Half Delayed” before giving “Piranhas” and “Night Nurse” the jam treatment.

Bardin, who also sat-in with UM during Myers’ 2023 absence from the band, replaced Trucks on drums for the ensuing “Believe The Lie.” The Eminence Ensemble drummer stuck around to help Umphrey’s wrap the first set with the metal-tinged “Wizard Burial Ground.”

Duane Trucks was back behind the kit for the duration of the second set. Umphrey’s launched the frame by pairing improv-laced versions of “Attachments” and “Draconian.” The 36-minute sequence came ahead of a take on Nirvana’s “In Bloom,” the first cover of the night. From there, UM worked oldie “The Fuzz” into “No Comment.” Bronco joined Andy Farag on percussion for “No Comment” as well as a “Drums” sequence with Trucks and Farag that paved the way for a set-closing “Bad Friday.”

Umphrey’s McGee guitarists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger emerged to begin the encore with a “Passing” duet. The rest of the band and Trucks returned for UM’s first “Take Me To The River” since they debuted the cover on June 22, 2019. Talking Heads recorded the Al Green classic for 1978’s More Songs About Buildings And Food and the song was a staple of the band’s live shows.

Watch Umphrey’s McGee revive “Take Me To The River” in Pensacola below:

Umphrey’s McGee and Duane Trucks will perform in Orlando tonight, in Miami Beach on Saturday and in St. Petersburg on Sunday. Scotty Zwang rejoins the tour on June 13.

Official Soundboard Audio (via nugs.net)

Setlist (via Reddit)

Set One: Domino Theory, Resolution > Half Delayed, Piranhas > Night Nurse, Believe the Lie [1], Wizard Burial Ground [1]

Set Two: Attachments > Draconian, In Bloom, The Fuzz > No Comment [2] > Drums [2] > Bad Friday

Encore: Passing [3], Take Me To the River

Duane Trucks on drums for all songs, unless otherwise indicated

• [1] with Tanner Bardin replacing Duane on drums
• [2] with Will Clark on percussion
• [3] only Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss

Last Take Me To the River 2019-06-22 (415 shows)