Umphrey’s McGee Dusts Off Squeeze & Beatles Covers In Syracuse

On Sunday night Umphrey’s McGee continued Summer Tour at F Shed At The Market in Syracuse, with a show aimed at die-hards featuring a handful of rarities and plenty of classics. Sunday’s show saw the return of a Squeeze cover debuted on New Year’s Eve and a Beatles cover the band hadn’t played in 126 shows.

Instead of the usual instrumental opener, Umphrey’s kicked off Sunday’s show with “Walletsworth.” A well-jammed “Der Bluten Kat” came next and featured just the year’s fourth “Anchor Drops” within. From there, UM dusted off “Turn & Run” for the first time in 32 shows and “#5” for just the second time in 2016. After years of straight-forward performances, “#5” continues to yield impressive improvisation. Guitarist Brendan Bayliss then stepped to the mic to lead a cover of “Tempted” by Squeeze. UM had debuted “Tempted” this past New Year’s Eve and only played it one other time, 54 shows ago in Richmond, Virginia. “The Floor” brought the opening set to its conclusion.

the beloved rarities kept coming with a “The Crooked One” that began the second set and eventually wound its way into “Remind Me.” The “Miami Virtue” that followed gave LD Jefferson Waful a chance to show off his Miami Vice-esque lighting scheme, while a trio of old school favorites – “The Bottom Half,” “Uncle Wally” and “Mulche’s Odyssey” – ended the second set. “Much Obliged” started up the encore, but UM still had one more surprise for the Syracuse crowd as they busted out a cover of The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus” for the first time in 126 shows. Next up for the six-piece is a show in Memphis on Thursday.

Watch fan-shot footage of the “Much Obliged” encore captured by Dancintank:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV5zs0hEwPE

Check out a clip of “Tempted” shot by Dancintank:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX4RtLsKc2s

Setlist (via The Bort)

Set One: Walletsworth, Der Bluten Kat > Anchor Drops > Der Bluten Kat, Turn and Run, #5, Tempted, The Floor

Set Two: The Crooked One > Remind Me, Miami Virtue > The Bottom Half, Uncle Wally > Mulche’s Odyssey

Encore: Much Obliged > I Am The Walrus