Umphrey’s McGee Celebrates New Year’s Eve In Atlanta With Horns, Cover Debuts & More
Mad Dog & His Filthy Little Secret horns were back for another celebratory December 31 show.
By Andy Kahn Jan 2, 2023 • 7:58 am PST
Umphrey’s McGee performed a celebratory New Year’s Eve concert at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta. In what’s become an annual tradition, the band was joined by Mad Dog & His Filthy Little Secret horns at various points throughout the three-set performance, which included a few new covers added to the mix.
UM had previously played New Year’s Eve concerts at the Tabernacle in Atlanta in 2012, 2014 and 2018. The band kicked off their 2022 New Year’s Run with a show at the Coca-Cola Roxy on December 30.
Saturday’s NYE first set started with the instrumental “Dump City.” Guitarist Jake Cinninger then steered the band through a rowdy “40’s Theme.” The vibey “Utopian Fir” followed and was interjected with a few quotes from “Sad But True” by Metallica. The guest horns made their first appearance of the night, coming out to augment two songs off UM’s 2022 studio album, Asking For A Friend, “It’s Not Your Fault” and the set-closing “Hiccup.”
Set two started with “Hurt Birth Bath,” which came with a full dose of improvisation. The angular “The Floor” held down the second slot of the second set. The horns were then summoned to sit in on “Half Delayed.”
Cinninger was in charge of the subsequent debut cover of “‘B’ Movie Box Car Blues,” which was written by Delbert McClinton and a staple of The Blues Brothers’ live performances. The horns took a break while UM tore through the heavy instrumental “Wizard Burial Ground,” returning after for “Uncommon” and the set ending “Red Tape.”
The uplifting instrumental “Glory” was chosen to start the third and final set of the night. The final song UM played in 2022 was a horn section-aided “Partyin’ Peeps” as it led to the New Year’s countdown, balloon drop, and segue in “Auld Lang Syne.”
The band started 2023, which will mark their 25th year as a band, by going deep into improvising via the Asking For A Friend track “Escape Goat.” The horns left Cinninger, guitarist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, keyboardist Joel Cummins, drummer Kris Myers and percussionist Andy Farag for them to deliver big jams inside “Attachments” and “Day Nurse.”
Mad Dog and his cohorts came back for another Asking For A Friend selection, “Fenced In.” Bayliss was in charge of singing lead on the set closing debut cover of Player’s “Baby Come Back.”
The encore began with just the members of UM onstage for their ode to winters in Chicago, “In The Kitchen.” The last song on the setlist of the festive concert was the band’s first time covering Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Africano,” which was enhanced by the Filthy Little Secret horns.
Watch additional video highlights of UM’s NYE show in ATL below:
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Setlist (via All Things UM)
Set One: Dump City, 40’s Theme, Utopian Fir[1] > It’s Not Your Fault[2], Hiccup[2]
Set Two: Hurt Bird Bath, The Floor, Half Delayed[2], “B” Movie Box Car Blues[3], Wizard Burial Ground, Uncommon[2], Red Tape[2]
Set Three: Glory, Partyin’ Peeps[2] > Auld Lang Syne[2] > Escape Goat[2], Attachments > Day Nurse, Fenced In[2], Baby Come Back[4]
Encore: In The Kitchen > Africano[5]
Notes:
- [1] with Sad But True (Metallica) quote
- [2] with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns (Michael “Mad Dog” Mavridoglou on trumpet, Jeff Coffin on saxophone, Josh Kline on trombone, and Spencer Merk on saxophone)
- [3] debut, The Blues Brothers; with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns
- [4] debut, Player; with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns
- [5] debut, Earth, Wind & Fire; with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns