Umphrey’s McGee Battles Horns, Offers Cover Debuts & Bust Outs At New Year’s Eve Show In Atlanta

Umphrey’s McGee closed out a memorable four-night stand at The Tabernacle in Atlanta with a show featuring multiple appearances from horn section Mad Dog’s Filthy Little Secret, a handful of bust outs and a pair of cover debuts. There were also plenty of well-jammed staples mixed in for good measure throughout the three-set concert.

The sextet opened the evening with a slightly extended version of “The Silent Type,” the lead single from their first album of 2018, it’s not us. Next up was the classic “Walletsworth” followed by a “reverse” in the form of “Cemetery Walk II” > “Cemetary Walk.” The pretty “Xmas At Wartime” led into UM’s first cover of “Roundabout” by Yes since June 28, 2015 – a span of 311 shows. Last night’s first set came to a close with the high-impact “Roctopus.”

Umphrey’s took “Draconian” deep to kick off the second set. The band explored plenty of terrain over the course of 18+ minutes. Michael “Mad Dog” Mavridoglou on trumpet, Jeff Coffin on saxophone, Chris Ott on trombone and Josh Quinlan on saxophone then emerged for their initial appearance of the evening to help out on “River People” and “Whistle Kids.” The former is a Weather Report cover written by Jaco Pastorius off the famed jazz-fusion band’s 1978 album Mr. Gone that UM had performed once previously – on December 29, 2013. The six-piece went sans horns for “Gents” and then brought the horns back for a “Looks” featuring “Dr. Feelgood” jams and quotes. Next, guitarist Brendan Bayliss led the group on their debut cover of Little Feat’s “Fat Man In The Bathtub.” Umphrey’s and the horns went on to finish the frame with “Comma Later” and a take on Miles Davis’ “It’s About That Time.”

Monday’s third set began with the beloved “Hurt Bird Bath.” Umphrey’s then were accompanied by the horns for an “Attachments” they jammed on for seven minutes before Bayliss counted into 2019. The band and Mad Dog’s Filthy Little Secret took their time working through the celebratory and traditional “Auld Lang Syne.” Next up was the fitting New Year’s version of “Resolution,” the end of the “In The Kitchen” UM started earlier this run and rarity “Kula.” While the horns were off-stage for the end of “In The Kitchen” and “Kula” they returned for “Booth Love” and a debut cover of INXS’ “What You Need.”

For the encore, the members of Umphrey’s faced off against the horn section in an inventive “challenge.” After Brendan announced the “challenge,” the horns lit into a portion of Glenn Miller’s “In The Mood.” UM responded with a taste of “The Ocean” by Led Zeppelin and followed the horn’s “Voodoo Child” with a bit of “So Fresh, So Clean” by Atlanta’s own OutKast. The “challenge” concluded with the horns pulling off a section of Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee” and the band returning with Poison’s “Unskinny Bop.” Bayliss then led the emotional “Hajimemashite” before the night came to a close with a horn-driven cover of “Detroit Rock City” by KISS. UM’s last “Detroit Rock City” took place way back on February 18, 2012 – a span of 674 shows. Listen to Don Olker’s audience recording below or head to nugs.net to purchase the official recording:

Setlist (via All Things Umphreys)

Set 1: The Silent Type, Walletsworth, Cemetery Walk II > Cemetery Walk, Xmas at Wartime, Roundabout, Roctopus

Set 2: Draconian, River People[1], Whistle Kids[1], Gents > Looks[2], Fat Man in the Bathtub[3] > Comma Later[1], It’s About That Time[1]

Set 3: Hurt Bird Bath, Attachments[1] > Auld Lang Syne[1], Resolution[1] -> In The Kitchen > Kula, Booth Love[4], What You Need[5]

Encore: “Horns vs. Band Challenge”[6], Hajimemashite, Detroit Rock City[1]

• [1] with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns
• [2] with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns; with Dr. Feelgood (Motley Crue) jam and quotes
• [3] debut, Little Feat; with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns
• [4] with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns; with Carol of the Bells (Leontovych) teases
• [5] debut, INXS; with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns
• [6] with Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns; with In the Mood (Glenn Miller), The Ocean (Led Zeppelin), Voodoo Child (Jimi Hendrix), So Fresh, So Clean (Outkast), Donna Lee (Charlie Parker), and Unskinny Bop (Poison)

• last Roundabout 06.28.2015 (311 shows)
• Mad Dog and his Filthy Little Secret horns were: Michael “Mad Dog” Mavridoglou on trumpet, Jeff Coffin on saxophone, Chris Ott on trombone, and Josh Quinlan on saxophone
• last River People 12.29.2013 (479 shows)
• last It’s About That Time 03.17.2017 (151 shows)
• last Detroit Rock City 02.18.2012 (674 shows)