Scott Metzger Guests With Umphrey’s McGee In Maine

Umphrey’s McGee were in Portland, Maine on Saturday for a gig at the historic State Theatre. Last night the six-piece band busted out a Talking Heads cover with the help of guitarist Scott Metzger at the 1,870-seat venue.

The prog-jam rockers got their evening going in The Pine Tree State with “Cemetery Walk I” from their 2009 release Mantis. New and old setlist staples followed with “Syncopated Stranger” getting its 2019 debut ahead of “Remind Me.” “Nemo” was used as a springboard for a seamless run that would take the band through the rest of the opening set. The tune worked its way into the first “Great American” since May of last year. Metzger emerged next as the guitarist assisted on the Talking Heads’ “Girlfriend Is Better.” The Speaking In Tongues track had been sitting on the shelf since March 1, 2017.

The Chicago-based band looked to the pairing of “Bridgeless” and “It Doesn’t Matter” to open up their second stanza dedicating nearly a half hour to the two songs. The sextet would lean in on fan-favorites to fill out the remainder frame with an expansive “Ringo” coming ahead of another jam-heavy run with “Phil’s Farm” > “Seasons” > “Phil’s Farm.” Umphrey’s McGee closed out their evening with a two-song encore delivering “The Weight Around” and the remainder of “Bridgeless.”

Setlist

Set I: Cemetery Walk I, Syncopated Stranger, Remind Me, Nemo > Great American > Girlfriend Is Better* > Cemetery Walk II

Set II: Bridgeless > It Doesn’t Matter, Ringo, Phil’s Farm > Seasons > Phil’s Farm

Encore: The Weight Around > Bridgeless

* w. Scott Metzger on guitar