Umphrey’s McGee Welcomes Members Of String Cheese Incident, TAUK & More At SweetWater 420 Fest

Umphrey’s McGee welcomed members of The String Cheese Incident, TAUK and Empire Strikes Brass on Thursday during their first performance at this year’s SweetWater 420 Fest. The all-covers All Night Wrong set was performed with out UM guitiarist Jake Cinninger who is sitting out the festival while tending to personal matters.

SCI’s Michael Kang added electric mandolin and Kyle Hollingsworth joined Joel Cummins on keyboards for the final two songs of the set. Up first was an offering the Grateful Dead’s “Althea.” UM and the SCI guests then teamed up on a set-closing rendition of “Making Flippy Floppy” by Talking Heads.

TAUK guitarist Matt Jalbert, who participated in a TAUKing McGee collaborative set right before UM’s covers-driven performance, emerged mid-set to assist on The Beatles “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” Jalbert then exited as Empire Strikes Brass members, trumpeter Alex Bradley, saxophonist Pauly Juhl and trombonist Kyle Snuffer came on to augment Beck’s “Debra.” The horns stuck around for the subsequent “Dance Hall Days.” The Wang Chung cover was busted out earlier this year for the first time since 2015.

The set began with the five-piece UM lineup consisting of guitarist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, drummer Kris Myers, percussionist Andy Farag and Cummins on keys pulling out a number of rarely played covers. The opener was the band’s first take on Jimi Hendrix’s “Power Of Soul” since 2020. Next, were two Pink Floyd songs not performed since 2019, “Young Lust” and “Another Brick In The Wall Part II.” Those were followed by The Police’s “When the World Is Running Down You Make the Best of What’s Still Around,” also last played in 2019. The set also featured a cover of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,” making just its second setlist since 2018.

Umphrey’s McGee will host a late-night performance tonight at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse. The band plays SweetWater 420 Fest again on Saturday. Free nugs.net livestreams are available all weekend.

Watch Umphrey’s McGee’s All Night Wrong covers set at SweetWater 420 Fest featuring member of The String Cheese Incident, TAUK and Empire Strikes Brass from yesterday’s livestream below. UM’s set begins at the 3:48:55 mark (the TAUKing McGee set starts at 2:16:41):

Setlist (via All Things Umphrey’s)

One Set: Power of Soul, Young Lust > Another Brick in the Wall > When the World Is Running Down You Make the Best of What’s Still Around > Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, I Want You (She’s So Heavy)[1], Debra[2], Dance Hall Days[2], Althea[3], Making Flippy Floppy[3]

Notes:

• The entire show without Jake
• All Night Wrong covers set
• [1] with Matt Jalbert on guitar
• [2] with Alex Bradley on trumpet, and Pauly Juhl on saxophone, and Kyle Snuffer on trombone
• [3] with Kyle Hollingsworth on keys and Michael Kang on electric mandolin