Umphrey’s McGee Continue West Coast Tour with Debut Covers
Umphrey’s McGee, photo by Geoff Tischman
Last night, Umphrey’s McGee returned to the stage in Solana Beach, Calif. for the second of two nights at Belly Up Tavern. In their Wednesday follow-up, the progressive jam ensemble, sans guitarist Jake Cinninger, built on a thrilling first performance on their West Coast tour by meticulously stitching two debut covers into the improvisational throes of their second set.
Umphrey’s McGee opened up their second show at Belly Up with a razor-sharp “Piranhas,” then tore into a segued sequence of “2×2,” “The Linear” and 2026’s first rendition of John Scofield’s “A Go Go” before finishing off the first frame with a combination of “Much Obliged” – featuring a tease of Rush’s “YYZ” — and the essential “1348.” Following their brief intermission, the band launched the evening’s next set with “Phil’s Farm,” which was ornamented with some last lingering quotes from “Much Obliged.”
Umphrey’s McGee pushed through the dark, frantic prog-funk of “Push the Pig” and emerged into a medley of “Attachments” and “Night Nurse,” then threw the crowd a curveball with a first-time cover of “Make America Fuk Again,” the disco-powered country-fusion opening cut from Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds’ Mutiny After Midnight; given that the idiosyncratic new album from Sturgill Simpson and his band released exclusively to physical formats last Friday, UM’s version landed as yet anothertestament ot their broad musical interests and virtuosity as song stylists. In the middle of the boot-stomping breakdown, the band pivoted to a new cover of Electric Light Orchestra’s “Don’t Bring Me Down,” then wrapped up the show with “Wife Soup” and an encore of the Grateful Dead’s “Jack Straw.”
Umphrey’s McGee will perform again tonight at Los Angeles’ Regent Theater, then bolt through 11 more stops up the California coast and into Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Montana and Utah. Find tickets and more information at umphreys.com.
Umphrey’s McGee
Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach, Calif.
3/12/25
Set I: Piranhas > 2×2 > The Linear > A Go Go, Much Obliged[1] > 1348
Set II: Phil’s Farm[2], Push the Pig, Attachments > Night Nurse, Make America Fuk Again[3] > Don’t Bring Me Down[4] > Make America Fuk Again > Wife Soup
Encore: Jack Straw
Footnotes:
[1] with YYZ (Rush) tease
[2] with Much Obliged teases
[3] debut, Johnny Blue Skies
[4] debut, Electric Light Orchestra
Show Notes:
entire show without Jake
Setlist via allthings.umphreys.com.
