Umphrey’s McGee Revive Long-Lost Metallica, Ween and Pat Metheny Covers in the Northeast
Umphrey’s McGee, photo by Dino Perrucci
Umphrey’s McGee’s Sky’s The Limit Tour picked up speed over the week as they touched down in the Northeast. The pioneering progressive jam outfit’s touring has brought an uninterrupted chain of nightly surprises since the beginning of the year, and jetlag couldn’t slow the band down as they moved the series to a new region for shows in Buffalo, N.Y., Morristown, N.J. and Albany, N.Y.
Umphrey’s McGee took the stage at their longtime haunt of Buffalo’s jam haven, The Town Ballroom, on Feb. 1 with “Le Blitz,” a key cut from You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull. That setlist staple plowed ahead directly into “2×2,” which featured a notable tease of John Williams’ Star Wars theme, then the band took a beat before launching into an expansive medley of “Kabump,” Blueprints centerpiece “Exit Signs,” “It Doesn’t Matter” and “The Bottom Half.”
After capping off their first set with “Phil’s Farm,” the band dug deep into their live repertoire to unearth a cover of Ween’s Quebec essential “It’s Gonna Be A Long Night” for the first time since November 2021. An electrifying second set, bookended by phases of “1348” preceded another surprise in the encore, when the group let loose their fifth roaring cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” to date, and first since Feb. 2020.
Umphrey’s McGee hauled down to Morristown for a follow-up on Wednesday night, where they got another show rolling with the Similar Skin ripper “Bridgeless.” The group wove through other classics like “Made to Measure” and “Half Delayed” before returning to Similar Skin with “Educated Guess,” merged effortlessly into an eye-opening cover of Pat Metheny’s Still Life (Talking) cut “Last Train Home.” The remainder of their show stayed closer to expectations, save for guitarist Jake Cinninger’s rotation to percussion for a spirited treatment of The Clash’s “Rock the Casbah.”
Last night, Umphrey’s McGee kept their momentum with yet another bust-out, substantially less predictable than the others. From a race-pace intro of “Tango Mike” stitched into “Concessions,” then quintet wandered through their catalog with tracks like “Domino Theory” and “Sociable Jimmy.” then geared up for a set-closing segued sequence with “Nothing Too Fancy.” This jam entered dark and brooding territory as the band unleashed a long-awaited resurrection of Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All hit “Seek and Destroy,” played only twice before in Oct. 2005 and Nov. 2008.
Umphrey’s McGee will perform again tonight at Hartford, Conn.’s Infinity Music Hall. Find tickets and more information on the band’s full live itinerary at umphreys.com, and read on for the full setlists from their Northeast run so far.
Umphrey’s McGee
The Town Ballroom – Buffalo, N.Y.
2/1/25
Set I: Le Blitz > 2×2[1], Kabump-> Exit Signs > It Doesn’t Matter[2] > The Bottom Half, Phil’s Farm
Set II: It’s Gonna Be A Long Night > 1348 > Atmosfarag > Suxity > Front Porch[3], Looks[4], Sunglasses at Night-> 1348
Encore: Higgins > Voodoo Child[5] > Higgins[6]
Notes:
[1] with Star Wars Main Theme (John Williams) tease
[2] with Good Times (Chic) jam
[3] with Resolution tease and Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi) teases and quote
[4] with Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) jam
[5] incomplete
[6] ended with Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi) tease
Show Notes:
last It’s Gonna Be A Long Night 2021-11-13 (345 shows)
with Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi) tease after Front Porch
last Voodoo Child 2020-02-15 (409 shows)
Umphrey’s McGee
Mayo Performing Arts Center – Morristown, N.J.
2/3/25
Set I: Bridgeless > Made to Measure > Nemo, Draconian > Half Delayed, Educated Guess > Last Train Home, Comma Later > Partyin’ Peeps
Set II: Miss Tinkle’s Overture, August > Corduroy, Intentions Clear > Uncommon, Rock the Casbah[1] > Puppet String
Encore: Glory > Bridgeless
Notes:
[1] with Jake on percussion
Show Notes:
last Last Train Home 2021-11-14 (345 shows)
Umphrey’s McGee
Empire Live – Albany, N.Y.
2/5/25
Set I: Tango Mike > Concessions, Professor Wormbog, Domino Theory, Sociable Jimmy, Nothing Too Fancy > Pay the Snucka > Seek and Destroy > Pay the Snucka
Set II: In The Kitchen > Wife Soup, Utopian Fir > Come Closer > Utopian Fir > Mulche’s Odyssey, The Weight Around, Kielbasa > Nothing Too Fancy
Encore: The Silent Type > Hollywood Nights > The Silent Type
Show Notes:
last Seek and Destroy 2008-02-07 (1,674 shows)
