Photo Credit: Geoff Tischman

Last week, Umphrey’s McGee turned in a series of rarities which were revived during the Midwest arrival of their Cruising Altitude Tour at Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa. Over the weekend, they remained in the region, where they traded bust-outs for debuts, reviving both concerts, August 22, at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, and August 23’s stand at Driftless Music Gardens in Hillsboro, Wis., with new material that also doubled as first-time covers. 

During the band’s Friday arrival in Clear Lake, Iowa, they stuck to the script with a relatively standard first half, which set the stage for a lively second set. Frame two led with “Divisions,” with a tease of Kenny Burrell’s jazzy blues instrumental, “Chitlins con Carne.” They provided a similar treatment during their follow-up, only this time “Similar Skin” was the centerpiece, and The Beatles’ “Blackbird” invigorated the band’s 2014 original. 

They pulled out “Plunger,” which unleashed a cascade of “Plunger” into “In The Kitchen” and “Day Nurse,” which circled back to the frame’s kickoff, “Divisions.” Friday’s highlight occurred during the concert’s encore, when the band debuted a new mashup dubbed “Buddy Weezer,” a combination of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” and Weezer’s own “Buddy Holiday,” which effectively brought the show to a close after completion. 

Saturday’s concert in Hillsboro, Wis., was decorated with specialty moments, which came into frame during the onset of the second set, a partial, two-verse tease of U2’s “All I Want Is You” between “Der Bluten Kat” flanking either side. Later on, “Small Strides” sank into the first “Debra” since April 28, 2022, effectively ending a 274-show gap. They returned to “Small Strides” before “Hajimemashite” finished the frame.

The weekend encore presented “The Fuzz,” which was united with The Allman Brothers Band’s “Jessica.” During their weekend conclusion in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Sunday, they punctuated select songs with covers from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and John Coltrane. Next, Umphrey’s McGee will dip down to Richmond, Va., for the Southern leg of their Cruising Altitude Tour. Tickets remain on sale. 

Scroll down to view setlists from this past weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

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Umphrey’s McGee 

Surf Ballroom – Clear Lake, Iowa

August 22, 2025 

Set I: Le Blitz > Bright Lights, Big City > Get In The Van > Passing > The Linear-> White Man’s Moccasins, In The Kitchen > Let’s Dance

Set II: Divisions[1] > Similar Skin[2], Plunger > In The Kitchen, Day Nurse > Divisions

Enc.: Buddy Weezer[3]

Notes:   

[1] with Chitlins con Carne (Kenny Burrell) teases
[2] with Blackbird (The Beatles) teases

[3] debut; Everyday (Buddy Holly) + Buddy Holly (Weezer) mash-up

Umphrey’s McGee 

Driftless Music Gardens 

August 23, 2025 

Set I: Prowler > The Crooked One > Ringo, Spires > Got Your Milk (Right Here) > Staircase > Thin Air

Set II: Der Bluten Kat > All I Want Is You[1] > Der Bluten Kat > Out of Focus > Der Bluten Kat, Black Water, Small Strides > Debra > Small Strides, Hajimemashite

Enc.: The Fuzz > Jessica

Notes: 

[1] debut, U2; two verses

Last “Debra” 2022-04-28 (274 shows)