Umphrey’s McGee Welcome Skerik and Andee “Beats” Avila for The Rolling Stones Cover in Seattle
Umphrey’s McGee, photo by Erik Kabik
Umphrey’s McGee’s West Coast leg on the Sky’s the Limit 2026 Tour has been a wild ride. Since they embarked on their latest live run from Southern California two weeks ago, the pioneering progressive jam ensemble, sans guitarist Jake Cinninger, has ornamented the trek up the coast with a litany of unexpected debuts and bust-outs. On Friday, March 20, the band upped the ante with the tour’s first sit-ins, tapping venerable saxophonist Skerik and percussionist Andee “Beats” Avila to bolster a cover of The Rolling Stones.
Umphrey’s McGee launched Friday’s show at Seattle’s The Showbox with “You Got the Wrong Guy,” pulled from 2021’s You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull and pushed into the reliable “Push the Pig.” The band blasted through the remainder of their first set with a segued sequence that included Jimi Hendrix’s “Power of Soul” and culminated in “1348,” then returned from the intermission with “Hurt Bird Bath.”
After stopping by “Out of Focus,” the band warmly welcomed the Seattle local avant-garde saxophonist Skerik and Andy Frasco & The U.N.’s drummer Andee “Beats” Avila to lend their talents to The Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” which UM had played last in May 2025. Their guests parted ways, and Umphrey’s blazed on with a medley of “Conduit” and “Small Strides,” then finally capped off the evening with an encore of “August” and Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.”
Umphrey’s McGee will take the stage next on Wednesday, March 25, for an engagement at Bend, Ore.’s Midtown Ballroom. Find tickets and information on the group’s full concert calendar at umphreys.com.
Umphrey’s McGee
The Showbox – Seattle
3/20/26
Set I: You Got the Wrong Guy > Push the Pig, Prowler > The Linear > Half Delayed, Escape Goat > Power of Soul > 1348
Set II: Hurt Bird Bath, Out of Focus, Can’t You Hear Me Knocking[1], Conduit > Small Strides
Encore: August > 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover > August
Footnotes:
[1] with Skerik on saxophone and Andee “Beats” Avila on percussion
Show Notes:
entire show without Jake
with I Keep Forgettin’ (Michael McDonald) tease before first August
