Photo via Umphrey’s McGee’s Facebook page

Umphrey’s McGee performed a special three-set show at Chillicothe, IL’s Three Sisters Park on Saturday as part of the first Solshine Reverie. Held on the site of the long-running Summer Camp music festival, which Umphrey’s McGee hosted for many years, the show was a homecoming of sorts for the Midwest group. During their first set, Umphrey’s invited out fiddler Allie Kral for a version of “Women Wine and Song” that was sandwiched in the middle of “Nothing Too Fancy.” 

Sadly, Summer Camp’s other longtime house band moe. were forced to cancel their Solshine Reverie appearance due to a family tragedy. The members of Umphrey’s McGee rallied and hosted a special “and friends” segment as their third set on Saturday. The group kicked things off with a tribute to moe. by opening the sequence with their classic “Rebubula.” Umphrey’s McGee performed the moe. tune regularly during their earliest days, though the song slipped out of rotation after the ’90s. The band has dusted off the number a few times since then, including with members of moe. last year during Summer Camp. UM guitarist Brendan Bayliss also sat in with moe. for the tune during a breakout spot at the inaugural Bonnaroo in 2002. 

Next, Umphrey’s McGee invited out Goose’s Peter Anspach and Rick Mitarotonda for another cover from their early days, John Scofield’s “A Go Go.” The keyboardist and guitarist then remained onstage for a cover both UM and Goose are known to play, Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights.” The sit ins continued with Eggy drummer Alex Bailey replacing Kris Myers for “Much Obliged” and Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” He also supplied lead vocals on the later tune, a favorite Eggy cover and Umphrey’s also performs. 

Philadelphia drummer Scotty Zwang, known for his work with Sunsquabi, The New Deal, Ghost Light and others, then took over kit duties and provided vocals on Steely Dan’s beloved “Kid Charlemagne” and played drums on “Hurt Bird Bath,” before lespecial’s Rory Dolan subbed in for “Slacker.” Finally, Big Gigantic drummer Jeremy Salken sat in for Myers on Umphrey’s McGee’s “40’s Theme” and “In The Kitchen,” the latter of which also found Disco Biscuits’ Marc Brownstein replacing Ryan Stasik on bass.

Umphrey’s McGee will perform next in Salt Lake City, UT on June 13.

Here’s a look at Saturday’s setlist via All Things Umphrey’s

Saturday, May 25, 2024, Solshine Reverie, Three Sisters Park, Chillicothe, IL

Set 1: Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Wife Soup, Nothing Too Fancy > Women Wine and Song[1] > Nothing Too Fancy, Dump City, Intentions Clear, Mulche’s Odyssey

Set 2: Small Strides, Crucial Taunt, Der Bluten Kat, Resolution

Set 3: Rebubula, A Go Go[2], Hollywood Nights[2], Much Obliged[3], Bennie and the Jets[4], Kid Charlemagne[5], Hurt Bird Bath[6], Slacker[7], 40’s Theme[8], In The Kitchen[9]

Footnotes:
[1] with Allie Kral on fiddle
[2] with Peter Anspach on keys and Rick Mitarotonda on guitar
[3] with Alex Bailey replacing Kris on drums
[4] with Alex Bailey replacing Kris on drums and on vocals
[5] with Scotty Zwang replacing Kris on drums and on vocals
[6] with Scotty Zwang replacing Kris on drums
[7] with Rory Dolan replacing Kris on drums
[8] with Jeremy Salken replacing Kris on drums
[9] with Jeremy Salken replacing Kris on drums and Marc Brownstein replacing Ryan on bass