Umphrey’s McGee guitarists Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss treated Chicago fans to a set filled with interesting covers, holiday songs and originals from UM’s repertoire at Park West for their Eighth Annual Acoustic Christmas Show this past Friday night. The performance was a benefit for USTORM – a non-profit organization aimed at raising funds to help needy children and young adults improve their lives by providing access to various music and art educational programs, a group which Bayliss helped create.
Jake and Brendan welcomed a number of guests at different points throughout the lengthy set including Umphrey’s band mates Andy Farag and Ryan Stasik along with longtime friends Jennifer Hartswick, Mike Rackey, Barry Brown and Allie Krall of Cornmeal. John Lennon’s Jealous Guy, Eric Clapton’s Bell Bottom Blues, Bob Marley’s Mellow Mood, Ape Man by The Kinks and Dirty Work by Steely Dan were among the covers performed. The Albany Park Children’s Choir kicked off the festivities with a number of Christmas carols before backing Cinninger and Bayliss on Lennon’s Happy Xmas (War Is Over). Thanks to USTORM, you can view the video below…
Here’s the complete setlist from Friday’s concert…
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)$#, Sweetness* > Passing, Resolution&, Bell Bottom Blues, Turn and Dub^, A Second^@, Nothing Too Fancy^ > Mellow Mood#^, Morning Song**, Christmas Time is Here**, Jealous Guy**, Bad Poker^, Great American^%+ > Susanah^%+! > Great American^%+, Dirty Old Town^^%+^%%, End of the Road^+, “Rocking chair speaks slowly as Sinatra sings the blues?”&&^!!, Teach Your Children^@@, Bullhead City^@@, In the Kitchen^
Encore: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas@@, Ape Man, Dirty Work$**
Notes:
$ With the Kids Choir
# Jake on Bass
* Over The Hills and Far Away teases
& Carol of the Bells and Deck the Halls teases
^ Andy Farag on perc/drums
@ Karl Engleman cover
** Brendan on piano
% Allie Krall on fiddle
+ Mike Rackey on steel pedal
! Barry Brown on piano
^^ The Pogues cover
%% Brendan on mandolin
&& Jake on piano
!! Brendan on bass
@@ Michelle Hallman on vocals
$ Jen Hartswick on trumpet, Ryan Stasik on bass[Setlist via OhKeePahBlog.com]
Unfortunately, that’s probably the only official audio or video we’ll see from the event as taping isn’t permitted and the band doesn’t sell UMLive recordings of the holiday shows. Jake, Brendan and the rest of Umphrey’s next perform on Saturday at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam in Asheville.
One Response
a rather appropriate video for today 🙂