David Kaffinetti, the English musician who played keyboardist Viv Savage in This Is Spinal Tap, sat in with Umphrey’s McGee last night during their stop at Oakland’s Fox Theatre. Kaffinetti took the stage for a rendition of Spinal Tap’s “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” at the end of the first set before returning to help with the Umphrey’s McGee original “Resolution” in the middle of the second set.

Umphrey’s McGee have long been fans of Rob Reiner’s imminently quotable 1984 mockumentary, which satirized the self-indulgent hard rock bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In many ways, the group’s sound is influenced by the very bands This Is Spinal Tap sought to parody, so it’s no wonder that Umphrey’s McGee has performed tunes from the film on numerous occasions (starting with some of their earliest shows back in 1998). However, those covers aren’t as common as they used to be, and the band last performed “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” in 2004, though “Big Bottom” was played more recently in 2013.

While Viv Savage wasn’t one of three core members of Spinal Tap, Kaffinetit’s character did get a few memorable lines in during the film, and he even helped produce a public service announcement for the nonprofit Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.) a few years after the movie was released. Yesterday’s sit-in wasn’t totally off the wall either, as the keyboardist currently plays with a Castro Valley, CA (just outside of Oakland) band called SEZU. He’s also no stranger to Umphrey’s McGee style, having performed with English progressive band Rare Bird from 1969 to 1975.

The collaboration with Kaffinetti/Savage wasn’t only the noteworthy item on last night’s setlist. The first set also saw guitarists Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss go acoustic for takes on “Great American” and the it’s not us number “You & You Alone”, and the band closed out the show with their Beck/Radiohead/Phil Collins mash-up “National Loser Anthem”.

Umphrey’s McGee will continue their tour tonight when they head to The Wiltern in Los Angeles.

Setlist: Umphrey’s McGee | Oakland, CA | Fox Theatre | 3/23/2018 

Set One:  Le Blitz > Remind Me, Sociable Jimmy > It Doesn’t Matter > Sociable Jimmy > Half Delayed > Hurt Bird Bath, Great American [1] , You & You Alone [1] , Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight [2]

Set Two: Miss Tinkle’s Overture, August, Plunger > Whistle Kids, Steppin’ Out, Resolution [3], Den

Encore: National Loser Anthem

[1] – Jake and Brendan on acoustics
[2] – with David Kaffinetti (aka Viv Savage of Spinal Top) on keyboards: LTP – 12/11/04 – 1487 show gap
[3] – with David Kaffinetti (aka Viv Savage of Spinal Top) on keyboards