Umphrey’s McGee has been rocking American audiences with their heavy, jam-inspired performances for over a quarter century now. Thanks to the freedom of the internet, audio of the rock band’s second-ever performance is online for fans to revisit in its entirety 26 years later.
The performance back on January 29th, 1998 at Club 23 in South Bend, IN–which followed Umphrey’s live debut just a week earlier at the nearby Bridget McGuire’s Filling Station on January 21st–was taped by band manager Kevin Browning.
The audio showcases the band’s first lineup of Brendan Bayliss (guitar), Ryan Stasik (bass), Joel Cummins (keyboards), and original drummer Mike Mirro covering (and teasing) bands like Phish, moe., Medeski Martin & Wood, Van Halen, Def Leppard, AC/DC, and more. The performance that night also included Umphrey’s originals still played by the band today including “Phil’s Farm”, “Divisions”, and “Muffburger’s Sandwich”, among others.
Take a trip back in time and listen to the full recording of the band’s second-ever performance below.
Umphrey’s McGee – Club 23 – South Bend, IN – 1/29/98 – Full Audio
[Audio: JAJ]
Setlist: Umphrey’s McGee | Club 23 | South Bend, IN | 1/29/98
Set One: Phil’s Farm, Hours > Kimble, Red Baron, Muffburger Sandwich, Philosophy > Linus and Lucy[1] > Philosophy, Divisions[2], Rebubula[3]
Set Two: G-Song[2] > Bubblehouse[4] > G-Song, FF > Jump[5] > FF, Burning Down the House[6], 10th Grade[7], Mike’s Song > Phil’s Farm > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove[8] > Orfeo, Moby Dick[9], Dear Lord[10], Pour Some Sugar On Me
[1] ended with Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin) tease
[2] debut, original
[3] debut, moe.
[4] debut, Medeski Martin & Wood
[5] debut, Van Halen
[6] with Underworld (Super Mario Brothers) theme (Koji Kondo) and Scarlet Begonias (The Grateful Dead) teases
[7] with Third Sone from the Sun (Jimi Hendrix) teases
[8] with All In Time tease
[9] with 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Paul Simon) tease and verse as well as Tweezer (Phish) and Thunderstruck (AC/DC) teases
[10] debut, original; with Mellow Mood and Stir It Up (both Bob Marley) and The Tide Is High (Blondie) quotes from Brendan