Ben Atkind Makes First Post-Goose Appearance with Umphrey’s McGee

Photo via Umphrey’s McGee’s Facebook page

Umphrey’s McGee’s holiday run at Chicago’s The Riviera Theatre continued last night. For the second show in a row, lespecial opened and that group’s drummer Rory Dolan filled in for Kris Myers during the band’s first set as he continues to recover from surgery. Ben Atkind, who had subbed for Myers earlier in the year, sat behind the kit for the second set. It marked Atkind’s first live appearance since announcing his departure from Goose on December 22. 

The first set with Dolan kicked off with “Slacker,” and included “Cemetery Walk,” a run from “Bridgeless” into “Ringo,” “Believe the Lie,” and a show-closing swing from “Cemetery Walk II” into “Bridgeless.” For their second with Atkind, the Chicago-bred group offered “Wappy Sprayberry,” their arena anthem “In The Kitchen,” “The Linear,” and a closing segue from “The Triple Wide” into “Booth Love” and “Miss Tinkle’s Overture.” 

Atkind returned during Umphrey’s McGee’s encore for an “August” that bled into “Den.” Both numbers contained prominent teases: The former tune nodded to JJ Cale’s “Cocaine” while the latter cut referenced the previous evening’s theatrics with a bit of Spinal Tap’s “Big Bottom.”

Umphrey’s McGee will celebrate New Year’s Eve at The Riviera Theatre this evening. 

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via All Things Umphrey’s

December 30, The Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL, USA

Set 1:Slacker[1], Cemetery Walk[1], Bridgeless[1] > Ringo[2], Believe the Lie[1], Cemetery Walk II[1] > Bridgeless[1]

Set 2: Wappy Sprayberry[3], In The Kitchen[3], The Linear[3], The Triple Wide[4] > Booth Love[5] > Miss Tinkle’s Overture[3]

Encore: August[6] > Den[3]

Footnotes:

    [1] with Rory Dolan on drums

    [2] with Rory Dolan on drums; with My Name Is Mud (Primus) tease

    [3] with Ben Atkind on drums

    [4] with Ben Atkind on drums; “Jimmy Stewart” with lyrics and Over the Hills and Far Away (Led Zeppelin) ending

    [5] with Ben Atkind on drums; with Cocaine (JJ Cale) tease

    [6] with Ben Atkind on drums; with Big Bottom (Spinal Tap) tease