Umphreys McGee treated fans to a Latin reading of Auld Lang Syne when the clock hit 12:00 in the Midwest. Headlining a two-night stand at Chicagos Riviera Theatre, Umphreys offered a special cover of Peter Gabriels Sledgehammer, as well as a rare two-part encore of Good Morning and In the Kitchen. (with the band leaving the stage between songs) A four-piece horn section also dotted the groups second two-sets, capping off a guest heavy weekend. A night earlier, opener Buckethead sat in for jam leading out of Much Obliged, while OM Trios Brian Felix played keyboards on Sister Christian. Greg Rzab also played bass on a second set opening Der Bluten Kat.
Scattered Circus-themed teases dotted both shows, nodding to the weekends three-ringed circus setup. Between sets, circus performers also entertained the audience, while ‘Wife Soup’ included trapeeze artists on stage. Commenting on the abundance of visible cameras, the group also announced that their New Year’s ‘circus’ would be captured for future DVD release.