_Photo: Keith Griner_

Umphrey’s McGee guitarists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger played their annual Holiday Show at Park West in Chicago, IL last night. The show, which served as a benefit for the Mike Mirro Foundation named after the band’s original drummer who passed away this year, included some special guests from the Umphrey’s world including Joel Cummins and Kris Myers.

Cummins actually started the show with a solo piano set comprised mostly of classical compositions as well as his own originals such as “Orfeo” and a take on “Linus & Lucy” with Jake Cinninger on drums.

Brendan and Jake opened up their set with familiar takes on “In the Kitchen,” “Glory” and “No Comment” (which featured Jake on bass) before debuting a parody song entitled “On the Throne Again.” Played to the tune of Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” the duo delivered the Christmas version of the song with alternate lyrics. Bayliss then took to the piano for a debut of The Beatles’ “Cry Baby Cry.” Past holiday shows have seen the guitarist play piano on Radiohead’s “Karma Police” and others.

The first guest of the evening came in the form of the opening Cummins, who sat in for a series of Umphrey’s McGee songs such as “Uncle Wally,” “Partyin’ Peeps” and the newer “Final Word” and “Cut the Cable” before briefly departing. Bayliss returned to the piano following the Cummins segment for a solo performance of “You and You Alone,” a rare song that has only previously appeared at solo Bayliss shows.

Following a drum solo from Cinninger, UM drummer Kris Myers joined the fold along with Cummins and pedal steel guitarist Mike Racky, who has joined the ensemble in past holiday shows. The group opened up with “Resolution” before slipping into a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire,” a popular cover in the Umphrey’s arsenal. The rarer “Memories of Home” followed, just the fourth all time and first since 9/1/2008.

The final guest to be added would be vocalist Michelle Hallman, who joined the group on several of their final tunes. Hallman added vocals to “Bullhead City,” which features vocals from Elliot Peck on the Anchor Drops version. She would also hang around for the set-closing take on Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon.”

The four-song encore opened with Bayliss, Cinninger, Cummins, Myers and Racky offering up UM’s “Kimble” and the newer “No Diablo” before Hallman returned for Nat King Cole’s “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” and the closing Crosby, Stills and Nash song “Southern Cross.”

Here’s a look at the setlist from last night:

Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger
Park West, Chicago, IL

In the Kitchen > Glory, No Comment > In the Kitchen, On the Throne Again, Cry Baby Cry, Uncle Wally*, Partyin’ Peeps*, Final Word*, Cut the Cable*, The Weight Around, You and You Alone, Drums, Resolution** > I’m on Fire**, Memories of Home**, Bullhead City***, Rhiannon***

Enc: Kimble**, No Diablo**, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire***, Southern Cross***

*w/Joel Cummins
**w/Kris Myers, Joel Cummins and Mike Racky
***w/Kris, Joel, Mike and Michelle Hallman