TAUKing McGee is a collaboration between the members of TAUK and Umphrey’s McGee and Atlanta was treated to one of these special shows as a late night at Variety Playhouse on Sunday night of Sweetwater’s 420 Fest. It was my first time getting the chance to see one of these special shows and I was legitimately blown away.
The set began with just members of TAUK playing their originals Friction and Realize which set everyone back on track after being poured on by rain at the festival as well as continual rain as we stood in line to get in. Then the cover train started rolling with TAUK bringing out Andy Farag, Jake Cinninger, and Joel Cummings of Umphrey’s McGee for Donny Hathaway’s Voices Inside. Next up – a take on the Umphrey’s song Piranhas As Piranhas ended the band got into a spaced out jam that eventually turned into an epic transition into Pink Floyd’s Time. As soon as the crowd recognized what was going on a huge eruption of cheers started. Joel of Umphrey’s was tasked with singing this one, and once it was over he exited the stage leaving us with the 4 members of TAUK with Jake and Andy for the rest of the set.
Next TAUKing McGee tackled the Jimi Hendrix tune Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) which none of the members sang, but TAUK guitarist Matt Jalbert played the “singing” lines on his guitar. Both he and Cinninger traded solos back and forth as they shredded peoples faces off. David Bowie’s Fame, sung by Jake Cinninger, took the spotlight for the night. The band was able to stretch Fame out past the 10 minute mark and really nail the jam.
At this point in the show the clock struck midnight and it was officially TAUK’s drummer Isaac Teel’s birthday. He stepped right up to the plate and sang Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer. Jake Cinninger took the band through Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Couldn’t Stand the Weather. The set ended with Isaac Teel singing Stevie Wonder’s Superstition which provided a funky end to the incredible roll of covers.
Everyone do yourself a favor and anytime these guys do this GET YOURSELF TO A SHOW. The energy is out of control, the musicianship is amazing, and each member is smiling ear to ear each and every song. These are the kind of shows we dream of! The band encored with Jimi Hendrix’s Fire, which Isaac Teel sang, and The Beatles I Want You (She’s So Heavy), which was sang by Joel and Jake of Umphrey’s to end out an EPIC 420 Fest weekend.
- Setlist
- Friction
- Realize
- Voices Inside (Donny Hathaway)
- Piranhas (Umphrey’s McGee)
- Time (Pink Floyd)
- Voodoo Chile (Jimi Hendrix)
- Fame (David Bowie)
- Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel)
- Couldn’t Stand the Weather (Stevie Ray Vaughn)
- Superstition (Stevie Wonder)
- Encore – Fire (Jimi Hendrix)
- Encore – I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (The Beatles)