Music notes: Ravinia jams along with Umphrey's McGee

Posted August 11, 2015 6:00 am

Brian Shamie

<h3 class="briefHead">Umphrey's jams at Ravinia</h3>

In its nearly 18 years performing, Umphrey's McGee started out as a South Bend, Indiana, jam band and has grown into one of the Chicago-area's premier progressive rock establishments. The band - Brendan Bayliss, Jake Cinninnger, Joel Cummins, Andy Farag, Ryan Stasik and Palatine native Kris Myers - has gained a huge following with its genre-jumping improvisational stylings, and Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, is just the place to accommodate it, along with the more organic nature of the band's music. Lawn seats are $25 ($30 the day of the performance), reserved seats are $45, and VIP packages are also available; (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org. 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14

<h3 class="briefHead">Bands, beers and ... bosons?</h3>

Chicago rock band I Fight Dragons is teaming up with Strange Bedfellows Theater and Dark Sage Brewery for The Final Frontbeer benefit bash at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The Dragons gang - who wrote the theme song "Rewind" for TV's "The Goldbergs" - has worked with the brewery to create two custom craft beers to be sampled at the event, and raffles and door prizes will be given away throughout the night. Chicago punk rockers Diagon Alley and Doctor Who-inspired Time Crash also jump in on the wibbly wobbly timey wimey fun. Funds raised will go to producing playwright K. Frithjof Peterson's newest adventure "Bosons," so if hearing good music or tasting new beer isn't enough of a draw, you'll also be supporting the arts. $15 in advance, $20 at the door; (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com. 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14

<h3 class="briefHead">Gimme that Giving Tree</h3>

The Giving Tree Band, hailing from Yorkville, brings its Grateful Dead-inspired folk jam to Veggie Fest 2015, a two-day celebration of the vegetarian food and lifestyle on the grounds of Benedictine University, 5700 College Road, Lisle. GTB harnesses strains of soul and classic rock, filtered through new-school Americana folk, for a catalog of originals and old favorites that earned them slots playing with the likes of Joe Purdy and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. Free admission; (630) 955-1200 or veggiefestchicago.org or thegivingtreeband.com. The Giving Tree Band plays from noon to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15

Chicago rock band I Fight Dragons brings geek chic to a benefit show at Martyrs' Friday, Aug. 14.

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