Sound check: Two shows with Toad the Wet Sprocket

All I want

Toad the Wet Sprocket was a literal cornerstone to the soundtrack of my college experience, from the band's inclusion in TV shows and cult flicks "So I Married an Axe Murderer" and "Empire Records" to radio-friendly hits "All I Want," "Fall Down" and "Walk on the Ocean." The band's use of mandolin inspired its twist on the burgeoning alternative sound, and Glen Phillips' vocal take on loves lost, friendships found and spirituality pondered solidified Toad's often low-key but solid place in '90s pop culture. "I Will Not Take These Things for Granted" still gives me a chill when I hear it. The band celebrates the 20-year anniversary of the release of "Coil," its fifth studio album, with two area shows: Friday, July 14, at the Vic Theatre with indie rockers Beta Play; and Saturday, July 15, with The Verve Pipe at Vernon Hills Summer Celebration.

• 8 p.m. Friday, July 14, at the Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield, Chicago. $40-$115. (773) 472-0449 or victheatre.com.

• 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Century Park, 1001 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills. Visit summercel.com for more information.

Rock for Rizzo

Catch some of your favorite local bands when they team up to benefit a great local cause. Mishandled, Ship Captain Crew, Northsiders, Chasing Chimera and Aiming for Average join Ohio pop-punk band Settle Your Scores for a great night of music at Palatine's Lamplighter Inn to raise funds for the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, which helps fund cancer research and aims to provide support to children battling the disease and their families. Lamplighter Inn, 60 N. Bothwell St., Palatine. $10. (847) 991-2420 or lamplighters.com. 5 p.m. Saturday, July 15

Round two wrap-up

Round two of Side Street Studio Arts' Battle of the Bands continues Saturday, featuring Phantoms & Pestilence, Sloth Hands, Mt. Pocono and El Socko. Catch some great local music and vote on who gets to move to the next round. At Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, Elgin. $5 suggested donation. (847) 429-2276 or sidestreetstudioarts.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, June 10

Festival fix

Chicago Open Air: Friday through Sunday, July 14-16, at Toyota Park, 7000 Harlem Ave., Bridgeview; chicagoopenair.com.

Pitchfork Music Festival: Friday through Sunday, July 14-16, at Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St., Chicago; pitchforkmusicfestival.com.

Shuffled tracks

• "Blame Game," from Revolt Coda's 2016 EP "Extremities" (on iTunes, Spotify)

• "I Would Do Anything," a new single release by David Paige (on iTunes, Spotify)

• "The Parade," the recently released single from south-suburban metal rockers Fools' Brew (on iTunes, Spotify)

• "Brother," from Toad the Wet Sprocket's "In Light Syrup" album and the "So I Married an Axe Murderer" soundtrack (on iTunes, Spotify)

Concert highlights

• Phish: 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday, July 14-16, at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, 1300 S. Linn White Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $50; 3-day packages are available. (312) 540-2668 or phishconcerts.com.

• That Dude Fraze, Bambi Raptor, OntheOffChance, LED Pig, Neon Creek: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 14, at Cubby Bear, 1059 W. Addison St., Chicago. $7-$10. (773) 327-1662 or cubbybear.com.

• Chelusier, Over the Sun, Foreign Sunsets, Neuhaus: 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 14, at Mutiny, 2428 N. Western Ave., Chicago. Free. (773) 486-7774 or themutinychicago.com.

• Catfish & the Dogstars, The Bank Notes: 9 p.m. Friday, July 14, at Q Bar Darien, 8109 Cass Ave., Darien. $5. (630) 241-0970 or qbardarien.com.

• Ages and Ages, The Diving Bell, Milzen: 9 p.m. Friday, July 14, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $12. (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.

• Squid Pro Quo, The Civil Engineers, Invisible Cartoons: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Reggies, 2109 S. State St., Chicago. $10. (312) 949-0120 or reggieslive.com.

• Secret Colours, Yoko and The Oh No's, Soft Candy: 9 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com.

• Rebel Soul Revival (album release): 10 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at The House Pub, 16 South Riverside Drive, St. Charles. $5. (630) 945-3479 or thehousepub.com.

• Afterlife featuring DJ Goodsex, Starvin Cat, Nikho, Richie Olivo and more: 10 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Annex Nightclub, 1958 W. North Ave., Chicago. Free. 1958 W. North Ave., Chicago. (630) 291-5986 or afterlifechi.com.

• Squirrel Nut Zippers: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $40-$55. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.com.

• Jennifer Hall (Famous Fido Dog Rescue Fundraiser): 5 p.m. doors, music at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, at Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 537-4440 or chopshopchi.com.

• The Rewrites, Them Dead Poets, The Remedies: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $8-$10. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.

• 3TEETH, Project .44, W.O.R.M., Grainshifter: 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Reggies, 2109 S. State St., Chicago. $15. (312) 949-0120 or reggieslive.com.

• Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor. He may not be a musician, but he plays one in Guitar Hero. You can follow him on Twitter at @BShamieDH.