Ravinia 2026 Issue 3

HUNTERPAVILION 6:30 PM SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 , 2026 moe.mentUM Tour moe. † and UMPHREY’S McGEE † Ravinia debut UMPHREY’SMCGEE Chicago’s eclectic rock band Umphrey’s McGee has been keeping fans on their toes for nearly years. ough o en pigeonholed into “jam band” circles, Umphrey’s doesn’t t that tradi- tional mold, and their fans don’t either. Is it prog rock? Song-forward, Beatles-esque arrange- ments? Be careful, they’ve got mid-set metal ri s, too. Pushing , live gigs and mil- lion+ tracks streamed, the band’s landmark mo- ments include their performance at the rst-ev- er Bonnaroo and selling more CDs than any other act on the bill. A leader in the live music world, Umphrey’s McGee became the rst group to launch its own single-artist streaming service with UMLive.net, which houses recordings of every show since . e service has since grown and now lives on through Nugs.net, used by the likes of Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Beyond intimate backstage encounters and ski trips with their most diehard fans, Umphrey’s McGee instituted the groundbreaking “Headphones & Snowcones” program, granting fans access to professional headphones and a soundboard-quality mix to listen wirelessly at shows. At their UMBowl, they empowered the audience to vote on the setlist in real-time and choose favorite improv themes via text message. In , they stepped into another realm altogeth- er by integrating themselves into VR platforms and video. Such innovations have earned the band status as kings of the live music scene, with standing annual engagements at iconic venues, their own events in Morocco (Morockshow), Iceland (Rockjavick) and Dominican Republic and Mexico (Holi- daze), and co-hosting Chillicothe, IL’s long-running Summer Camp festival. Following ’s Asking For a Friend , which showcased more evolved songwriting and thoughtful arranging, the band released the Out of Focus EP in July and their full-length Blueprints album in September . e new material draws from deep fan engagement, with compositions born from live “Raw Stewage” segments voted on by the UM faithful. ese songs were recorded live during their exclusive Top Note Sessions at Chicago’s Metro, fusing the raw energy of improvisation with studio-quality delity. Umphrey’s McGee rst played Ravinia in and . RAVINIA’S WINTRUST CHAIR&TABLE RENTAL PICK UP AT THE GREEN TENT NORTH OF THE MARTIN THEATRE $15 PER CHAIR OR TABLE Rent a table and chairs & help support our Reach Teach Play education programs. Reserve in advance for a discount and guaranteed availability! Order as Add-On Items with your tickets or separately. RAVINIAMAGAZINE • AUGUST 3 – AUGUST 16 , 2026 96 ABBYFOX(UMPHREY’SMCGEE)