It’s no secret that Bend loves its jam bands. Whether it’s a gang of local buds noodling in the corner of a bar or Phish at the amphitheater, many music fans in this town will flock to the sound of a nine-minute guitar jam if given the chance.

They’re given the chance often ‘round here, and this week is no different, as three high-profile, jam-friendly jammers will fill three different Bend venues on three different nights. Here’s who’s playing when and where:

On Thursday night, the improv-minded Midwestern jam-rock band Umphrey’s McGee will return to Bend as part of their big 25th anniversary tour. Originally formed among students at the University of Notre Dame, UM spent the past quarter of a century fusing rock, funk, blues, jazz, bluegrass and electronic music and evolving into one of the biggest jam bands on the circuit.

Umphrey’s McGee’s most prominent strength is in its vocal melodies and harmonies, but what sets the band apart from many — not all, but many — of their contemporaries, is their attention to rhythmic detail and their use of synthesizers. These two elements give UM’s grooves momentum and texture, and as a result, it feels like their jams are going somewhere. You can hear examples of this all over their most recent album, 2022’s “Asking For a Friend.”

Umphrey’s McGee: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, doors open 7 p.m., $30, Midtown Ballroom, 51 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend, midtownballroom.com.

Twiddle

While Umphrey’s McGee is touring to celebrate its silver anniversary, Twiddle will come to Bend Friday night to say farewell — for now, at least.

The popular Vermont jam band announced late last year that its current tour would be its last before an “indefinite hiatus starting in 2024 after 18 years” on the road. “I believe that change is necessary for creative growth and proper reflection,” wrote frontman Mihali Savoulidis.

He’s right about that, and best wishes to Savoulidis and his bandmates. But first, we get what will surely be an ecstatic evening of Twiddle’s ultra-approachable rock ‘n’ roll, which is flavored with funk, jazz, reggae and more. Check out the 2022 album “Every Last Leaf” to hear why Twiddle blew up and why the sky was the limit for them. And hey, maybe it still is someday.

Twiddle, with Eggy: 9 p.m. Friday, doors open 8:30 p.m., $25 advance, $30 at the door, Domino Room, 51 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend, parallel44presents.com.

Hiss Golden Messenger

Here’s an interesting treat: A ticketed concert at McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend, which has long been one of the most reliable spots in town for free live music.

Even better, that ticket will get you in to see a special solo performance on Wednesday, March 8, by Hiss Golden Messenger, aka North Carolina singer-songwriter MC Taylor, purveyor of a seriously soulful brand of Southern folk-rock music.

Listening to Taylor’s music and watching him perform can feel like a spiritual experience. In a review of his 2017 album “Hallelujah Anyhow,” I wrote this: “(MC Taylor writes songs) that aren’t just earthy, they’re intrinsically of the earth. His music sounds harvested, not produced by man and man-made things. It feels deeply rooted, like that big old proud tree that towers over beautiful backyards in the South.”

To be clear, Hiss Golden Messenger is not a jam-band act like Umphrey’s and Twiddle. But the man is a no-doubt-about-it Dead fan, and he is not afraid to drop into some extended grooves live. He may not do that at his Bend show, where he is playing without a band … but who knows? Maybe he will. The mighty jam is hard to resist.

Hiss Golden Messenger: 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, doors open 7 p.m. SOLD OUT. McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 NW Bond Street, Bend, mcmenamins.com.