Eco-friendly band shoots ’em up with Johnny Depp
Chicago’s the Giving Tree Band, a group of “eco-conscious songwriters and multi-instrumentalists,” just got an interesting gig: They’re filming a part in the new Johnny Depp movie currently shooting around town.
The band landed an interview with the production company behind “Public Enemy,” a John Dillinger biopic starring Depp. The band’s old-timey look, plus a song that mentions Dillinger, secured them a chance to film part of a scene involving a theater performance for possible inclusion in the film.
The Giving Tree Band pushes an environmental consciousness in their songwriting as well as their activity. The band’s mission states: “The environmentally ‘sound’ decisions of the band include performing with instruments that were built from naturally fallen trees and reclaimed woods, producing music with renewable energy, packaging CD's with 100-percent recycled materials, and supporting numerous charities and eco-friendly organizations with their concerts and recordings.”
The group’s latest album is a double-CD, “Unified Folk Theory.”
See them live on May 2 at the Around The Coyote Festival at Looptopia (Fine Arts Building 410 S. Michigan, www.aroundthecoyote.org) and May 18 at the Chicago Green Festival at Navy Pier.