Frank Seanez  (9/1/2004 4:25:29 PM)

Set One

Search - Worldbeat. Studio release - Outside Inside (2001). Billysung. Kang’s sweet fiddle break distinguishes this version. One minor quibble, following the 7/16/04, Kang seems reluctant to go up the fingerboard to reach for the natural peak note in the riff, which somewhat blunts the bite of the break. Nonetheless, an excellent opener.

Pirates - Latin instrumental. Live studio release - A String Cheese Incident (1997). Kyle Hollingsworth and his String Cheese Incident. Once semi-retired, this excellent instrumental is highlit by a cascading jam reminiscent of Help on the Way.

Black Clouds - Bluegrass. Live studio release - Born on the Wrong Planet (1996). Keithsung. This is the best ever vocal String Cheese Incident song, and Billy Nershi’s most excellent Gritty Ditty. Often touted as the world’s cheeriest breakup song, it features solid acoustic guitar work by Billy and is plays perfectly to Keith’s vocal strengths. This version is graced by a agile Kang mando solo that empties into electric piano/synth meander into which Billy’s Martin is gradually insinuated. Billy picks up the pace and is joined by Kyle on B-3, building the tempo back up to its initial ecstatic clogging on meth pace. Kang then takes over with a soaring and sparkling mando solo, into the final verse, restatement of theme and nailed dismount.

Who Am I? - Ballad. Studio release - Untying the Not (2003). Kylewritten and sung. The song lyrically continues Kyle’s exploration of his relationship with his father, themes of family, and the nature of immortality. This version features some tasty slidework by Billy, in addition to Kyle’s able piano stylings.

Pick Up the Pieces - Discofunk. This effective cover of the Average White Band’s 1975 hit features Kyle’s best of that 70s show synthwork. IMHO - Kyle takes those 70s synthesizer sounds and brings them back in the 21st Century with the vitality and agility that many keyboardists of that era undoubtedly heard in their heads, but could not quite manage to exude through their fingertips.

Sirens - Rock. Studio release - Untying the Not (2003). Alternating between its golem-stepped intro/verse and Land Down Under chorus, this is the only Cheese song which features harmonica. Keithsung, written and blown. Lyrically the song juxtaposes the terror and dread brought on by the approach of the emergency siren, and the somewhat goofy release and blurted declaration of love, maybe not shared as often as he could have. Here, the nightmare siren persists into the opening of Howard.

Howard - Rock. No studio release. Often perceived as a Phish-like offering, Howard tells the story of a flying pig. Cowritten by Kang and Keller Williams, Howard features numerous tempo and thematic changes, including a cool Kyle synth jam, a Billy flamenco flava, and a number of giant children’s blocks stacked precariously by an unsteady gargantuan toddler and toppled. This version follows that somewhat cumbersome set piece with a very danceable techno jam.


Set Two

Group Hoot - Holler. No studio release. This number, now in semi-retirement, was once a standard sacrament for the physical, emotional and spiritual joining of the energies of the band and the audience.

Lands End - Psychedelic Sea Shanty Instrumental. Live studio release - A String Cheese Incident (1997). Simply put, the Holy Grail of String Cheese Incidents, this number has the same atomic number and capabilities of a Dark Star. This fine version is apparently self-contained, bearing a Glory Chords, but no restatement of the theme finish.

Friend of the Devil - Bluegrass ballad. Billysung. More of a bluegrass version than the slower version favored by the Grateful Dead for decades. Kyle’s piano work is somewhat more reminiscent of Brent Mydland or Bruce Hornsby’s lines than those of the Keith Godchaux. Billy’s guitar break reveals the fact that the Black Hairy Possum begat the Friend of the Devil. A special treat for the San Francisco FOCs.

Betray the Dark - Rock. Kangsung. New Cheese. This new number has a somewhat Allman Brothers feel to it and features some good B-3 work by Kyle. Though this half-formed song may someday grow into a bell-ringer, it needs a couple more turns on the wheel for seasoning. This version is augmented by the percussion and hip hop stylings of guest artist, Wes Carrol, leading into Rhum and Zouc.

Rhum and Zouc - Jazz instrumental. This cover of Jean Luc Ponty’s composition is a grate vehicle to showcase Kang as a violin virtuoso. This version also highlights the excellent chops of percussionist, Michael Travis, prior to the addition of Jason Hann.

Black and White - R&B. Studio release - Outside Inside (2001). Kangwritten and sung. This impressive song lyrically addresses issues of interracial and intercultural inclusion in a much more thoughtful and interesting manner than the prior efforts of both both Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. The chorus is very Motownesque, with Kang’s twinned scat/mando break a grate lead-in to the climactic rave up which is emblematic of the tune.

One Step Closer - Bluegrass ballad. New Cheese. Billy’s finest new Gritty Ditty. Lyrically explores the issues of separation and reunion with the singer’s beloved. Superior guitar and fiddle work. Billy’s vocals are very well suited to this song.

Bend Down Low - Reggae. This cover of Bob Marley’s classic tune is well served by Keith’s rocksteady vocals. The loping jam which follows leads into Desert Dawn.

Desert Dawn - Rock. No studio release in this universe, but in an alternative universe, made possible through the operation of String Theory, THIS song was the title cut of the String Cheese Incident 2003 studio release. A mighty fine version.

Encore


Little Hands - Ballad. Studio live release - A String Cheese Incident (1997). This excellent Billy Gritty Ditty is among the top four best Old School String Cheese Incident tunes. This particular version is Billysung with an exceptional piano/fiddle break and followed by a separate extended jam in which the discerning palate will detect traces of Rhapsody in Blue and Workin’ in a Coal Mine (which some might see as an honore to Bruce Hornsby, who is fond of placing that theme in the midst of his breaks).

How Mountain Girls Can Love - Bluegrass. This cover of the Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys classic is just showin’ off. Yes, the String Cheese Incident can still spank behind down the Bluegrass Highway in the second song of an encore of a rippin’ long Warfield show!!

   Mike  (7/30/2004 10:19:06 AM)

This was my first Incident and i couldn`t have been happier. Who Am I? came out of nowhere but it was so sweet to hear. Friend of the Devil made my night complete. I remember going absolutely nuts when i heard the first few notes of the song. I also met some really cool people that night, you know who you are! Thank you SCI and the people i met that night for making my first Incident one to remember for a long time!

Check out the Black Clouds jam! WOAH!!!!

   Garret Leutbecher  (7/23/2004 9:54:17 PM)

wow, amazing!!! i am in love with the music that sci creates.. this was my first ever concert, and boy will i remember it for the rest of my life, the beat box, the dance routine, all the little things that happened, added up to an even greater expierence.

for somone who was trying to figure out how to think for the first half of the show, by they time they had played "black and white", i had succeeded in the process of training my brain to function, (hee hee).. anyone who was at the concert knows that it was the most amazing thing, i mean it happened all to fast, i was sucked into the music, and felt like i was one with it. Thank you very much sci, i will be at every show you guys play around or near the bay! does anyone know the next time they will be here? i have been looking and it seems their tour ends next month, i am truely sad.. i am addicted to sci concerts,i can not stop thinking about how it and they changed my life forever.. a true believe, and we all know it
garret

   andy325@comcast.net  (7/23/2004 5:38:55 PM)

First night was incredible! This was my first time to San Francisco so this defintely left a lasting immpression. It was also the first time I had seen Cheese in what I like to refer to as a comfortable venue. I had only seen them at Bonnaroo before this so you can understand what I mean by comfortable. Vibe was awesome. I saw Modest Mouse at the Warfield a couple of days before and people were not moving half as much. FOTD was a real treat. Improvisional jams were crazy dark. See you @ JGBB!!

All the Best,
aNdy f