String Cheese Incident: Oct 31 Cox pavilion Las Vegas, NV

What is it about Vegas that brings such a unique energy and freakiness to individuals who are hell bent on drinking themselves into a stupor and spending all those hard earned dollars? It could be the buffets that always sound a lot better on the way in than the way out; it could be the endless sex appeal that seeps onto the streets. There are so many factors that roll into the excitement that is Las Vegas, but on this specific weekend it was something much more unique and powerful. 5 musicians, the most talented crew and 3 thousand loyal fans made the trek from all over this fine country of ours to join together for the long awaited “FREAK-IN CONVENTION”. String Cheese Incident and Peak experiences have taken the normal live music setting and have launched above and beyond any other act that has ever played. Allowing every person to take part in some way, every head at the show can’t help but feel a part of something very special. Something that for 3 or more hours allows you to forget about whatever issues a wait you back in the real world. They can get inside you and tweak around until you literally are pouring over with such energy, such hope. This rings true at every Incident that ever occurs but there is something about a Halloween show with these people. They do it like no other can., and in my personal opinion.. No one ever will come close.

    Not even the four hour drive could keep us down as we trekked across the I15 trying not to think about what was in store for us all over the next 2 days. A Freaker by the speaker dance contest....could it be that the one and only Keller Williams could show up on the stage with the rest of the boys... Keller is about as good as it gets for this young writer and the mere thought of that made me fidget with anticipation. Would Kang throw it down on the fiddle that just seems to speak directly to my booty... will Keith’s bass be so intense it rattles the rafters as it did in San Francisco this past New Years. What crazy shit will Billy be doing? It almost doesn’t even occur to you that there is a whole city of sin awaiting us... we are focused on one thing, and one thing only... dancing our asses off and truly feeling the joy that is live music made by the String Cheese Incident.

  After drinking the better half of a bottle of Jagermeister (something I would not suggest to my worst enemy) we were on our way from the La Quinta to the Cox pavilion anticipating just how freaky this Halloween could get. In hind sight… pretty damn freaky indeed. With a little help from some good friends we made our way into the venue in time to find a bit of space right smack dab in the middle of the floor. As more and more people start to fill in the lights went down and the boys took the stage. I didn’t know what to expect as far as costumes went as last year I was very amused as they took the stage all as shriners at the Shrine in Los Angeles. All I know was they looked freaky and they all 5 were standing center stage with Travis announcing the night’s festivities and going into the night starter... Freakin at the Freakers Ball... which would not have been made complete without Kang fiddling away and Kyle laying it on with that accordion. It was old western ghost town meets bluegrass with a big chunk of freak laid on heavy. Heavy enough for this writer to need to find appropriate dance space a bit further off to the side. As a side note... I like my dance space.  From that opener they jumped right into in my opinion the sickest Mrs. Browns Teahouse I think I have ever heard. I have labeled Cheese’s music before as “Shiny Liquid” and this particular song reassures me that it is exactly that. It just flows. I could not help but shut my eyes and feel like we are all being brewed up straight from the band to all in attendance... this night was going to get nasty and they were letting us know the best way they knew how... Playing the notes like they came straight from hell...bubbling up grabbing you by the balls and not letting go. Close your Eyes followed and kept it right on pace till that fiddle resurfaced for a sick ass Mouna Bowa... but it was Sirens... off of their new album that stood out to me... while it has such a dark undertone to it, the chorus really stands out and shows that they are still cranking out the goods. Plus Keith’s voice just gets better and better... in my opinion he is the best voice in the band... but what’s even more is straight from that they jumped right into White Freightliner Blues. I love the spacey jams and the funk that they bring... but something about bluegrass... it pulls at me. True the songs are shorter, but they pack a punch and they get the room going. Come as you are had to be the jam of the 1^st set and is always the shit... but it was when Liza Oxnard came out to do a cover of Le Freak that I realized that this night had just begun. The first set was in no means short but it was over before I knew what had happened... Possibly in thanks to that cursed green bottle that started the night.

          What can I say about second set... after a break on the smoking patio... and partaking in the festivities we made our way in not even so much as thinking about what special things were about to happen. As the lights went out only one silhouette made its way onto stage with a big ass djiembe... If I had been holding a drink… I would have dropped it... it was none other than the K whopper dressed up in a huge afro putting down the beat for Ani DeFranco’s Freakshow.. And that said it all “It’s just another Freak show... Here we go” it felt like the whole places energy just got turned up to eleven and there was no stopping... Keller disappeared before anyone could understand what the hell was happening and next thing you knew Kyle was smacking the most cryptic of keys to launch into the Beatles “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” the groove fit in perfectly with the Halloween vibe and it was weaving allover the place... these boys were getting after it and everyone knew.. Especially when Keller and Liza came back to do Nelly’s Its getting hot in here. First off... Liza looked hot! And Keller plain and simple is probably the only person that can get after a rap like that and make it sound that good. Possibly Ben Chambers from Tea Leaf Green... but that is up in the air. As NO one can touch on what Keller does regardless if it is his song or someone else. War pigs followed with Liza blaring it out that you almost wished Ozzy used her on the original. Did I mention she looked hot? The following was the jam of jams... AS I truly believe in my heart that Pink Floyd is the most important band in music history… the lay down of Money was beyond any words. I was pleased when they played Breathe back on New Years. But this jam just had it all... so tight and the segue way into Keller’s Breathe was even better... as this happened, the K whopper resurfaced just in time to go into the very appropriate Freaker By the Speaker... The sound was seeping into every crevice in the room and even into the people cracks… if you weren’t dancing before they started into this one, I am positive you were when it was going. I was out of my mind by the time it was over and truly felt as if the music had made me feel like I was tripping. I was so intent with the set ender and the fact that Keller was in the building. I thought that was it... I thought it was time to go home and talk for hours what I had just witnessed. Luckily, by the convincing of a particularly cute little blond who took my hand and wouldn’t let go I stayed... for what would end up being the best set of the night. Man do I owe her.

  Third set I was thinking to myself where did the bluegrass go?? No sooner had I asked then Rivertrance was shoved right under my nose and once again eyes closed and feet moving without me even telling them to. I was in the trance and loving every second of it. What is it about Kang when he starts playing that fiddle? Don’t get me wrong I love him picking on the mandolin... but it seems to go off the scales when he pumps out on that thing. He almost looks like a little midget that sold his soul to the devil to be able to master an instrument that is not used hardly enough in my opinion... but what do I know. I have owned a guitar for over 8 years now and all I can say is that I can play a really mean A to a G. from River trance they jumped right into Looking Glass... another new one that Billy owned. I have heard mixed things about the new album... but I must say that I loved every bit I heard... but above all of them for me Sirens was the one... at least until night two where Valley of the Jig.. But that comes way later and I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Now I don’t think I have mentioned the whole cover song thing... I find that a lot of people are not into cover songs. I think they are great. There are some great songs out there that play huge roles in your life and to be able to here your favorite band put their own spin on them is such a great sound and feeling. It can really take you back to that space and time that made you love that song to begin with. When I heard Billy start on Dark Hollow by the Grateful Dead, I truly couldn’t believe my ears. I love that song... and it was this song of the Dead’s album Reckoning that made me truly find a passion for the acoustic sound. It was the song of the weekend that truly pulled at my heart and brought me back to a long time ago. I even got a little choked up. It was my song for the night. Dirk followed and is always a great song... Kyle has got to be the best keyboardist out there... every time I see the Cheese they all rock it but there is something about the way he plays those keys. And play them he did. Right into much needed Desert Dawn. I can not say enough how much I have come to love this song. While I love the fact that they all sing in the band. Something tends to rub me the wrong way when Kang sings. Not to say that I don’t like it or him, I do very much. I love the whole band... but give me Keith, Billy and Kyle any day over Kang... he just seems to give it that diva sound going up and down with his voice... But Desert Dawn... I never get tired of it. I just really enjoy that song... especially when it lands right on top of the Shantytown that ended the kick ass 3^rd set. So there I am... and I’m thinking to myself... how are they going to end this all? It was everything that it could have been... very freaky. Musically superb... vibes circulating were unparallel. Just flat out one of the best shows I had ever seen. Ever. So I did not even act shocked when Lester made his way on stage to give a perfectly delivered poem ending in “ Tonight, Everybody wins” just as this last line rang out and everyone gave a huge hoot in appreciation.. I saw my man making his way on for one more... Maybe a Best Feeling? No. What in the hell are they going to play with Keller... just as these thoughts crossed my mind... Take the Money and Run came blaring out and it sounded 20 times better than Steve Miller ever played it... That I know for sure. I was dancing like it was the first song of the night and before I knew it, lights were back on, pupils were huge and everyone was beat. And the best thing was, we still had one more night of all this.  So I bowed out early walked back to the room and continued the battle with that cursed green bottle... and ultimately I lost. But that is all said and done... I had one more night to redeem myself. But all in all I will say this... Halloween with Cheese is the only way to go, and from now on I will be in their hands every Halloween from till I am dead. Period.