Notoriously known for playing indefinable, uncategorizable music, local legends the String Cheese Incident will celebrate their 50th show at Red Rocks this weekend. With a stronghold on the mid-July weekend each summer, the beloved jam band is returning to the hometown venue for their annual three-night run — but this time with some big milestones to rock out about. On top of playing their 50th show at Red Rocks, the group is celebrating 30 years of playing music together and the upcoming release of their first album in over six years. Between this trifecta of achievements and the heatwave of a forecast, we’re predicting three hot-fire shows this Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
We gathered some tidbits from keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth about all things String Cheese Incident — this weekend, this year and beyond. The 50th show, which officially falls on Saturday, hits a record that has only been snagged once before by Widespread Panic. “I believe we are planning a golden ticket party for Saturday,” said Hollingsworth, which means fans are encouraged to wear gold to commemorate.
The three-night run also boasts the “John Fogerty Incident” on Friday and two pretty diverse and equally epic opening bands for Saturday and Sunday, the Kitchen Dwellers and Thievery Corporation. Friday will see one full-set collaboration with the rock icon, performing music from both the String Cheese Incident and Fogerty. “The Kitchen Dwellers are always a treat and I’ve been a fan of Thievery Corporation for a long time,” Hollingsworth said about Saturday and Sunday’s shows.
Fans in attendance will also be treated to a live debut from the upcoming album, Lend Me A Hand, which officially releases in September. Fans can expect a performance of the first single off of the album, “One More Time,” mixed in with “some deep cuts from the past,” according to Hollingsworth. The album is a cumulation of String Cheese Incident’s past, present and future — a combination of the old and the new. “In some ways, I feel like we brought the music back home to its origins,” Hollingsworth said of the album, which is expected to be more on the acoustic side and a bit more singer, songwriter and vocally-forward. “That being said, the live performances are still going to be electrifying and exciting.”
Both Lend Me A Hand and this weekend’s shows will undoubtedly showcase the progression of and the beauty behind the great and decades-long relationship that is the String Cheese Incident. “It takes a lot of determination and communication to still play music together,” Hollingsworth humbly reflected. “Just like any long relationship, it has its ups and downs, but I’m super proud of what we’ve done and the joy we bring the audience.”
In some way, it’s like this weekend is a musical renewing and a spiritual reawakening of the band, and we’re certainly looking forward to shows number 49, 50 and 51. “Red Rocks always brings out the best in Cheese,” Hollingsworth said, and we couldn’t agree more.
Listen to the String Cheese Incident’s newest single, “One More Time,” on Spotify here.