6. Roots run deep
There is something of a steel spine in the String Cheese Incident. They have had years of playing over 200 shows, years of playing no shows, and now seem to be figuring out a happy medium that includes new babies and raising families. There is a rabid desire from fans to see more shows, and one would think this would have to be somewhat lucrative for the band.
Everybody has their side projects (which are all excellent) and mediums for the individual band members to explore their identity. Now when they get together, there is a feeling of excitement about incorporating these newly developed skills and figuring out how they work in the “String Cheese soup.” All the while, it feels like the band could, on a dime, be back busking underneath a ski lift in Telluride, hoping to make enough money for a ski pass, a bowl of soup, and a shot of fine tequila.
SCI frequently plays music with legendary roots musicians such as Del McCoury, Sam Bush, and Peter Rowan. There is always a sense of mutual respect when these artists join the band, and they are always happy to get in front of a younger audience who tends to be more knowledgeable than most.
SCI themselves are pioneer roots musicians in a way. The fusion of Burning Man Electronic Dance Music with Doc Watson sensibilities put them at the forefront of the genre. They seem to be chugging along right now, and one gets the sense there’ll be plenty of time for their soup to cook.
7. Michael Kang
Kang. Sound familiar, non-music fan? Maybe because that’s a character on The Simpsons who pops up every once in a while… and yes… the character is reportedly influenced by Michael Kang. Another example of how dedicated these fans are. Michael is one of the main reasons SCI has popped its head up in mainstream consciousness. He really is a fascinating musician to observe. He somehow combines power with beauty and funk; brooding with consciousness and virtuosity all at the same time. He is somehow exotic and mysterious while being welcoming with his energy on stage. The sound of his electric mandolin is lethal. The first time I heard it, I was baffled as to what kind of instrument it was. I even went as far as to play on one of his old instruments for a brief period of time. The tautness of the mandolin sound combined with the drive of an electric guitar creates a sound that both pierces and envelops at the same time. That sound has become signature for this band. When Kang is in full rip-monster mode and the band is driving behind him, one feels that no castle walls could hold them out. Sir Michael often leads the way and perhaps in no more powerful way then when he wields his violin bow like a dharmic knight. Mike is a great fiddle player. A childhood as a classical violin virtuoso combined with a curious and open musical pallet makes him sound somewhere in between Darol Anger, John Luc Ponty, and Vassar Clements.
Kang, to me, is the Alex Grey of the jam band scene. His playing is very fluid and informed by nature and psychedelic adventure. This father of two still brings sexy to the band, which I expect will be his responsibility for a long time, looking around at the other guys he plays music with onstage….just kidding!
8. Kyle Hollingsworth
I have a friend who goes to String Cheese shows just to stand in front of Kyle the whole time. I’m guessing she is standing next to about fifty other people who are doing exactly the same thing, female and male. Talent aside, Kyle is worth watching simply for his flamboyant costumes, from cows to green furry pants. His fans insist that he is an alien, and he seems flattered by the notion, although his costuming recently is trending toward cats and “cat pawtys.” Kyle is a fascinating musician. He truly hears and conceives what he plays and that is apparent in the way that he mouths each note that he keys. To me, Kyle possesses by far the best harmonic language in the band, and his solos are often sonic murals that he paints on the spot like Scramble Campbell (somebody who you absolutely need to check out if you had not yet done so).
Kyle can lead a jam through dynamic lows and highs because of the uncanny ability with his left hand to either play a sustained tone or propel things forward with a ragtime rhythm bathed in Cuban salsa. He makes the other band member’s solos soar much higher because of the way he can masterfully play a supporting role. Sometimes I forget that he is a songwriter in the band because it seems like he reluctantly steps out to sing his great tunes. Makes me wonder if his elementary school drama teacher had to push him on stage to recite his lines in the school play.
Kyle loves to surround himself with musicians who push his limits. One needs to look no further than the Colorado-based band The Motet, who has a veritable beast on every instrument. If you’re looking for something new to listen to, find a show where Kyle sits in with them and make sure to bring your funky dancing boots. Kyle has sat in with Hot Buttered Rum on a few occasions, and we consider him an honorary member. He would always come incredibly well prepared, which was great because it allowed us to just get to music and learn how to jam together, which was very easy. I can’t wait to see what he does next and you can find me parked amongst the masses in front of his mighty keyboard.
9. Michael Travis and Jason Hann, aka Drums
This is the dynamic duo of the band. You get the feeling these two guys can combine to create thunder, lightning bolts, and rain out of a cloudless day. They are true modern-day medicine road warriors with the stamina of legend. I know how tiring it is to play five nights in a row. That being said, I do not play the drums. These guys will play up to seven days in a row if not more with their super duo EOTO.
EOTO is probably the most successful side project of any in the band, and they frequently sellout large theaters and headline mid-sized festivals. They understand live electronica and have found a way to connect with a young fan base that is steeping over into String Cheese world. When I first saw SCI and it was only Michael Travis at the helm, he did way more than an adequate job. He had long flowing hair at that time, and as he turned his neck metronomically (as he still does) his mane would fly in the wind. He looked like a combination of Fabio and Mick Taylor from Fleetwood Mac. He had tremendous strength in his snare playing and new sections of songs were always punctuated beautifully.
His feats of strength are lore. “Hey, who’s that parachuting into the show? Oh that’s Michael.” I remember one time at Horning’s Hideout in Oregon, when Michael Travis and Kang rode in on motorcycles late into sound check. They were riding in between gigs and taking in the countryside and living dangerously. So badass!
Jason Hann falls into one of those nicest-guy categories. He is so unassuming and is able to sneak right past you to get up on stage and leave it like an astroid hit. His strength is phenomenal. There always seems to be another gear with this guy and his role in SCI seems to be master colorist. When he first joined the band, I was so curious who this person was that the band felt could take them to the next level. Backstage, he always had headphones on to do his homework and learn the vast String Cheese canon. It was important for him to come in and enhance rather than steal the spotlight, and that is just what he has managed to do. Now I can’t imagine what they’d sound like without him, and that’s just fine.
10. Patience
In my opinion, for a band to have a truly interesting story, it either needs to be short and tragic or long, windy, and triumphant!
String Cheese, as I mentioned before, built its fan base through relentless touring. The fact that the middle of their career involved a hiatus and limited amounts of shows speaks to some sort of need for a psychological breather in order to rely on long-term life. In no way does the band sound to me like it is a tribute act of itself. I always feel like they are driven to improve and are genuinely grateful for the opportunity to explore their capabilities in front of the most willing of audiences. Their fans have aged with them and brought their children along, and the scene is exploding with new, young fans, which allows for a lot of intergenerational dancing at shows. There is a feeling of a mended heart in their music these days, a feeling of reconciliation and camaraderie. This is combined with a bit of a chip on their shoulder to prove they are worthy of their lofty status. Why wouldn’t you want to do something like that for years and years?
Because after all let’s face it, it’s a hell of a day job.
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