Photo by JV Productions via SCI’s Facebook page

The String Cheese Incident kicked off their three-show home turf run at  Denver, CO’s Mission Ballroom on Wednesday night. As they announced before the show, the performance featured Infamous Stringdusters’ Andy Hall (Dobro) and Chris Pandolfi (banjo) for most of the two-set offering, and  the musicians dug into the group’s acoustic and string-band roots. Keyboardist Kyle Hollingsowrth even played grand piano during the show. 

The Colorado-bred ensemble also used the occasion to debut a few new covers. During their first set, String Cheese ran through their first take on “Stealin’,” the jug band standard associated with the Memphis Jug Band and also performed by Jerry Garcia with both the Grateful Dead and David Grisman. Then, during their second set, String Cheese Incident debuted covers of Bill Emerson’s arrangement of “Home of the Red Fox” and Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” both of which are part of the Dusters repertoire. 

In addition, String Cheese unearthed a few deeper cuts throughout the night. During their first set, they busted out their take on New Riders of the Purple Sage’s “Glendale Train,” for the second time ever and first since January 19, 2015. Then, the group dusted off Hollingsworth’s “Elijah” for the first time since March 11, 2004 later in the same segment. Finally, during set two, String Cheese performed Don Reno’s “Long Gone” for the first time since March 8, 2017; before that, the tune had not been performed since 2012. 

String Cheese Incident will return to the Mission this evening.   Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic is slated to sit in. 

Here’s a look at Wednesday’s setlist via Friends of Cheese

Set I: Colorado Bluebird Sky, Up the Canyon, Glendale Train*, MLT, Stealin’*, Train Train, Birdland > Remington Ride > Birdland, BollyMunster, Elijah > This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) > White Freightliner

Set II: Rollover, The Road Home, Missin’ Me > Home of the Red Fox, Long Gone Close Your Eyes, American Girl, Jellyfish > I Know You Rider

E: Under African Skies > Lonesome Fiddle Blues