Photo Credit: Dino Perrucci

On Friday, June 15, the 50th edition of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival kicked off in Telluride, Colo. The first day boasted a set from Chris Thile, who opened up the main stage with a stretch of music until his slot was filled by ensuing performances from fellow acts such as Bella While, Long Jon, Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy, Charlies Wesley Godwin, Del McCoury Band and Béla Fleck & The Flecktones. To follow, The String Cheese Incident closed the night with an hour-and-a-half-long frame of music and guest appearances by bluegrass mainstays Sam Bush and Del McCoury, who showed up separately and assisted their hosts on choice numbers. 

After a joyful welcome from the audience, The String Cheese Incident started the night with “Dudley’s Kitchen.” From jamming through the high-energy starter, the group pulled out “Restless Wind,” hitting the marks as they worked through the second song of their festival frame. After digging into their repertoire and presenting the crowd with a pair of pre-2000s tunes, they cascaded through time and landed on “Lend Me a Hand.” For the next part of the show, the billed players welcomed McCoury, who joined his hosts on the Hank Williams-scribed “I Saw The Light.” 

The band returned to their archive, melding “Missin’ Me” with “Hi Ho No Show.” Next, they picked up a cover of Keller Williams’ “Best Feeling.” To follow a run-through of “Big Reveal,” The String Cheese Incident welcomed another guest, Bush, who assisted his hosts on two numbers, ultimately concluding their Friday night Telluride Bluegrass Festival frame. The ensemble played through “Reach” before closing out their set with a nod toward their home state and concert location with “Colorado Blue Sky.”

Scroll down to view the setlist from The String Cheese Incident’s Friday night appearance at Telluride Bluegrass Festival. 

The String Cheese Incident

Telluride Bluegrass Festival – Telluride, Colo.

June 15, 2023 

Set: Dudley’s Kitchen, Restless Wind, Lend Me a Hand, I Saw The Light*, Missin’ Me > Hi Ho No Show, Best Feeling > The Big Reveal, Reach^, Colorado Bluebird Sky^

Note: 

* With Del McCoury 

^ With Sam Bush