There are few bands more quintessentially Colorado than The String Cheese Incident. Formed deep in the Rocky Mountains by a group of ski bums with a few instruments, three decades later they’ve become an institution. SCI has spent their career blending genres and ushering jam music into a new era.

On a personal note, The String Cheese Incident was the first band I saw in Colorado—and the first band I caught at Red Rocks—so they hold a special place in my heart. My fandom goes back over twenty years. This time around, I was bringing my 15-year-old nephew to his first big concert away from home. As we scurried to our seats, Daniel Donato was already taking the stage. A light rain began to fall, even as the sun kept shining.

Cosmic Country appropriately opened the night with their now-classic original, “Sunshine in the Rain.” The drizzle continued, eventually producing a vibrant rainbow over the venue. There’s a smoothness to Donato’s delivery; the words roll off his tongue with a buttery Nashville drawl. “Sugar Leg Rag” into “Chore” made up the bulk of the set—and the bulk of the jams. Donato writes tight, digestible songs meant to move your feet. Tracks like “Blake the Train” and “Broadside Ballad” acted as energetic interludes. “Hangman’s Reel,” a chunky instrumental, served as a musical peak. They closed with a lively “Dance in the Desert” featuring Jason Hann on percussion.

Next time, expect Donato and Cosmic Country to headline Red Rocks on their own. With a new album Horizons due out in late August, the sky’s the limit for this band. Catch them now while tickets are still gettable.

Despite the light rain, the weather was absolutely magical for an evening at The Edge. Longtime mentor and band guru Jack Mento aligned our chee before introducing the band. The crowd let out a collective gasp of joy as The String Cheese Incident opened with “Restless Wind.” Some of us have been seeing this band for so long that the old tunes feel like a warm blanket on a snowy day.

Keith Moseley then wowed fans with his rapid-fire delivery on “Get Tight,” followed by a classic rendition of “Solution.” There was a slow build on “BOTWP” before they went into gorgeous “Best Feeling” Kyle Hollingsworth truly blew the doors off with “45th of November.” The band is clearly having fun and playing tighter than ever. Musically, they’ve found a beautiful balance between the old and the new, creating more dynamic and interesting sets. “Outside and Inside” was perfectly executed, while “The Ocean” served as a huge jam vehicle for their musical interplay. The jams continued with a bookend return to “Rosie,” which had opened the previous night’s show. “The Big Reveal” is a newer track but it worked ridiculously well as the set closer.

The break flew by, and before long Cheese returned—with Daniel Donato and his guitar in tow. They launched into a spot-on rendition of The Allman Brothers’ “Blue Sky.” Michael Kang took the spotlight during a massive “Rollover” that flowed masterfully into “One Step Closer.” The fiddle came out for a dark and gritty “Bollymunster.” We caught our breath during a standard “Texas Town,” then dove back in with “Sirens” into “Howard,” which featured the deepest and darkest jams of the night. They followed that with a crunchy “Hi Ho No Show” that built into a massive crescendo. For the encore, Kyle returned to the mic for a crowd-pleasing take on the Talking Heads’ classic “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).”

Every time The String Cheese Incident plays Red Rocks, it feels like a homecoming—a true celebration of all things Colorado. This show marked their 56th performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Their legacy is forever intertwined with this venue and this state. SCI is Colorado. And despite time’s insistence to keep moving, this band continues to evolve, delight, and surprise. With a solid tour schedule and a dominant festival season under their belts, there are still more chances to catch them live this summer.

No excuses.