The String Cheese Incident kicked off its annual trip to Rothbury, Michigan for the band’s Electric Forest headlining gig with a funk-tronic “Colliding” and didn’t look back. “Colliding” is the perfect song to serve as a clarion call for all the Forest attendees because it, like them and Cheese itself, defy categorization. Even the subject matter of the lyrics, which describe separate worlds coming together, reflects the diverse crowd of music fans who were there gathered together to let go and get down. Thanks to our friends at nugs.net and their crystal clear simulcast, you can check out the entire 14-some-odd minutes of electro-boogie below.
The Strings Cheese Incident – “Colliding” – 6/23/23
Cheese mixed up the tempo with a quickstep, bluegrass-flavored “Can’t Stop Now”, with guitarist/vocalist/hype man Billy Nershi leading the way as only he can. Finishing that groove with one of his trademark “OLE!”’s, Nershi welcomed the crowd back to the Forest as everyone else in the band got themselves settled before launching into a solid five-song back-to-back run, starting with an “Illegal” that had drummer Michael Travis putting in work on lead vocals.
“Illegal” was pushed into competition for song of the set by multi-instrumental wonder Michael Kang’s intense, guitar-hero-level fretwork during the instrumental breakdown. Seamlessly transitioning into the night’s first cover, “Hot ‘Lanta” from southern rock legends The Allman Brothers Band, that saw plenty more fretboard wizardry by Kang while keyboardist Kyle Holingsworth did what he could filling the role and the size 50 musical shoes of legendary organist Gregg Allman.
A fat bass line from Keith Moseley signaled the Cheese faithful in the crowd that it was time for Nershi to launch into one of the most beloved story songs in the band’s dense catalog, the whimsical and energetic if spineless “Jellyfish”. Like its namesake drifting brainlessly through the sea, the rolling jam gave way to the set’s second cover, the Talking Heads-crafted, and some might say Cheese-perfected, calypso-flavored ”Nothing But Flowers”.
Percussionist Jason Hann and his partner in crime Michael Travis brought the thunder during the intro of “Bumpin’ Reel”, which finished with mad cheers from all corners of the crowd. With the energy high, Nershi put on his metaphorical ringmaster top hat and goaded the crowd with a back and forth call and response of, “Oh yeah!” that grew in intensity with every go. Once satisfied that everyone was on the same page, Nershi passed the musical baton over to Mosely, who laid down a fat groove and smooth vocals on the always welcome and perfectly timed “Joyful Sound”.
With that crowd pleaser ending, it was time for the miles high, mind-blowing, live-made dubstep-esque “Rumble”, which had Forest’s more EDM-favoring crowd in heaven. After catching their breath, Cheese finally brought things to a close with a one-two punch of feel-good classics, “Howard” and the fest-setting-appropriate “Let’s Go Outside”. With time constraints closing in on the festival headliners, Cheese reluctantly wished the crowd adieu for now with a promise of a two-set rager on Saturday that was met with cheers.
String Cheese returns to the Electric Forest tonight, Saturday, June 24th for another incident. Those unable to attend in person can stream the show live or after the fact via nugs.net.
Setlist: The String Cheese Incident | Electric Forest | Rothbury, MI | 6/23/23
Set: Colliding > Can’t Stop Now, Illegal > Hot ‘Lanta (The Allman Brothers)> Desert Dawn, Jellyfish > (Nothing but) Flowers (Talking Heads), Bumpin Reel, Joyful Sound > Rumble, Howard > Let’s Go Outside
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