In reference to the comment about no lazers in rivertrance....I liked it, heres what actually happened if u don't remember. Beginning of tribal jam: it starts to sprinkle and everyone is dancin.....Starts to rain seconds later and, lights go off except for spotlights in the crowd, sickkk

So I've seen cheese at the rocks for i dunno 6 years...and maybe 60+ shows total? This was by far the weakest 2days EVER at the rocks! I mean really....where was the FUNK? I love these guys but I think they peaked and are heading downhill fast! Am I right in saying that it has always been about the funk and the fun bluegras?? I don't wanna hear this lame ass rock n' roll...and listen to someone like moe if i jsut wanted to bob my head....come on guys!??!

thank you for putting this up on the archive in lossless. also thank you cheese what a great weekend! just right for prepping my 4th o July. cant wait for 10k lakes to see 2 cheezy sets. good recording great energy...best show of the tour? so far? maybe? i honestly havent had a chance to listen to em all but pangea always brings out some really crazy jams. kang seemed to be settling in to his new toys. t'was a great weekend as always at the rocks

After the saturday's performance (lack-luster imho), I was really hoping that this show would be killer. See my review from the previous night for info from that show. Taj starting it off right, and Ratdog playing a really awesome set, primed the night for some good stuff.

Outside Inside - this track is named incorrectly. funny though. To start the first set with this song always begs the question of a huge OI sandwich. I thought for sure since they didn't finish the song this was going to happen, but alas, not. Right from the first song, the energy level was a thousand times greater than saturday night. There was immediate interplay from kang and kyle in the solo sections, and even Billy forgetting the lyrics didn't stop the momentum of the tune. Good start so far....

Best Feeling - sweet! when you have the 1-2 punch of a good opener into a sweet jam vehicle, my interest gets peaked. Throughout the entire start of the song, through the first jam section, I was just chomping at the bit for the real jam section of the tune - the discofunk. the jam started off pretty standard, but as Kyle got comfortable on his new synth the jam took a new shape. Kyle and Kang started trading solo's the band moving from the 4 back to the 1 with each pass. Listen for the chopsticks tease from Kyle towards the end of the jam.

SOTOTW - no Taj....what the hell?

Mailbox Blues - that's what Im talking about. It was such a treat to see Taj again, and he owns it up there on stage. I mean the man plays the blues but slaps the shit out of his guitar.

Staggard Lee - This was a decnet version, but seemed to be a little lacking in the energy department.

Peace of Mine - this track is also misnamed. its really 'Mine' not mind. I am really liking the new Kyle songs that have come to life through this tour. Rain and this one are really tight. There is also double guitars on this one, with Kang and Billy both playing electrics. The sound is larger than life. This is the type of sound that cheese should be commanding at a venue like Red Rocks.

Black & White - oh shit yeah! I had heard that horns were in the happenings for the weekend. Read a review with Kyle that confirmed that Pangea horns would add to the second set on Sunday. but now we got them for the rest of the first set, and im happier than can be. This totally took me back to Winter Carnival 2000 stylie with Karl D and Ephram Owens when they hooked up together a lot. Focusing on SCI originals and adding sick brass, nothing better! this is a tight version of Black & White. The horns were tight right from the beginning. Short but sweet Kang Scat solo.

Search - nice, another original. This was the tune that really let the horns strut their stuff. the nice latin jam in the middle allowed each person to step up and throw some notes out there. Even Travis and Jason get a shot. nice little drum solo, even thought Billy was rushing to cut em off. it is the Billy Nershi band afterall...8>)

Shining Star - double sweet! so I knew there was going to be some cover or standard played. I thought for sure Freedom Jazz dance or some other jazz standard, but this Earth Wind and Fire debut was super hot. I couldn't help but crack up during the show though at the party-people crew who provide all the awesome stage theatrics during shows. they didn't know the verses that well, so their plan to hoist up signs with the chorus were all but spoiled until the very end when they got it right! this joint was so sick, perfect type of cover to bust out. very happy at this point!

Set II

GDTRFB - very nice. knew there had to be a GDTRFB sometime this weekend. thought for sure as an encore, but this was a far better treat. Unlike Saturday's collaborations which were a little stagnant, this sit-in was a lot more energetic and went somewhere. people were stepping up to solo, everyone got to sing a verse and there seemed to be better communication and joy on stage.

IIWII (the jam) - that's what im talking about. out of all the shows this tour that i've heard/seen, this was the jam that proved to me that cheese was BACK! the jam, nuff said.

Sometimes a River - this is a song that has slowly been growing on me. I am a big Keith on vocals fan. nice solid outro jam, good enery, but we got to pick it up here....

Smile - This song always makes me happy and always brings my girl and i together for a song-long close dance. love it.

Eye Know Why - Diggin' how this song continues to grow and grow. the middle jam section break down with Keith and Kyle providing the low-end. anytime Kyle gets on the Clav i know its going to be some tasty-funky-cheese. Im pretty sure that Kang was using his new toy (midi keyboard and laptop) before and during the "left in the sun" jam. Kang was adding another pad background to it, and playing the LFO or OSC control to make it sound like it was breaking up, or panning quickly.

Rivertrance - no lasers....!?!?! what the hell....Kang back on his new toy and this time you can really hear what he's doing. the fading in and out pads during the quieter jam.

Tamba - This version was a lot stronger than the Pozo versions, with the arrangment all coming together. The new songs are a really good batch: Rain, Peace of Mine, Tamba, Solution...all good stuff. "All that glitters is not gold", did he steal this line from Prince??

Black Clouds - it wouldn't be a Red Rocks show without a Black Clouds..."these roads all leading to the Fort now"....take me home to the Fort, im ready for bed!

This show was so much better than the previous weekend in LA. Taj Mahal warmed up the crowd. Ratdog played one of their best shows ever. Then String Cheese came out and played their hearts out! This was my first Colorado show, but definitely not the last. I'll have to admit though, I was pretty tired at the end of it. Three great bands to dance to after a long walk up a mountain was exhausting, but worth it.