String Cheese Incident slams Ithaca with a wall of sound, A+

What: Concert Review
Who: The String Cheese Incident
Where: Ithaca, NY
When: November 10th
Why: As part of the band's newest tour

String Cheese Incident in Ithaca, NY in 2014

Last night, people packed into the State Theater in Ithaca, NY for what would be one of the very best concerts of the entire year. Little did they know that the televised concert would be something they might be talking about for years to come, and nearly four hours later after the band played two impressed sets and one encore that the show finally ended.

There were tons of people lined up for the event outside the theater waiting for the doors to be opened at 7PM. Luckily, the doors opened in time and soon they flocked into the beautiful one hundred year old State Theater, which provided the perfect venue for a String Cheese show. The band seemed to agree as well as the entire concert would be broadcasted live via Yahoo and Live Nation.

It was obvious what the crowd would be like before the concert even happened, but even so, hippies congested everywhere lining up wanting to see one of their favorite bands. They were mostly between the ages of 20 and 40, with very few older people at the show. However there were a few older people within the crowd that talked and got along with the younger folk around them.

You've got to be hip in order to witness an Incident show.

One kid near the front of the stage was wearing a very cool tie dyed like shirt that was was extremely colorful reflecting the universe and the planets. Many kids took off their shoes and even some went barefoot like the band themselves because lets face it-when you go to a String Cheese Incident show, you go to DANCE.

It was one of the funnest concerts ever, and everything about it was fantastic, including the crowd, who were super friendly to one another and extremely into the band that they played before them.

The SCI did superb versions of their songs Outside Inside and Jellyfish live and impressive covers of U2's Mysterious Ways and Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. These were just some of the highlights of the evening that got the entire place up on their feet and dancing more and more. One of the other better songs included a great version of the group's Miss Brown's Teahouse later on in the second set.

Not a single person in the State Theater wasn't standing up most of the entire night dancing. When in front and looking back, one could sense the epicness of being at a great show with tons of smiles on everyone's faces throughout the night.

The musicians themselves loved it. They were completely well balanced and in sync with each other, and it was extremely clear how much they loved playing the music they do. The drummers themselves seemed to be the ones that were into it the most making faces and really appearing to be in the zone the entire night, playing the drums and bongos while making it look easy.

The rest of the band were fantastic as well, each member adding his or own uniqueness and balance to the show. It didn't even seem like four hours when the group finally closed out their encore as the night came to the end, and that is a recipe for a great show in itself.

One of the best things about the concert was the sound-it was incredible. It was like a wall of sound hitting everyone at a full speed train, and you could hear everyone in the band extremely well. Props to the sound guy because they were on spot.

Another fantastic thing not to be missed was the light show as lasers flashed out into the State Theater providing a beautiful edge to the concert everyone can enjoy.

The String Cheese Incident may not play that often, but if their headlining a festival or coming to a venue near you, they are very worth it to see live and one of the better acts to see out there. They are more than just a jam band, but a dance friendly and super enjoyable fun time to see live in person.

Grade:
A+

Set list!
:
S1:
1) Shine
2) So far from home
3) Orange Blossom Special
4) Sweet Spot  Master Blaster(Jammin)
5) Drums
6) Dirk
7) Jungle Boogie
8) Colorado Bluebird Sky

S2:
9) Bollymunster
10) Miss Brown's Teahouse>
11) Chameleon>
12) Miss Brown's Teahouse
13) Colliding
14) Land's End
15) Can't Wait Another Day
16) Outside & Inside>
17) Mysterious Ways
18) >Outisde & Inside

Encore:
Jellyfish, Margaritaville, Black Clouds

Photos by Justin Gorelick: