In the summer of 2001, I purchased “Outside and Inside” by the String Cheese Incident. My brother had introduced me to the band prior, and I had heard their previous albums, but there was something about “Outside and Inside” that got me hooked on SCI. Historically, this album is recognized as a more mainstream rock crossover from SCI bluegrass roots allowing the band to delve into its now signature musical diversity. Maybe this was a factor that roped me in, but whatever it was I could not stop playing that CD.
Another early SCI highlight for me was my first SCI live show at Radio City Music Hall (NYC) where they played a favorite of mine from “Outside and Inside”, “Rollover”. I will never forget the sight of the signature dome lighting in Radio City racing above the stage while the 3rd level mezzanine swayed due to the epic dance party I got to be part of. It was as if the venue itself was the rocking Earth and the sentiment of a favorite song took on great personal meaning as this moment was etched into my memory.
Since 2001, I have only been able to see SCI a handful of times including a local Jersey Shore performance at Collins Arena at Brookdale Community College (Lincroft, NJ) in 2005 and a performance at Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY) in 2016. This show particularly stands out in my memory to me because the dynamic sound and EDM kiss of SCI music thanks to “Hi Ho No Show” and “Colliding” on the setlist. Thanks to nugs.net my love for SCI has been fueled recently even more and even if I could not see the band in person, I have received an auditory (and sometimes visual thanks to live videos streams) front row seat to the evolution of SCI over the past 3 decades.
Imagine the joyful sound I made when I learned that the String Cheese Incident was returning to New Jersey as part of the North to Shore state-wide musical festival for a performance at NJPAC (Newark, NJ) on June 17, 2025. I had hopes of attending the Northlands Music & Arts Festival (Swanzey, NH) the weekend before (but couldn’t make it), so the fact the SCI would be performing in my backyard became a can’t miss opportunity. The choice to attend the show was immediately validated when I walked into the venue.
NJPAC (Prudential Hall) is a beautiful performance space with a large, raised dome ceiling and wood finishes throughout the theater to enhance the auditory experience. There is something simply grandiose about this space and I beamed with childlike abandon, thrilled that this would be my playground to take photos and enjoy some great music on a Tuesday night.
As the show began, NJ native Bill Nershi (acoustic & electric guitar) welcomed the crowd. He said this was the first time SCI had played in Newark even though he was born in NJ. My decision to attend was again rewarded with a show opening “Outside and Inside”, the title track from my favorite SCI album that started my journey with the band years ago.
A key feature of SCI is the dual rhythm section with Micheal Travis (drums) and Jason Hann (percussion). During the opener, Jason played the washboard instead of his percussion rig with all the intensity he would direct at his congas and bongos later during the show. Kyle Hollingsworth (keyboards) also contributed early along with M. Travis and Jason stretching the rhythm out of the opener and applying the musical texture that has helped the band live up to their “string cheese” likeness. This song crescendoed with the energy of a set closer launching Kyle into an upbeat solo highlighting the “Newark Jam”. SCI uses these venue location segway improvisational jams to increase the momentum of the show and lock their experience in for the crowd. I could feel the floor underneath me start to sway like it had done years ago at Radio City Music Hall as a quick guitar solo from Micheal Kang (electric guitar, violin) whipped into the next song seamlessly, “Can’t Song Now”. This song is also sung (like the opener) by Keith Moseley (bass). It winds like a Colorado mountain road, twisting and turning through the band’s jam grass roots thanks to the guitar licks (electric and acoustic) of M.Kang and Bill. The washboard strumming of Jason was also well suited for this jam with the plucks of Keith echoing like a washtub bass. 20 minutes into the set the band had not stopped playing and the crowd delightfully felt like silly putty in their hands. Fittingly at the end, Kyle stated “all right, we are rolling now!”
Next up was “Turn this Around”, originally featured on the 2015 Rhtythm of the Road: Volume 2, Live is Las Vegas (NV) release. This song was sung by M. Kang who recently sang the “Star Spangle Banner” before game 3 of the 2025 NBA finals in Indianapolis, IN. This song features a slower melodic progression landing it on the rock n roll side of the SCI coin as it climbs up the band’s well established mountain jam build structure. Then came, “Crazy Angel”, co-written by Bill and his wife Jillian Nershi along with Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow. This song is also sung by Bill and recently made its debut in May 2025. Lyrically, this song nods to Denver, Colorado (the band’s home state). It features tasty jam from Bill on his acoustic guitar with rhythmic peppering from Kyle. Once again SCI masterfully plays with tempo and texture characterizing their dynamic approach. Following this was “Eye Know Why” that punches with some funk from the start thanks to Kyle’s ivory tickle, who also sings this song. This song also brings in a touch of SCI salsa influence along (ala Santana) with the ear pleasing vocal harmonies of the entire band. The end jam of this song also got cosmic, thanks to the bleeps, sweeps, and creeps provided by Kyle, who easily can turn SCI’s vibe to EDM skillfully. Set 1 concluded with SCI staple “Round the Wheel”, originating as the title track on 1998 album release “Round the Wheel”. It showcases the full power of the percussionist Jason blissfully slapping and banging his congas/bongas lending to an almost tropical vibe during portions of this song along with the almost steel drum sound of Bill’s acoustic guitar. Over the past 2 years I have overcome medical adversity including successful cancer treatment. This song was a fixture for me walking laps for exercise while undergoing treatment and the sentiments of the lyric, “I’ve been spinning ‘round the wheel of life and I made one more night…” became a mantra for me. As the end of the song reached its EDM beat drop-off (thanks to Kyle and Keith), following back into a blissful calypso shimmer, I shed tears of gratitude along with my ear-to-ear grin.
Set 2 opened with band credit shoutout that “things were looking good for a Tuesday night” leading into the playful “Sweet Spot” sung by Keith. For this song the rhythm section changed spots with M. Travis now behind the percussion rig and Jason skillfully hammering away on the drum kit. The mix-up exemplifies the musical diversity of the band members and their willingness to stretch their limits each night. With the drummers now back in their original positions, next up was “I Will Follow You”, sung by Kyle. This song dives back into the band’s bluegrass pool with its country road feel featuring acoustic guitar pacing and licks from Bill along with genre defining silky smoothness emanating from Kyle’s talented fingers.
The song transitioned into “Texas”, originally introduced on SCI’s debut 1997 album, “Born on the Wrong Planet.” This song is a well-known example of SCI’s storytelling artfully written by Bill who also sings it. This song is also quintessential SCI with its rhythmic twists and turns (heavy on Jason’s percussions, M.Travis’ beats, and Keith’s bass drops), genre-manipulation (Kyle’s sonic influence), and M. Kang’s sweeping licks. I was especially pleased with this song choice since it was the song I most wanted to hear at this show! “Texas” did end without a lyrical reprise, but the ending crescendo was so money, the band had perfectly delivered a Texas-sized dance party! M. Kang then broke out his violin (fiddle) for instrumental “Manga”. This tune aligns with SCI jam-grass mountain music influence and added nicely to the on-going ho-down. Bill and his wife’s penned (along with John Bell) “Look Glass” from 2003’s “Untying the Not” album came next and was sung in harmony by Bill and M. Kang. Its storytelling introduction drives into SCI’s jam switchbacks thanks to M. Travis with nothing left on the table. The ending jam of this song was also reminiscent of the ”Love Theme” from “St. Elmo’s Fire”, proving with this band you never know what you are going to get!
“Look Glass” transitioned into “Roll Around the Sun”, a song that hits more on SCI’s dance-vibe EDM spectrum brought initially by the beats of M. Travis. This song was released in 2024 and was written by Jason and Brian Chapman (Zoo People). It is sung by M. Kang and is a cinematic musical voyage, another example of SCI’s jam prowess and its passion to strive for musical diversity and genre defying dynamics stretching in the moment seemingly beyond space and time. This led right into EDM-esque heavy hitter, “Rivertance”, featuring Kyle’s video game sound tinkering and M. Kang back on his violin. After the introduction, this instrumental kicked into a high momentum Irish jig! As if tonight’s show had not already delivered a high energy dance party, all that was left to do was groove!
Before the encore, Bill announced “hell of a party here, hell of a party, Newark, NJ!” He then led a “Group Hoot” with the goal in mind to generate as much noise as possible to celebrate this amazing Tuesday night. The encore tonight was “Johnny Cash” also from 1997’s “Born on the Wrong Planet”. This country train song (complete with train whistles) was composed by the band as fun cliché of Johnny Cash’s “man in black” persona and his song “Ring of Fire”. Sung by Bill, tonight’s version featured Johnny Cash and Elvis, “the man in white and the man in black, hanging in the back in Newark, NJ by the railroad shack.” This song is goofy and is tribute to SCI ability to not take themselves seriously. Their magical recipe to achieve their uniquely diverse sound while remaining joyfully cheesy. SCI is a can’t miss musical experience and hopefully you can catch them this summer as their train continues to move “down that track”.
The String Cheese Incident- NJPAC/ Prudential Hall (Newark, NJ) June 17, 2026 (part of the North to Shore Music Festival)
Set 1: Outside and Inside, Can’t Stop Now, Turn This Around, Crazy Angel, Eye Know Why, ‘Round the Wheel
Set 2: Sweet Spot, I Will Follow You, Texas, Manga, Looking Glass, Roll Around the Sun, Rivertrance
Encore: Group Hoot, Johnny Cash
More information about String Cheese Incident and their 2025 summer tour is available at https://www.stringcheeseincident.com/
PHOTOS BY CHRIS PAUL
