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Starring Kyle Hollingsworth, Michael Kang, Keith Moseley,
Billy Nershi and Michael Travis
Directed by Warren Miller (SCI Fidelity Records, 2002)
Devoted fans of the String Cheese Incident will enjoy Waiting for the Snow to Fall, a new film directed by noted outdoor filmmaker Warren Miller. The film follows the band during its March 2002 Winter Carnival tour, revisiting the ski resort towns of Colorado where they sank early roots as self-described "ski bums" who played in small bars solely to support their winter lifestyle.
Folks who are not familiar with the band and their music will probably not get much out of this movie, unless they want to learn about the band and the roots of their phenomenon. Only fans who are already familiar with the band members will be able to truly enjoy and appreciate their comments in the proper context.
This is not a concert video, and contains very little concert footage. People who are looking for more extensive live footage should probably consider the band's two earlier video releases, Evolution (2001, DVD or VHS) and Pura Vida (2001, VHS only), although neither are pure concert videos. However, a flyer contained in the DVD packaging says that the band's first uncut full-length concert DVD, taken from one of the shows used in making this film, will be made available in the summer of 2003.
 An early and consistent theme of the film is the interconnection between nature and music, as each band member comments on the influence and inspiration that natural beauty can provide. Footage of the band members skiing and snowboarding is captured by Miller in lush, slow motion segments that elicit the joy and freedom of being one with nature.
Before the tour starts, we are treated to a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the band during their rehearsal sessions. It is a special treat to be able to see a side of the band that you can't see at the concerts. Interviews with sound crew and guest artists are interspersed to give various perspectives on the String Cheese phenomenon. A particularly fun moment comes with the band engaged in a freewheeling backstage discussion over the night's setlist.
For this tour, the band brought its old touring bus, the beloved "Bussy," out of retirement. The band spent three years of its early touring life on the bus, taking turns driving themselves to hundreds of concerts. Bussy's resurrection opens the floodgates of memory to a thousand stories of the open road that fans will really enjoy. The time spent on Bussy clearly holds a special place in the band's heart, a fact that is apparent in the passion with which each member speaks of it. Watching them goof around on the bus is a lot of fun.
As the tour progresses to towns such as Crested Butte and Telluride, the band visits its old hangouts and even some places where they used to live. The "local boys make good" theme is explored to a great degree as the band members reflect on how their early experiences shaped the band as it is today.
My only major complaint about the film is that at 55 minutes, it is a bit on the short side. There was undoubtedly a great deal of material that was shot in preparation for this project that ultimately was not used in the final product. Some of that footage was included as bonus material, but most of these are very short (one minute or less) snippets of band and crew interviews that hardly seem worth including. A small amount of footage of the band members wiping out on the ski slopes is also included.
The major bonus feature is live concert footage of two songs ("Miss Brown's Teahouse" and "¡bam!") from the March 23, 2002 concert at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. Both can be viewed in a "director's cut" or direct-it-yourself multiangle mode. The viewer can actually switch between four camera views and direct the video as they see fit. This is fun the first couple times you play it, but ultimately the four selectable angles take up a lot of space on the DVD where I would have preferred more behind-the-scenes footage. Technically, the production values and audio quality throughout the disc are excellent.
In summary, devoted fans who are already familiar with String Cheese Incident will enjoy this disc. The warmth and humor with which the band members relive fond memories from their humble beginnings is obviously genuine. Something that started simply as a way to finance the life of some ski bums may have blossomed into a full-fledged musical phenomenon, but it is clear that the band wants to stay true to its roots and relished the opportunity to reaffirm them.
John Waldman
JamBase | San Francisco
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