The String Cheese Incident Welcomes Dave Watts & Busts Out ‘The Joker’ Cover In Dillon

The String Cheese Incident kicked off a home state run with concerts at the scenic Dillon Amphitheater in Dillon, Colorado over the past two nights. Tuesday’s show saw the band joined by The Motet‘s Dave Watts, while Wednesday’s show included Cheese’s first cover of Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” since 2017.

Multi-instrumentalist Michael Kang welcomed fans to Dillon at the start of Tuesday’s concert. “It’s good to be back in the mountains even though when I bend over I get a head rush,” Kang quipped. Bill Nershi then invited the audience to “come on down” and noted “it’s music time” before the band launched into “Sometimes A River.” A well-jamed “Lost” bled into “Search” next before Cheese worked through the reggae-tinged “Stay Through” and Nershi’s folk-laden “Barstool.”

Percussionist Jason Hann fronted SCI on the ensuing “Short Shack Willie” ahead of a seamless run featuring “Piece Of Mine,” “Coo Coo’s Nest” and “Restless Wind” to close the set. The instrumental “Coo Coo’s Nest” is a traditional song notably recorded by Larry Rice on 1996’s Notions And Novelties. Tuesday night featured the sextet’s debut “Coo Coo’s Nest” performance.

The String Cheese Incident offered their “rowdy” take on “I Know You Rider” to start the second set on Tuesday. Next, drummer Michael Travis powered the ethereal “Give Me The Love” spanning nearly 15 minutes. Cheese picked up the tempo and modulated for a slick transition into “Outside And Inside.” Nershi belted out the lyrics before Kang strung together soaring electric mandolin leads. Billy led a build to a massive peak to end the song. The loping “Look At What We Are” was linked with fusion instrumental “¡BAM!” after “Outside And Inside” and was followed by a lengthy take on jam vehicle “It Is What It Is.”

Cheese covered plenty of ground over the course of the expansive “It Is What It Is.” Dave Watts then emerged for “Drums” to accompany Michael Travis and Jason Hann. Watts stuck around for a set-closing “Let’s Go Outside,” while SCI went it alone on the “Smile” encore.

Wednesday’s first set began with Nershi’s “Indian Creek” and “Little Hands.” The latter melted into “Eye Know Why” before “Suntan” got the surprises rolling. Visions to tropical locales came to mind as the band worked through the song by pianist Michel Camilo for just the fifth time in the past decade and third since 2017. SCI dusted off their take on “The Joker” next. The previous version of Steve Miller Band’s 1974 hit came on March 14, 2017 as per Phantasy Tour. Cheese returned to originals in ending the set with “Song In My Head,” an uncompleted “Just One Story” and “Colorado Bluebird Sky.”

Nershi’s “World Gone Crazy,” which was debuted on December 30, 2021, got the final set of the Dillon run underway. The String Cheese Incident then jammed “Best Feeling” into “Valley Of The Jig” before serving up the recently premiered original “Dragonfly.” SCI worked through “Get Tight” and the beloved “‘Round The Wheel” next. “The Big Reveal” gave way to the “Just One Story” left unfinished earlier to bring the set to its conclusion. Cheese put an exclamation point on the two-night stand by covering Peter Rowan’s “Midnight Moonlight” for Wednesday’s encore.

The String Cheese Incident returns to Red Rocks Amphitheatre this weekend. Livestreams of all three shows are available via FANS.Live.

Watch pro-shot video featuring the start of each set below via Relix:

Setlists (via SCI FB)

Tuesday, July 12

Set One: Sometimes A River, Lost > Search, Stay Through, Barstool, Short Shack Willie, Piece of Mine > Coo Coo’s Nest > Restless Wind

Set Two: I Know You Rider, Give Me The Love > Outside And Inside, Look At Where We Are, iBam!, It Is What It Is, Drums*, Let’s Go Outside*

E: Smile

* = w/ Dave Watts

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Wednesday, July 13

Set One: Indian Creek, Little Hands > Eye Know Why, Suntan, The Joker, Song In My Head, Just One Story > Colorado Bluebird Sky

Set Two: World Gone Crazy, Best Feeling > Valley Of The Jig, Dragonfly, Get Tight, ‘Round The Wheel, The Big Reveal > Just One Story

Encore: Midnight Moonlight