The String Cheese Incident Headlines First Day Of Inaugural Merryland Music Fest: Review & Photos

The String Cheese Incident at Merryland Music Fest :: 7.9.16 :: Merriweather Post Pavilion :: Columbia, MD

The inaugural Merryland Music Fest at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland was a massive success as artists from many different genres came together to compile a diverse lineup who played in front of delighted crowd. Colorado-based jam act The String Cheese Incident closed out the main stage with conviction as they delivered two full sets of their signature genre-bending blend of bluegrass and electro-funk.

This was a homecoming show of sorts for SCI keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth, as he was raised in Baltimore and spent a lot of time seeing shows at Merriweather. As the band took the stage, Hollingsworth addressed the crowd and reminisced about how he saw the H.O.R.D.E. tour at Merriweather and pointed out where he sat in house left. The band wasted no time opening up with “Let’s Go Outside,” a track off their most recent full studio release Song In My Head. “Best Feeling” surfaced next and made its way into “Johnny Cash” before the band played a new number called “Get Tight” that was led by bassist Keith Moseley on vocals. This feel good tune will surely find a nice spot in the group’s rotation as it’s a promising sign of new music the band has been working on. The first set closed with “Yo Se” > “Rhythm of the Road” > “Black Clouds,” which showcased Michael Kang tearing through several incredible solos on his electric mandolin.

Photo by Stu Kelly

After a quick setbreak, which was the longest break in music throughout the event, SCI returned with Hollingsworth’s “Can’t Wait Another Day” the story of when his wife was in labor and he was anxiously awaiting the birth of their child. As the band moved into “Lonesome Fiddle Blues” they welcomed Jay Starling from Love Canon on dobro and exercised a very patient intro jam over a reggae percussion pattern from Jason Hann and Michael Travis. A monstrous “Joyful Sound” found the six-piece flexing their range and showcased Hann leading the charge with a heavy rhythmic jam as Kyle added some thick electronic effects to fill the gaps.

The String Cheese Incident has been releasing new music for free through their inventive Sound Lab series. These new tunes came to fruition after the band rented a house in Arizona in May of 2015 as they built their own studio in Colorado and plenty more music is expected to be on the way soon. SCI played some of these new songs in the second set including “Down A River” and Michael Kang’s “Believe,” which is an absolutely incredible new tune that sent the crowd into a whirlwind. The second set closed with “Jellyfish” > “Close Your Eyes” and while there was plenty of improvisation the set ended twenty minutes before music was slated to come to an end. This all made sense when the band returned and dropped into “Desert Dawn” which found its way into a “BollyMunster” that stretched the encore over the twenty-minute mark.

Photo by Stu Kelly

Merryland Music Fest continues today with Grace Potter, Greensky Bluegrass, Turkuaz and Ben Harper. Stay with JamBase for full coverage of the event later this week.

Setlist (via Friends Of Cheese)

Set One: Let’s Go Outside, Best Feeling > Johnny Cash, Get Tight, Yo Se, Rhythm of the Road, Black Clouds

Set Two: Can’t Wait Another Day, Lonesome Fiddle Blues1, Joyful Sound, Down a River, Believe, Jellyfish > Close Your Eyes

Encore: Desert Dawn

1 – with Jay Starling on dobro