The String Cheese Incident Pays Tribute To The 1980s At Suwannee Hulaween

On Saturday The String Cheese Incident played three sets at the second full day of this year’s Suwannee Hulaween music festival at The Spirit Of The Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. The second set was chock full of ’80s covers as the band was joined by special guests for a performance dubbed Stringier Things.

SCI opened the first set with the old school “Rhum ‘N Zouc” > “Restless Wind” pairing before welcoming vocalist Jennifer Hartswick for a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish.” The first set concluded with romps through “Turn This Around,” “Joyful Sound” and “Can’t Wait Another Day.”

For the Stringier Things performance The String Cheese Incident was joined by the Antibalas horns as well as vocalists Rhonda Thomas and Tony White. Up first was a take on the Eurythmics’ “Would I Lie To You?” followed by “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash, Diana Ross’s “Upside Down,” the Thomas Dolby one-hit wonder “She Blinded Me With Science” and Earth Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove.” It was then on to Billy Idol’s “White Wedding,” GN’R’s “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Queen’s “Another One Bites The Dust” and “Love Shack” by The B52s. The set concluded, as fireworks burst, during a wild ’80s medley that included portions of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” Grandmaster Flash’s “White Lines,” Men Without Hats’ “Safety Dance,” Dexy’s Midnight Runner’s “Come On Eileen,” Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” and “Burning Down The House” by Talking Heads.

The String Cheese Incident brought Saturday’s action to a close with a career-spanning third set that included Rhonda and Tony joining in for “Sweet Spot” as well as takes on “Colorado Bluebird Sky,” “Sometimes A River,” “Believe,” “Way Back Home,” “Miss Brown’s Teahouse” and “Colliding.” For the encore SCI, Rhonda and Tony presented yet another Stevie cover with “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours.”

Watch the grand finale of SCI’s Stringier Things set:

Setlist (via Friends Of Cheese)

Set One: Rhum ‘N Zouc > Restless Wind, I Wish*, Turn This Around, Joyful Sound, Can’t Wait Another Day

Set Two (w/ Antibalas Horns, Rhonda & Tony): Would I Lie To You?, Should I Stay Or Should I Go, Upside Down, She Blinded Me With Science, Let’s Groove, White Wedding, Sweet Child O’ Mine, Love Shack, Medley

Set Three: Colorado Bluebird Sky, Sweet Spot+, Sometimes A River, Believe, Way Back Home, Miss Brown’s Teahouse, Colliding

Encore: Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours+

• * – w/ Jennifer Hartswick
• + – w/ Rhonda Thomas and Tony White