THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT

Rhythm of the Road, Vol. One: Incident in Atlanta

[SCI Fidelity]

This 2000 show in Atlanta has achieved legendary status among String Cheese Incident fans, capturing a moment at which the veteran jam band reached a new plateau as a performing unit. And what a treat it is for Cheeseheads: over three hours of the group’s trademark stew of bluegrass, funk and jazz with oodles of interplay among the members. The group quickly establishes its modus operandi on the pulsating “Smile,” with Kyle Hollingworth’s Mexican-flavored piano runs and Michael Kang’s sprightly violin solos highlighting an adventurous 10 minutes. Other choice moments include the Santana-style guitar breaks on “Pygmy Pony” and a high-energy three-song bluegrass encore. Those who haven’t hopped on the jam-band wagon might find themselves checking their watches. But for the faithful, Incident in Atlanta illuminates an impressively eclectic group at a point in time when they seemed to be discovering just how good they could really be. –BC