The String Cheese Incident: Drifting Outbreak at the Kettlehouse Amphitheater

Photo credit: Erik Kabik

On Saturday, June 29, The String Cheese Incident stopped at the Kettlehouse Amphitheater in Bonner, Montana, in the heart of its summer tour for its first two-date tour there. The psychedelic jam band has been traveling all over the country for the past few months and has extensive North American tours scheduled through November. Of particular note is the Big Sky State appearance, which featured a hit 2001 song “Drifting,” which marked the band’s first time on stage in nearly 15 years.

To kick off the first set of the evening, The String Cheese Incident opened with “Rain” and then played classics from the setlist, including a cover of Tom Petty’s 1994 classic “You Wreck Me.” The band closed the first set with an atmospheric jam session that built up to the electronic fan favorite “Rosie,” setting up a final section with a fast-paced, high-energy vibe. The second set was full of typical SCI jams like the winding opener “Rivertrance,” which was preceded by an extended 16-minute rendition of Keller Williams’ “Best Feeling” and a string-heavy “Whiskey Before Breakfast” with a percussive interlude. After playing a round of newer tunes, the group turned to their lyrical side with the set’s bouncy closer, “Let’s Go Outside.”

When the band returned to the stage for an encore, they played “Drifting,” which was last played on December 9, 2011 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. The performance was preceded by a story from Bill Nershi about his daughter’s love for the piece, which made the rare performance of the popular piece by Outside inside even sweeter. The eccentric ensemble then closed the evening with the uptempo folk-rocker “Colorado Bluebird Sky,” perhaps as an ode to the venue’s picturesque surroundings.

The String Cheese Incident will take the stage July 12-14, returning to the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. The band’s 2024 tour will continue through early November. For tickets and more information, visit stringcheeseincident.com/#tourdates. Fans can catch the full setlist on June 29.

The cream cheese incident
Kettlehouse Amphitheater – Bonner, Montana.
29.06.2024

Sentence I: Rain, Outside Inside, Shine, One More Time, You’re Breaking Me, It Is What It Is > Kettlehouse Jam > Rosie
Sentence II: Rivertrance, Best Feeling%> Whiskey Before Breakfast > Birdland > Flying West Jam> The Remington Ride > Flying West Jam> Birdland, Finally, Get Tight, Can’t Wait Another Day > Bonner Jam > Just One Story > Let’s Go Outside
Garnish: Driftin’,* Colorado Blue Sky

Remarks:
% Keller Williams Cover
$ Tom Petty cover
*Single from “Driftin”, last performed on 9.12.2011