 Return to Lonely Goat Features Archives THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT -
11.10.01 - ASHEVILLE CIVIC CENTER - ASHEVILLE, NC Set 1: On the Road, Way Back
Home, Sittin' on Top of the World, County Road, These Waves > Jam > Rhythm of the
Road, Daryl After sleeping for about 4 hours in a chair with no pillow, I jumped into my ride and traveled a couple hours north to the small sleepy mountain town of Asheville. The mountains were a welcomed site, a place I should visit more often. Visions of down-from-the-mountain bluegrass danced in my head as I thought about the show I was going to see that evening. After eating and drinking in the local pub, we walked up the street to the civic center. The first site of the sea of ticketless SCI fans swarming the front of the venue quickly reminded me of my experience just a year ago where I stood out In the freezing cold thinking I would score a ticket but had no luck - shut out! With the larger crowd and the overwhelming recent popularity of this band and it being Saturday night, the show was held in the Coliseum this year. Though most would prefer the smaller Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, it would be safe to say those days are over. As with any band, as their popularity grows, unfortunately so does the size of the venue! The Coliseum is not a bad venue but it doesn't leave too much to the imagination: a one level hockey ring with a concrete floor and plastic folding chairs, probably built in the 70's. It did have lots of bars set up and an aerial view of the city lights from the hallway. The show began on a good note with Travis doing some crowd surfing and then launching into a nice 'On the Road', which complimented the travelin folks who made the trip up the mountain. Next few songs tone it down with some expected bluegrass assisted by Billy Constable on banjo. 'These Waves' was a tune I hadn't heard which picked up towards the end into a great 'Rythmn of the Road'. Again the boys stepped back and let loose but cut it short to finish the set with another bluegrass tune called 'Daryl', which featured some nice banjo pickin from Constable. Satisfied on the bluegrass but hungry for the funk, 'Round the Wheel' was nothing short of a quick bite to open the second set. Unfinished due to the continuous impressive jams these guys are playin these days, 'Miss Brown's Teahouse' was welcomed by all, as the crowd went ballistic. 'Turn This Around' offered more great energy from the band and crowd as everyone was dancing and getting down. 'Moonlight Midnight' quickly reminded us that bluegrass was the theme of the evening, with another great solo form Constable on banjo. Just when I was convinced they were going to end the night with more bluegrass, they break out Late in the Evening > 'Jam' > Rollover > The Mighty Quinn > Jam > Rollover! Wow, amazing, incredible and impressive. LITE was a treat in itself. Another tribute to Paul Simon, the song jammed out of proportion, morphing into the most appreciated song of the evening, 'Rollover'. I enjoy this number more and more, not because it jams but it leaves you unexpectedly exhausted at the end. Usually sandwiching a cover or an original, on this night the 'Mighty Quinn' was the tune that popped its head from the spacey jam.The nice transition back into 'Rollover' concluded the evening's second set, leaving no one sitting down. The encore was a trip back to the theme with Constable on banjo and another surprise guest, bluegrass legend Tim O'Brien on mandolin. Cruising through a couple of tunes, having everyone take a solo, the crowd was more than appreciated to the efforts of the band and the special guest. Once outside, the hoards of fans met the ticketless mass and quickly warmed the chilly mountain air with a scene of festivities and partying. As for me, I felt extremely fulfilled but exhausted and worn to the bone. Three shows in three night in three different towns was enough to kill me, as I quietly drifted back to my friends house to find any possible floor space to crash my head. Driving home the next morning, I reflected back on how live music, friends and good times can make an excellent weekend Incident! |