Writer and photographer Alan Crandall submitted the following guest blog originally published at TimesCall.com.
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When you hear Cheesehead you may think of Wisconsin or the Green Bay Packers. Here in Colorado though, just add string to cheesehead and a whole different group of images comes to mind, including a crowd of glitter-covered jam-band fans wearing disco-sequined pants, loin cloths, hot pants and costumes of various psychedelic flavors. All of this and more was on hand for the opening night of The String Cheese Incident’s highly anticipated Winter Carnival, at Broomfield’s 1st Bank Center Thursday.
One of Colorado’s favorite home-grown bands, the String Cheese Incident always seems to please with its varied jam blends of bluegrass, rock, funk, jazz and reggae. This year’s Carnival has the added festivity of the “2011 Winter Carnival Costume Contest.” Contestants for Thursday’s and Friday’s
Michael Kang
shows need only show up in costume and be photographed at a special booth in the concourse. Winners receive a VIP upgrade for Saturday’s show. They will be announced on the band’s Facebook page. All participants are encouraged to wear costumes on Saturday night to lend to the carnival atmosphere and possibly participate in the Clan Parade.
Following a long-standing Winter Carnival tradition the band has invited a broad variety of artists to open each night of the three-day festival. Thursday’s warm up was provided by British producer/electro-artist Ott. Tonight’s performance will open with J.D Crowe & The New South’s flavor of bluegrass, and Saturday the New Orleans’ band Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk will funk up the venue.
String Cheese Incident
The band’s website states that Saturday’s show is sold out and a limited amount of tickets remain for tonight’s performance. For more information click here.
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