The String Cheese Incident Welcome Los Lobos for “Outside and Inside” and “Dear Mr. Fantasy” in Cleveland Heights

The String Cheese Incident, photo by Erik Kabik/MediaPunch

On August 13, The String Cheese Incident followed their Summer Tour to a stop at Cleveland Heights, Ohio’s Evans Amphitheater. After an exhilarating Colorado tour kickoff, the band’s performance on Wednesday was a highly anticipated highlight in a stacked live itinerary: a split bill with Los Lobos. Before their own set, which featured a nod to the Grateful Dead with “Bertha,” the storied Chicano rock quintet lent their talents to The String Cheese Incident for a collaborative take on a longtime fan favorite.

The String Cheese Incident took the stage on Wednesday night with “Restless Wind,” an unforgettable standout from their 1998 third studio album ‘Round the Wheel. The progressive bluegrass ensemble kept the hits rolling in with “Betray the Dark,” then dropped into their cover of the traditional “Blackberry Blossom,” reviving the entry that’s stood strong in their repertoire since 1995 with its first appearance of 2025. Following the recent setlist staple “Get Tight,” the group proceeded into “Carnival,” the newest entry into their catalog with six stagings since its May debut.

To wrap their first frame, SCI welcomed Los Lobos to the stage for a fiery treatment of “Outside and Inside.” Spurred by the powerful moment, the jam icons and the Angeleno legends made an unexpected diversion in the middle of the 2001 classic to a partial cover of Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy.” After returning to the root track for a fiery conclusion, The String Cheese Incident packed their second set with cuts like “Beautiful,” “Drums,” “Black Clouds” and “Rosie,” then closed with an encore of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.”

The String Cheese Incident will return to the stage tonight with the first of two nights at The Pines Music Park in Eau Claire, Wis., featuring accompaniment by The Del McCoury Band. Find tickets and more information on the group’s full run at stringcheeseincident.com.