String Cheese Incident and The Wood Brothers Unite on First “How Sweet It Is” Cover Since 2005

Photo by Erik Kabik

On Friday, May 16, The String Cheese Incident continued its latest slate of live dates by arriving at the Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, N.C. Following their tour openers, the band welcomed The Wood Brothers to entertain the masses before their two-set performance. During the headliner’s initial frame in the Tar Heel State, they performed the love-soaked classic, “How Sweet It Is,” with help from the Brothers for the first time in nearly two decades.

Before the Motown-associated cover, The String Cheese Incident found their footing on Round the Wheel feature  “On the Road,” before turning their attention to fellow LP inclusion, “Got What He Wanted.” Ultimately, “Manga” preluded the Jerry Garcia Band-associated cover, which received help from The Wood Brothers during Friday’s arrival. Setlist.FM references its placement as the first since Oct. 19, 2005, which would end a nearly 20-year gap in coverage. See more here. 

SCI resumed their regular programming with “County Road Blues,” before pairing Outside Inside cut “Joyful Sound” with “Best Feeling” and inevitably, “Texas,” which merged into the set break. After the concert’s midway point, members retook their positions on stage for a selection of originals and a fiery percussive display that cut “’Round The Wheel” and “I Will Follow You.”  

In time, the band turned in plays of “ Get Tight,” “Rivertrance,” and their home state reference, “Colorado Bluebird Sky.” During the night’s encore, SCI gave weight to “Colliding” before bidding their North Carolina crowd adieu.

The String Cheese Incident 

Red Hat Amphitheater – Raleigh, N.C.

May 16, 2025 

Set I: On the Road, Got What He Wanted, Manga, How Sweet It Is1, County Road Blues, Joyful Sound > Best Feeling > Texas

Set II: Beautiful, ‘Round The Wheel > Drums > I Will Follow You, Get Tight, Rivertrance, Colorado Bluebird Sky

Encore: Colliding

Notes:

1 featuring The Wood Brothers

Setlist via friendsofcheese.com.