On Halloween night the Shrine Auditorium hosted a different
crowd than usual, as the former home of the Academy Awards housed
the “Academummy Awards,” the special
“Hulaween” show featuring Colorado-based jam band The
String Cheese Incident.
The band’s energetic performance style was clearly
displayed at the Thursday night show, during which the members
played three full sets plus an encore. The concert lasted over four
hours, including the time added for the awards segment.
“The Price is Right” announcer Rod Roddy MC’d
the night, donning his signature golden jacket and bringing his
recognizably winning voice. During the first set break, an award
was given for the best short film earlier submitted by a fan. The
winning film was a five minute horror flick about a serial killer
whose weapon of choice is a set of deadly hula hoops (the hula hoop
is one of the symbols of the String Cheese community).
The nominees for best costume were announced and shown during
the second set break. Just before the encore, the winners for best
group costume, a clan of Oompa-Loompas from “Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory,” and the best individual costume, an Evil
Kinevil look-alike, were welcomed onstage.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening was The String
Cheese Incident’s second set, during which the band members
emerged dressed as some of rock ‘n’ roll’s
greatest legends. Each member was announced individually and given
awards. The group covered one of the hit songs of each of their
alter-egos. The dream-team rock band consisted of Jim Morrison,
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, and Queen front man
Freddie Mercury.
Not only did they look hauntingly like the legends they were
resurrecting, but they resembled them in sound, too. Michael Kang,
the South Korean acoustic and electric mandolin player who also
dabbles in violin and guitar, gave an amazing performance as Jimi
Hendrix. Despite the racial difference, he scored the look
flawlessly and even tried to channel the legend’s spirit.
Following the forceful cover of “Fire,” Kang broke into
a guitar solo that included such Hendrix antics as playing against
the microphone stand and dancing on top of the guitar. He finished
by smashing his instrument against the stage in perfect Hendrix
form.
The nostalgic middle set ended with a theater-wide sing-along of
“We are the Champions.” With arms raised in the air and
voices in unison, the crowd enthusiastically played the sixth
member of the band.
The rest of the show was played in a more typical String Cheese
Incident style of bluegrass and rock mixed together with a number
of spirited jams. The audience was completely immersed in the
music, dancing and flailing around to every song.
The fans who were wearing costumes received an extra-special red
carpet treatment upon arrival. There was even a Joan Rivers
impersonator asking, “Who are you wearing?” to the
guests. But whether dressed up or not, every attendant got the
exclusive treat of seeing the String Cheese Incident in its finest
form.