Rhythm of the Road: Volume 1, Incident in Atlanta - 11.17.00 (Sci-Fidelity, 2010)

Colorado jam band The String Cheese Incident launched "Rhythm of the Road," its new limited edition series of remastered archival concert recordings, with a bang by offering one of the band's most beloved concerts - a November 2000 incident (The String Cheese Incident fan code for tour stops) at The Tabernacle in Atlanta.

The show, the first of a two-night run at the venue, was notable for several reasons. Not only was the band hitting on all cylinders musically and jamming effortlessly throughout the evening, but banjo wizard Tony Furtado joined the group on-stage for seven songs, including classic bluegrass-flavored numbers like Orange Blossom Special, The Old Home Place, the fast-paced traditional instrumental Shenandoah Breakdown, and a nice take on Midnight Moonlight, a Peter Rowan-penned track that was originally recorded by Jerry Garcia's bluegrass band Old & In The Way.

Cover songs are always a highlight of any String Cheese Incident concert because the group pulls material from a huge pool of sources and this recording really proves that point. In only 20 songs, the band performed selections from Peter Rowan, Peter Gabriel (Shakin' The Tree), Led Zeppelin (Ramble On) and John Coltrane (Impressions), the latter of which is a stunning musical exploration that clocks in at nearly 20 minutes.

Although The String Cheese Incident has been releasing live recordings and downloads for a long time, this "Rhythm of the Road" release stands out for both its quality and content. Not only did the band dig deep into the archives to pull out a very notable and fan-favorite performance, but it is clear from the crisp and clear audio on these three discs that a lot of care went in to the remastering process.