Hop On Tour

Hop On Tour is an interactive fan experience. Throughout The String Cheese Incident’s Roots Run Deep tour and Kyle's kick-off shows in Colorado, Kyle will connect with fans via his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kylehollingsworthmusic) and blog (www.kylehollingsworth.wordpress.com) to provide a behind the scenes look into life on the road as well as the craft beers and brewing that come into picture along the way. To top it off, fans will have the opportunity to win an invite to exclusive meet & greets and tastings with Kyle and others through various contests at select SCI shows. Stay tuned to Kyle’s Facebook page for regular Hop On Tour updates.

Brew Fest and Beyond

Festival Season is here!! And now with “the rapture” out the way, it looks like it’s going to be quite the Summer. With Cheese back at Bonnaroo and then Electric Forest, it will for sure keep me busy for the majority of the summer. Then I continue forward with lots of unique musical formations and events. From collaborating with Steve Kimock to jamming with George Porter and Bill Kreutzman, plus doing clinics on beer and home brewing, it is going to be a diverse few months. But I’m looking forward to the challenge. Also, my band KHB will be working hard this summer. We’re heading to Electric Forest as well as local and national touring. Including my 2nd annual Kyle's Brew Fest here in Boulder, Colorado.

In case you missed it last year, Kyle’s Brew Fest is a unique brew event, benefiting Conscious Alliance, that not only showcases great beer, but also the art of the brewing process. Ultimately it connects my passion for music and my love of brewing (I’m even considering making a beer on stage while I play). Last year's Brew Fest sold out show was a blast and helped to raise awareness and money for conscious alliance. Boasting over 25 breweries and great tunes, please join us again this year. We will be drinking, talking and singing beer all for a great cause. Hope to see some of ya out there...

But for the next few weeks I’m being sequestered into the school of SCI rock. Back at it, we are digging in and spending time together making sure that every show we do is an unique “Incident.” From testing-out new stuff, to the ever-lasting search for the perfect cover, it's always a challenge and a relief to be back with friends.

See you soon.

Kyle

In preparation for Brewfest I am making sure we have enough Hoopla Pale Ale ready, check out the video. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pazYChsefiI&w=560&h=349]

Split Universes

Here I am sitting at home again after a few whirlwind weeks. It’s so wild to go from being a musician on stage in front of lots of people one day, to doing dishes and laundry the next. Quite the dichotomy going on in my life. Honestly though, I really enjoy the split Kyle universes. At times I am able to be home and spend time with the family, but I also get the release of playing music. And for me it's not necessarily just the playing of my instrument, but it's the addiction of performing on stage. I find sometimes I miss the energy I get from being in front of people. Yeah I know, kind of weird, but it's like I was wired to be an entertainer. Even from a young age I was a clown. From performing as a magician at the family dinners, to doing local musicals and TV shows. I always wanted to get up into the lights. And at age nine I decided that I wanted to be a “rock star." I would practice singing in front of the mirror with the brush and even pretend to answer questions from Rolling Stone. But at some point I realized I needed to actually play an instrument to be a rock star and since I was already taking piano lessons at that time, that made the most sense. Certainly not as cool as guitar, and definitely not as rocking, but I enjoyed it. And I got attention…ahh, I guess that’s what it was all about.

So I dig this strange life. And I am able to balance “dad” with “stage guy” pretty well now. Although sometimes I still find myself singing in the mirror with a brush, but at least this time I am doing it with my daughter.

I am heading out to my favorite coast again with my band, KHB. We are hitting Bellingham, Seattle, Portland and Lake Tahoe, this Thursday through Sunday. It’ll be nice to get on the road again and play some club dates (and drink great beer!). See ya in the Northwest this week! Also, I have included a link to a tune, "Rosie," that was played for the first time at the SCI Winter Carnival shows. I did a bit of a remix to it and added some new elements as well. Check it out, I hope you enjoy.

[soundcloud width="100%" height="81" params="" url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/12788650"]

Hoppy Birthday

Ok, ok, so it's my birthday, don’t rub it in. And now that I am more than twice Justin Bieber’s age, I am starting to feel the years. But at least we have matching haircuts. The bowl cut will never die!!! Actually, things are going pretty great. I have been busy for the last few months writing tunes and playing music. I did some cool shows around town with my band, KHB. We opened for Umphrey's at the Fillmore, in Denver, and that was a blast. They are such a great guys and it's always a pleasure to hang with them. But, honestly, it was my wife’s birthday so I got a bit buzzed and ran around the Fillmore dancing and screaming. So I didn’t get to much time to hang. I think I remember having a had a good time though.

But then there’s now and I am deep in rehearsals with SCI. With only a week left before the big 1st Bank Center Cheese shows, we are getting pumped. We are digging into some of the older material that has not been played in a while, but also breaking out some new tracks. It's going to be awesome, it's always a bit challenging to just jump back in it and that’s why we spend so many weeks preparing. It's not about learning the chords to “Howard” again, it's more so about jamming together and getting the magic back. It's never lost, but just needs to be dusted off a bit.

See you there. And make sure to catch KHB in the Northwest next month:

04.07.11 Wild Buffalo | Bellingham, WA -w/Acorn Project 04.08.11 Nectar | Seattle, WA -w/Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad 04.09.11 Bossanova Ballroom | Portland, OR -w/Acorn Project and Jesta

Hoppy Holidays: #1

So here we are at the final keyboardist. As I look at this list I see so many amazing players. And although I had to choose the ones that made an impact on my playing I have so many more that I admire. From Red Garland and Brad Mehldau to Chester Thompson and Matt Rollings, there are so many great musicians out here. And, of course, my college teacher ,Greg Hatza, had a big influence on me and helped me get started on my journey so many years ago. And I thank him for that... #1: Herbie Hancock

So yes, every keyboard player is expected to cite Herbie as an influence. And with good reason, he is sooo the man. I first found him in college after my piano professor turned me on to Speak No Evil (a Wayne Shorter album). Of course I had heard of Herbie from the Eighties hit “Rockit,” but the earlier Miles Davis side of him was so was so soulful. Every note had so much feel and intention. And although in college I was studying all the greats, such as Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Bud Powell, etc., I kept coming back to Herbie. The live Miles Davis 1964 discs Four & More + My Funny Valentine were constantly playing in my room. It was, and remains to be, one of my favorite recordings of all time. There is great compositional improvisation on that record, so much musical intuition between the players. It wasn’t until later that I discovered the Headhunters' records. This was another level for me as well. Not only funky playing, but also that tone coming from the Rhodes was something I had to have. Herbie’s feel is always at the center of his playing whether a piano, Rhodes or Clavinet. He was a great inspiration for me.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more! – SOLD OUT!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hmVHhH96es&fs=1&hl=en_US]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76uSD1-u34Y&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown: #2

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#2: Bill Payne

Growing up, I would hear music wafting down the staircase from my brother’s super cool attic bedroom. And although my family was primarily a Beatles/Simon & Garfunkel institution, he was playing some new music that peeked my interest. It had great feel and less-predictable song forms. So I started digging into Little Feat myself. I remember spending hours listening to Waiting For Columbus, especially “Dixie Chicken.” I loved the breakdown with the horn section and Bill’s solo moment there is awesome. The whole concept of laying-down time with the left hand, while freeing up the right for improvisation, was new to me. I guess I had never really heard much ragtime/New Orleans-style music before, so the concept of a “one man band” was inspirational. And Bill uses the whole piano as a canvas. From his high percussion-type splashes to super low bombs, Bill taught me that piano is a percussion instrument in every sense of the word. At times, I still struggle to get out of my three- or four-octave safe zone. It is always refreshing to watch or listen to Bill play. He is the catalyst for me to stretch out of my comfort zone, which is always good.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more! – SOLD OUT!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWnYuw2JxSA&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown: #3

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#3: Bernie Worrell via Talking Heads

Seriously, from ages 17 to 21 I went a bit psychotic over the Talking Heads. This band was my high school obsession. You know, the time in your life where you kind of find an identity based on the scene you are in and music you listen to? It was not until I saw Stop Making Sense that I really got hooked. I dug in deep. I got every recording I could find and listened until the grooves on the vinyl wore out (records were large discs that would play music, they predate the modern CD). I then followed the musical genealogy of the separate band members from The Tom Tom Club to The Modern Lovers to Bernie Worrell and Parliament. It was the sounds and the groove that Bernie brought to the Heads' music that most likely made me like them in the first place. I was discovering funk from the back door. Maybe not the back door, but some sort of super white, geeky, artsy side entrance. Some of those songs had great moments. “Life During War Time” and its super funky Clavinet and wailing prophet tones made my head turn. What the hell was making those sounds? Parliament was a later addition for me, and although Bernie was an integral part of those tunes, I kept falling back to his work with the Heads for funky inspiration.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more! - SOLD OUT!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsksSWOxq2Y&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown: #4

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#4: Brent Mydland

I remember being freaked out about the name “Grateful Dead,” I always imagined a heavy metal band of sorts, but once I listened to what they were doing, I had more respect for the music. My brother had this great soundboard tape and the keyboards were super high in the mix, perhaps to the detriment of the blend, but it did give me a chance to check out some of his work firsthand. It was kind of like a personal keyboard lesson. And it was great to hear someone up close, acting and reacting to what was going on in the music. I remember checking out the whole “China Cat Sunflower” into “I Know You Rider”-sequence many times. There was such good listening going on from everyone on stage. The music seemed like a big conversation and Jerry’s melodies would weave through bass and keys lines so seamlessly. I’d never heard a piano player on up-tempo, almost-bluegrass-style tunes before, it was an eye-opener. It was in Brent’s playing that I understood how improvisational music could be brought into the rock realm. Basically, it was through him that I really started getting into the Jam scene.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQY1ZXznyZQ&fs=1&hl=en_US]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYjMCSlA6AU&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#5: Stevie Wonder

Growing up, my family was the Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary-type crowd, nothing musically challenging, just good songs with lyrically provoking themes. Of course, the Beatles were right in there as well, but the R & B and Motown sound didn’t really make it through our door. It came down to me looking outside my family’s genre to find new music. By the time I was in high school, I was listening to the Talking Heads and discovering new sounds, such as African rhythms through the albums Remain In Light and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts and funk from Bernie Worrell and Parliament. This road eventually wound its way through Billy Preston and The Meters into Ray Charles and landed on Stevie Wonder. It was not just Stevie’s soulful playing, but also the songwriting that hooked me in. Tunes like “You Haven’t Done Nothing” and “Higher Ground” spoke to my sense of funk, but also to my feelings on social consciousness. And I loved the quality of those recordings, so raw and so much energy. And his voice has such great versatility, I enjoyed all the nuances that decorated the ends of his phrases. Stevie was able to bridge my early pop influences with some real soul and lead me in a new direction musically and compositionally.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more!

For more information on Hoppy Holidays and to purchase tickets go to www.kylehollingsworth.com/ontour

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnbdXWvmysg&fs=1&hl=en_US]

SCI: Rehearsal to Realization

WOW… um...so that was totally cool and very fun. After a few crazy months of rehearsing with the band, it finally came down to actually getting up there and doing it. It went pretty smoothly actually, of course, there were some bonks and miscommunications on stage, but that’s part of the live performance. It makes for a more “real” experience (whether good or bad). We are so lucky to be able to play these amazing venues. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of the great stages in the country. Having grown up watching MTV, I always knew of that place from U2's “Sunday Bloody Sunday” performance. You know, the one with the torches and the huge flag? But getting up there on that giant stage, looking out to those three hundred-foot monoliths, is an amazing thing. It does put some fear into you as you walk out in front of nine thousand people. And it did make us play, at times, a bit conservatively, but once you get the adrenalin going, you get pumped and you just get up there and go for it.

Horning's, on the other hand, is a small event, tucked away in the woods of Oregon - a very low key, “family vibe” experience. SCI has been influenced by many of the festivals we have played over the years in the Northwest, namely Oregon Country Fair. To that end, we have made this event a more visceral and musical experience. With the grounds having tall moss-covered trees and rolling hills, it makes for a “Hobbit town” atmosphere, great for escaping the everyday life. I think this environment helped us explore a bit more on stage. I personally felt more relaxed and ready to sync with everyone.

Two very different stages, but I think SCI rocked both of them. I'm so psyched to be back grooving with them again. And we are just getting started.

I made a video of my last few months with SCI. From late April rehearsals to the final events. Check it out:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLDxCFZbnw&hl=en_US&fs=1]

-10

This is crazy. It is 7 degrees and snowing right now. And at night it is like 10 below. I love Colorado, but this a bit much for me. Even the dog has frozen paws. The year is wrapping up and I am feeling good about the last few months. The road was a bit of a trial at times, but nothing could stop the music. The band was really finding its groove. Somewhere in all that chaos we were able to bring out the best in all of us. It was reminiscent of the early Cheese days with the late night drives and the exhausted load-ins and we would play the shows as hard as we could because every show counted.

I have a few more gigs before this year is out. I am hitting the Front Range one more time this weekend. First I head to the mountains to play in Breckenridge, then down to Denver, and finally up to Ft. Collins to do "A Holiday Folly for Charity;" a special benefit show for the Food Bank for Larimer County with New Belgium Brewing Company. The “rock and brew” tour ends as it began with a special beer I made with a choice brewery. “Kyle’s Imperial Winter Ale” will be served at the show. I will actually be playing in the brewery itself right next to the huge brew kettles. Should be pretty cool.

On January 2nd I hit the high seas on Jam Cruise. Not only with my band, but also with The Motet, playing the amazing Talking Heads show!! Nice way to start the new year…. Then I hibernate for the winter. Ahhh sleep

Kyle

Toll Roads and Tropical Storms

Damn…seriously what is the deal with all the toll roads back east? I had forgotten about that.  And it is not like the roads are in great shape either. One would think with all that money it would be a lot smoother traveling out here. But the good news is we bypassed all the weather from Tropical Storm Ida. It has just been a bit cloudy and we are looking forward to the warm and sunny South. We have been traveling with a band called Revision. I have really been digging their sound. Super cool guys! Next week we head out with Ryan Montbleau Band. I have heard great things about them as well. Nice to see other bands out here working it.

I feel fortunate to be able to play music for a living, but it can be pretty brutal. Long drives, bad food and loading organs up two flights of stairs can wear on you. Sometimes I feel like it's us against the world, I'm definitely paying my dues all over again. I will be psyched to get back with the SCI boys again and get some help with all my gear (ha!).

See ya out there. Kyle

The Thin Line

Well I am back home decompressing (and detoxing) from the last West Coast run. All I can say is “WOW”. What a great experience. From the beaches of San Diego to the trees of northwest, the West Coast is an amazing place to tour. There were some long days in the van, but we would each take turns driving and picking the tunes. I got turned on to a lot of great music from other people's iPods; bands like Stereo Lab and Tortoise...there are a lot of great sounds out there The weather was mostly cooperative and the crowds were very accepting. It is always tough to tour on a new CD. The fans do not know the tunes yet and it can be a challenge to woo them over, but I was pleasantly surprised by the acceptance of my new songs. There is a fine line I have to ride between playing older stuff and trying out the new material, but I guess that is part of the deal.

We all had a blast playing with Zach Gill. I really dug his sound and his incredible stage presence. He is a great songwriter and performer. And the dual keyboard encores were a lot of fun. I hope to do it again with him soon.

The beer was awesome as well. I visited Stone Brewery in San Diego. This place has to be one of my favorite breweries in the country. I love the beer, but the restaurant is an event unto itself. With botanical gardens and waterfalls, Stone ranks (in my book) a must see in Southern California.

On the way up north, I stopped by a friend's brewery in Fairfax CA, called Iron Springs.  We came in for some lunch and beers. Mike Altman has done a great job up there and I was impressed by the wide selection. The Casey Jones Imperial IPA was tasty.

Lastly, I spent some time over at the Deschutes pub in Portland. I met about a dozen fans and we had beers and food and then went on a brewery tour together. There are some good folks up there. And Deschutes took very good care of all of us. They rock!

So the show is still on the road. We hit the East Coast in November going from Burlington, VT, down to Athens, GA. There will be plenty of more great shows to be had and beers to be drunk.  So we will see you out there.

Check out some new videos from tour on my YouTube Channel.

Kyle

Heading West

I am still reeling from the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. It was awesome. I visited a lot of my favorite breweries and I discovered a bunch of new ones as well. I've been to the festival in the past, and it always seemed as if everyone there had a big head start on me. People were stumbling around with pretzel necklaces and screaming for their hometown beers. This time it seemed more reserved, more about the beer. I dug it. Speaking of great beer I am heading to the land of microbreweries. I'm taking my band out to the West Coast. I'm super psyched. There's always a rockin' crowd out there, plus they have an ocean which is hard to find here in Colorado. This time I am touring with Zach Gill from ALO/Jack Johnson; great keyboard player & genuinely a cool dude. Both of our bands will play full sets and we hope to get some dual keyboard jam time in as well. Come join us for one (or more) of the shows on the West Coast next week!

And of course I am going to visit some more breweries along the way. Next stop is Stone Brewing near San Diego, in Escondido. I met the founder at GABF and I will be stopping by his Brewery & Bistro next Tuesday, October 6th. Then I head up to Iron Springs outside of San Fran on the 11th and finally Deschutes in Portland on the 17th. Everyone is welcome to join me for a meet & greet at these select breweries. I am looking forward to getting a chance to see how the good stuff is made. Lets drink tasty beer and play delicious music!

Check out this video of KHB and guests at the Fox (many more will be added to my YouTube Channel, stay tuned):

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjDvKozCmgE&hl=en&fs=1&]

Here are all the upcoming dates:

October dates are co-billed with Zach Gill

October 7 Winston’s Beach Club San Diego, CA

October 8 The Mint Los Angeles, CA

October 9 SOHO Restaurant & Music Club Santa Barbara, CA

October 10 The Independent San Francisco, CA

October 11 HopMonk Tavern Sebastopol, CA

October 13 The Red Fox Tavern Eureka, CA

October 14 WOW Hall Eugene, OR

October 15 The Triple Door Seattle, WA

October 16 Wild Buffalo Bellingham, WA

October 17 Mississippi Studios Portland, OR

November 11 Club Metronome Burlington, VT

November 12 Sullivan Hall New York, NY

November 13 The 8x10 Baltimore, MD

November 14 The Khyber Philadelphia, PA

November 15 Capital Ale House Richmond, VA

Following November dates are co-billed with Ryan Montbleau Band

November 17 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC

November 18 The Pour House Music Hall Raleigh, NC

November 19 The Pour House Charleston, SC

November 20 The Garage at Biltmore Asheville, NC

November 21 New Earth Music Hall Athens, GA

December 12 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, CO

On Our Way Back Home

Sitting in a hotel in Salem, MO, waiting for van to come pick us up for Camp Zoe... It has been a hectic couple of weeks. We started out in Madison, WI, with our friends, Euforquestra, and played through the weekend in the Midwest. What a great vibe out there.  I was able to play some great music and drink some good beers with Bent River and Goose Island. I was impressed with most everything they showcased and there were some awesome IPAs to be had. Check them out!

I came home and tapped “Hoppingsworth IPA” for the first time and was very psyched with the result. It came out well and I think everyone had a good time. I may have actually had too much of a good time, as I do not really remember the last hour or so of the party. That beer is strong!!  I imagine it will go fast, so go get some before its gone. Many thanks to head brewer Hutch and the Mountain Sun for making it happen.

The new disc dropped on Tuesday and I hope those of you who have listened to it are enjoying the sound. I am readying for the big CD release party at the Fox on Saturday. Euforquestra is opening the show and they always bring great vibe to the room. Plus we end up doing some great music together at the end of my show. It is very over the top and with the combination of Hoppingsworth on tap and great sound, the show will be slamming.

And, of course, we are making our way up the Poudre Canyon on Friday to play some music with Jeff Austin at Mishawaka. What a fantastic location for a show and it is probably one of the last outside events up there this season. Looking forward to the seeing the moon rise over the stage.

Ahh here comes the van just on time...I will make it in seconds flat...

Kyle

Takeoff

Well it is kinda crazy, you do all this hype for months and then the day comes and you gotta live it. No more talking about it just doing it. ok...I am ready. The band is happening and the sound is solid so we are going to hit the road and see what happens. I have been practicing with them for a couple of days now. It is wild how rehearsal is always a negotiation between vision and practicality. What can I do in this short session to make the band shine and how do I focus on our strengths? Luckily I have a talented crew and I'm psyched to have them on board.

Ok ok...so the important stuff - this week we are headed out on tour again and we will:

A: play rocking shows and give the Wisconsin cheese heads something to talk about

B: drink good beer with “Goose Island” in Chicago

C: navigate the Illinois highway toll system and not receive a $100 fine like last time

D: come home to Boulder to a “Hoppingsworth IPA” tasting party at Southern Sun

E: have a great time with Jeff Austin at Mishawaka

F: and end the week with a blow out CD Release Party at the Fox Theatre

G: Sleep for 2 weeks

Sounds good to me!!

Stay tuned to my Facebook Page for updates from the road and behind-the-scenes footage with my handy digi cam: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kyle-Hollingsworth/137221550034

See you soon. Kyle

The Countdown

[digg=http://digg.com/music/Kyle_Hollingsworth_of_SCI_New_Album_Signature_Beer] Just a few more weeks until the new disc, Then There's Now, hits the streets and the new band hits the road. I just did a “test run” of the new lineup at Fat Fest in Minnesota . The show was great and I think the band is going to make some waves. The festival was very rainy, but was still a great time. We got to hang with our friends in Family Groove Company and they styled us out with some gear to use. That was especially cool of them because the stage was getting dumped on and I am pretty sure most everything got drenched. Festivals in the summer, gotta love it.

So this Midwest run is coming up soon and it's going to be a blast. My band (KHB) is going out with a Colorado band called Euforquestra. If you have not seen them yet check them out. I am looking forward to a lot of great music and hopefully some collaboration. They will also be with us at my CD release party at the Fox Theatre, Saturday, September 19th. That is sure to be off the hook!

I am also excited about the first taste of the “Hoppingsworth IPA”. This is the brew I made with the Mountain Sun Brewery folks in Boulder. There is going to be a “tasting and listening party” at the Southern Sun on Monday, September 14th at 6pm . We will spin the disc, tap Hoppingsworth IPA for the first time, and we will have the new album available for sale one day before the national release. Come on out! I also made some cool pint glasses we can all drink from!

So there is a bunch of stuff happening soon. It is going to be a busy couple weeks. I hope to see you all out there. You can keep informed at my website kylehollingsworth.com.

Cheers! Kyle

P.S. I made a short video of “brew day” at the Mountain Sun

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXgGCZSGw6g&hl=en&fs=1]

So Now What?

Well it has been a few weeks since Rothbury and our "Incident" for the year. It was pretty cool to be standing side stage doing the “pre show huddle” and looking out over the sea of excited fans. And when we walked out onto stage to the great big sound of appreciation it felt so good to be up there again. And yes I was a bit nervous I kinda scraped my way through the first tune just trying to keep my head in the game. I thought the show went well. A few bonks here and there, in fact the power went out during “Little Hands” and it caught us off guard for a moment, but we recovered and raged on. Overall I was surprised how easily we all sank into the groove again after not being on stage together for two years.

So what happens next? I wish I knew. From my perspective I would love to go out and play some more shows. I cannot say for sure, but it did seem like the band felt the same way. But one thing I do know is that this “break” has been good for everyone. The band came back refreshed and ready to play together again. And although all of our scide projects have their own vibe and momentum, I do think there is something to be said about how the six of us play together as a band. There is something special that happens when we are all connected in the moment and in the music.

I hope to keep it going!

Kyle

Up and Running

Ok- Here we go! So we just put up a cool new website up that has a free download of a tune off of my new disc, Then There’s Now (available September 15 on SCI Fidelity Records). Check it out at www.kylehollingsworth.com. Also, I put up a video of one of the new tunes I did “acoustic” with Garrett. He rocks! The video is a cool “MTV unplugged”-sort-of-thing, except we were in my basement.

Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for more exclusive looks into my new album.

Kyle

ROTHBURY

[digg=http://digg.com/music/Kyle_of_String_Cheese_Incident_Day_in_the_Life_at_Rothbury] Wow...holy sh*t

I had so much fun at Rothbury last weekend. From frisbee golf on a real golf course, getting back with the boys again and rocking out, to getting lost in Sherwood Forest, this was one special event.

The vibe on stage was amazing and it felt so good to be in the groove again, it was exhilarating. I look forward to doing it again...

I did a short video of my “Day in the Life” at Rothbury. Check it out…

Kyle

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjQO5AnUFkw&hl=en&fs=1&]