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]

Fall

Hampton Coliseum. The mothership, hell yeah. I had heard of this place for years, but I had never been there. It was incredible. Nice to be in a venue that has so much history. The shows were pretty rocking, a bit more edge than our usual “diverse“ String Cheese sets. We purposely mixed up the tunes a bit and tried not to put traditional tunes in the same old spots. For example: “Shine” to open second set or “Restless Wind“ to end the show. Although, by doing this, it did put some not-quite-as-strong songs in the hot seat for opening and closing the sets. But it came off pretty well. And really it just comes down to committing to the tunes and making them rock. Overall, I thought the shows were great. Plus “Jump” was awesome. Travis nailed it! So I’m keeping super busy this Fall. Next week my solo project, KHB, is playing in the Midwest. We are touring with a band out of St. Louis called Messy Jiverson. They are making some waves in that area and I’m looking forward to hanging and jamming with those guys. There are a lot of good collaboration possibilities, so the shows are sure to be slammin’.

I am super psyched to announce my Hoppy Holidays run December 10-12. The three shows are here on the Front Range with my band and also feature DJ Logic and Liza. It is sure to go off, we did this same line up at YarmonyGrass Festival last Summer and it was one of my favorite sets of the Summer. And, of course, there is always awesome beer. In conjunction with Boulder Beer and Avery Brewing, I will be making special brews for this event. In fact, the Sunday show is a benefit for Conscious Alliance at Avery Brewery in their back barrel room in Boulder. Tickets will include a lot of great stuff as usual.

And, in my ever-changing need to try new things and challenge myself, I am doing a few unique shows this Fall as well. I am playing a children’s concert at the Yo Gabba Gabba show here in Broomfield this Sunday, November 7th. Also I will be touring with Bonerama and Steve Kimock on the East Coast for a few select dates.

Check the website for all the info: http://www.kylehollingsworth.com/ontour

Thanks y’all.

Kyle

Falling Out of Summer

It has been a crazy few months. From Red Rocks to forest fires, this summer has been full of wondrous and disastrous times. The season began with copious amounts of SCI rehearsals that lead to a great run of shows here in Colorado and the West Coast. Then I put on a brew fest and traveled the country playing with my solo band. We had a lot of fun hanging in the festival circuit. But then in late Summer, the foothills of Boulder got hit with the biggest fire in local history. To that end, I am super psyched to be involved in the Fourmile Fire Revival show. The line up is killer and it will be the first time I have played with some of those folks. I have seen Phish many times, but never really met them. And, in fact, I played in a band that performed a tribute set to them at the last Jammy Awards. A bit awkward really, they sat side stage as we performed their music very marginally. Must have been weird for them as well. I am not sure how this whole show will go down, but I hope all the bands get some time to play together. I am looking forward to it!

On the beer front, I have been talking with a lot of great breweries about doing some more “Kyle brews." Several of them have already shown some interest in crafting up new brews with me. I would love to do another brew fest next summer and perhaps a benefit this holiday season. Stay tuned... I also went to the Great American Beer Festival this last week, great times and awesome beers. Some of my favorites were Fat Head Brewery and Blind Tiger Brewery, their IPA's were outstanding. I made a short video of my adventure, from karaoke to silent disco, I got a little crazy this year.

see ya, Kyle

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzQuV3a_890&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]

Let's Go Outside

So my “other” band, SCI, has been at it for about two weeks now. It has been great, but a bit overwhelming. We have been digging in pretty seriously, about 25-30 hours a week.   And the shows aren't even happening for another month!  I imagine by then we will be so ready to get out and play for a live audience.  Staring at the those four walls of our practice space can get a bit tedious. I am ready for the stage surrounded by walls of giant red rock. The trick has been what to practice. With about 120 tunes we do not have time to polish all of them up. And, for me, I am more interested in people bringing new tunes and cover ideas to the table. While I'm excited to play all the old tunes, I also want to keep it fresh with new music and grooves. We have all been growing outside of SCI with other projects, so it's cool to bring in those influences.

In rehearsal we have been trying to balance all six of our diverse opinions so everyone can be heard. It can be a bit of a tightrope act at times to juggle all the strong wills in one band. And in fact we kind of got into it with each other the other day. But I see that as a good thing. A sign that everyone is feeling vested in this project and its final outcome. It's nice to be back with the band again, a place where everyone can put it all out there.

On a personal note, I was able to jump back into the studio and mix an outtake from my latest disc, Then There's Now. This little gem didn't make it on the disc originally, but after a few tweaks here and there, I think it's ready.  I made it available as a free download so feel free to grab it and rock it.
Download "Let's Go Outside" Here!

See ya soon.

Kyle

One of Everyone

Wow. What a great time this past weekend. I had the pleasure of being part of the Everyone Orchestra. I have done similar gigs in the past with Colonel Bruce Hampton and Zambieland, but this time around it seemed a bit more focused. Matt Butler did a great job driving the ship through the murky sonic seas. Trying to direct so many musicians from different backgrounds into a cohesive sound must be difficult. And, yes, at times it was a bit chaotic, but overall it felt like a good dance party. If you have not seen one of these events get out be a part of it sometime. Speaking of  “events,”  I am excited to announce that I will be hosting my own beer festival this summer. Kyle’s Brew Fest is happening on Thursday, July 22nd, the day before the SCI Red Rocks shows, at Great Divide Brewing in Denver. It is a culmination of all that I have done over the last year and will combine my love of music, home brewing and great beer. We will be hosting 8 to10 different breweries from around the country. Each will bring its unique tastes to this festival. Hoppingsworth IPA will be back on tap as well as some other treats. The ticket will include beer, food, cool pint glasses, and a set from my band, KHB. And with all the proceeds benefiting Conscious Alliance, it's a great way to give to a good cause and enjoy a summer night with a cold brew. see you out there!

Kyle

Beautiful Dog, Beautiful World

Hello friends, It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you all. After much consideration, I have decided to abandon my life as a musician and start anew as a dog groomer. It has been a very difficult decision for me and I hope everyone can understand and respect my choice. I love music, and it will always be an important part of my life, but right now I feel that I must follow my lifelong passion. I want to dedicate my life to making man’s best friend more beautiful. It will be in that beauty that I can contribute love to the world.

I want to thank everyone for all your support over the years and I hope to see you out there again. If not on stage, then perhaps with your pooch at the shop.

Love to you all, Kyle M. Hollingsworth NDGAA

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjrc67cl_g&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Ready For Spring

My life is not that exciting. I change diapers, walk the dog, work on the house, make dinners and build a snowman on occasion. Nothing too glamorous here and I’m cool with that. But I did venture out of the house the other day. I went to see the Furthur show at First Bank Center. Very cool indeed. I enjoy Jeff Chimenti’s playing a great deal, he has great feel and always has creative ideas. The band sounded tight and rehearsed although it was not one of my favorite setlists. Bobby and Phil seem to be on top of their game, and, of course, “the others” in the band really honored the music. The venue is awesome, it's a big open-seating arena with great views everywhere. I hope SCI can get in there someday and rock it.

The night before that, I played with Keith and some friends at an impromptu show in Nederland.  It's nice to play with him again, we can read each other very well, so the music seemed to flow pretty effortlessly.  It was a super small room so the energy was right up in your face.

I imagine it's going to be the same vibe this weekend. I am heading up to the mountains with my band to do some shows. The venues in the hills have such a different feeling than the “lowlands” clubs - very laid back in some sense, but also ready to rage at any moment. It must have something to do with the living-on-the-edge skiing attitude that everyone adopts up there.

I’m also getting ready for a big summer.  SCI starts rehearsal in a bit and I'm pumped to rock the shows we have lined up. And hopefully KHB will play some festivals as well in the down time. I’m ready for spring and warmer weather, this winter is getting a little bit long.

See you out there, kyle

Also, I just posted one of my favorite shows from the last tour on LiveDownloads.com. It's from T he 8x10 in Baltimore (my hometown). I also got my buddies up from one of my first bands, Black Friday, to play a couple tunes with me. Download it for FREE here.

Boat, Sun, Music.

Ahhhh jam cruiseWhat a treat. I get to ride on a giant ship go to tropical islands, play music and have dinner with George Porter and Colonel Bruce Hampton. It’s such a unique event. A nice cross between vacation and performance.

After a brief scare of lost luggage and the possibility of wearing a bathrobe for the whole cruise, we made it on board.  For a “tropical cruise,” this was not exactly what I had in mind. It was freaking cold and raining most of the time, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of any of the festive cruisers.  And in fact, I was able to climb some massive waterfalls in Jamaica. Very awesome.

So this time around I was playing with my band (KHB) and The Motet. I have been doing "the music of The Talking Heads” with The Motet. Needless to say, I am huge Heads fan, so it was great fun to dig into that stuff, plus it gives me an excuse to sharpen up on my Bernie Worrell licks! I also caught some great music from the other groups on the ship. Zappa Plays Zappa, Maceo Parker and Mother Hips were some of my favorites. Jam Cruise always brings such cool, different musical styles on board each year, but the problem is that there is so much going on all the time that it is hard to get to everything. I needed a couple more days to soak it all in!

I think musicians view the boat experience differently than the fans. From the minute you board the ship, you see fellow artists and musical heroes all around you. It’s cool to reconnect with the other bands that you have not seen in a while; it’s kind of like a giant “band camp” experience. And it can be completely inspiring to discover new sounds and talents that everyone is bringing (Nigel Hall rocks!).

In most cases, it is a learning experience, but it can also be a bit intimating. When you find yourself playing with dudes that you have been admiring for years, it can make you sweat a bit. And on another level, it can be a bit of a friendly competition. I think it makes everyone step up their game.

For the most part, the fans are super cool. I did not feel overwhelmed at all and everyone was very respectful. The containment of the boat creates this sense of community between fans and musicians. Everybody is just psyched to be having this special experience together. Boat, Sun, Music.

-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&]

Together Again

[digg=http://digg.com/music/String_Cheese_Incident_Kyle_of_SCI_blogs_recap_and_video] Ohhh... Now I get it.

So I did a special “sound check” show with SCI last night. It was a trip to look across the stage and see the whole band back together again. It felt pretty natural, almost like we had never taken a break. The show was a blast and it was a good warm up for Rothbury.

It is amazing how we can practice for weeks at a time in a small cramped space and still not fully understand it until we are in playing in front of a crowd. It is all about the community and the scene and I am so thankful to have such a great gathering of folks. It has became clear to me how much this means to people. Musically it is fun and rocking, but in a way it is all about the friend next to you who is dancing their ass off.

I do believe that "this must be the place."

Also, it was awesome to see so many people wearing the stickers for my new disc. You Rock! I am looking forward to getting the disc out this fall so you all can hear it.

See you soon, kyle

p.s. I made a short video of my day at the Ogden. It has some footage of pre-show stuff as well as live performance shots.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU5mpjNwWXA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]