By Nathan Cross
Staff Writer

The String Cheese Incident is not your typical band, and that is what makes it so attractive to so many fans.

The String Cheese Incident refuses to give up any creativity by signing with a major label. Its members write long, jam—filled songs that the radio would not dream of playing, they let fans tape their show and work hard for good audience—fan interaction. With this in mind, at 8 tonight in the Murat Egyptian Room in Indianapolis, The String Cheese Incident will take the stage.

The String Cheese Incident has drawn comparisons to well known jam bands such as Phish, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers and the Dave Matthews Band for its long jam—filled live performances. But The String Cheese Incident’s musical genre is as hard to pin down as a wet, slippery bar of soap. The band squirms in and out of musical classifications, being described as jazz, bluegrass, world beat, rock and everything in between. Its hodgepodge musical approach is nothing like your "typical" radio music but is just as effective.

The musical approach is extremely evident on the band's newest release, "Carnival ‘99," which was recently released on SCI Fidelity Records, a label created by and for the band. The CD captures live performances from all over the United States and Canada. The audience—band interaction can be felt all over the album. Tracks like "Mauna Bowa" and "Texas" shine and showcase The String Cheese Incident’s live strength.

The String Cheese Incident has made a name for itself through constant touring since its beginning in 1993. It averages 160 live shows, or "Incidents" as they are known to fans, a year. A group of devoted String Cheese Incident fans throughout the country known as "pirates" help promote concerts and new releases. There are over 3,000 "pirates" across the states helping to spread the good word about The String Cheese Incident.

After traveling across the United States each year, the band and many devoted fans take part in an "International Incident" in which they travel to another country for a performance. This year’s "International Incident" will take place in Costa Rica.

The String Cheese Incident’s fan base is what has made the band into what it is today, a hard—working band whose members strive for creativity and freedom in themselves as well as their audience.