Trick Or Treat: Best Of String Cheese Incident

So first the music - if you enjoy SCI then there is plenty to enjoy in this 9 CD box culled from their famous Halloween shows. The ones featured are:Atlanta 1998Philadelphia 1999Portland 2000NYC 2001LA 2002Las Vegas 2003Madison 2004Las Vegas 29.10.2005 (2 bonus tracks)The total running time of these CDs is well over 11 hrs with the length of the extract from the gig varying from date to date. There is a lot of fun involved as you would imagine with themes being present with some gigs, pirates travelling around the world musically at Philadelphia, a train ride around NY in NYC, and famous rock deaths at LA. Many of the tracks featured here are covers all with the SCI stamp on them. In addition to the full 9 CDs, there is the bonus of the 2CD album best of the box and a double vinyl album for your turntable to enjoy.In addition to the music, the box also contains a signed limited edition print of the spider's web (mine is 910/1200 so there are not many of these boxes around), a selection of mini-posters advertising the gigs, a 12 page (longbox size) booklet giving details of the gigs, a 24 page book of photos of the 2001 gig, so all in all a lovely package one would think.No for the downside of this box - the cheap packaging. This is not a cheap or budget box so I expected quality packaging, however this is not the case. On opening, on top is present the L/E Print and the photo book, the book being slotted into a lightweight sheet of card, both slots in mine were severely torn and the book loose. On lifting the first two items out, there is another flimsy cardboard tray containing the double CD one side, the 9CDs, booklet and mini-posters the other. Although shrink wrapped, the multi CD package is a fold-out where it has to be unfolded 4 times to get at CD9, so you need a large flat surface to do this. Everything has to be taken out including the tray to get at the vinyl album at the bottom, but the tray is so very flimsy it has to be to be emptied first!My box was very well packaged for posting, with the shrink wrapped set being in a close fitting cardboard box, then in an outer box with packing so the internal damage is down to the cheap and nasty presentation of the box set. To balance things up though, at least they did not use plastic boxes for the CDs, it is all cardboard and paper.Although I have a gripe with the format of the package, I have no regrets with purchasing this set, it is just a shame to spoil a beautiful collector's item by cheap packaging. I watched this item for quite a while before purchasing and managed to get it in the end for well under sixty pounds from Amazon themselves, however the next day I noticed the price had jumped up again, but if you want it, keep you eyes open. If you can't afford the box, then grab the 2 CD set.

I was so glad to see a new compilation of live music from String Cheese, whose demise I've been mourning for awhile now. This album showcases some excellent music, especially intertwining of keyboards and guitars, and there are several covers that are a lot of fun. The segue into Peace Train is glorious. But what strikes me most, unfortunately, is that some of the singing is just atrocious! I don't understand why, because this is something I haven't seen on other live albums of theirs. Don't know what happened here, but it's hugely noticeable in places and takes a lot away from the album. Here's hoping they'll edit out such performances in the future - or - maybe we should take 'em at face value and enjoy. It's just hard for me to do in some places on this CD.

Purchased as a gift for my Cheese fan; he loved it!

If you are a String Cheese Incident fan, this collection will give you a chance to hear their take on a bunch of covers as they put an SCI costume on a bunch of their favorite songs. Great takes on The Police, Beatles, Bob Marley and more taken from several past Halloween shows. Sound quality excellent along with rockin' song selection.

This double CD is a compilation of performances from Halloween concerts, ranging from 1998 thru 2004. There is a lot of music here, albeit only a few Cheese songs. I agree that the quality could be better on some cuts, but for many of us this is our only chance to hear them cover such a range as Black Sabbath's "War Pigs", the Door's "LA Woman", Sting's "Walking on the Moon", and then their great performance of "Hot In Herre", among many others. Live performances over a six year range by one of the best jam bands and their friends is a genuine treat. Just don't get caught up making comparisons to their other CD's, and enjoy it for what it is.

Great live CD

Another spectacular release from String Cheese Incident! Reminds me a lot of the spontaneous beautiful jams heard on the Carnival 99 album. All Cheesehead must pick themselves up a copy, you won't be disappointed!

Great cd

Great live album with some awesome covers. Record was in good condition as well. Very little warping compared to a lot of the newer, thicker vinyls I have.

I took a chance on this album due to my interest in jam bands. It is a fun album and a great way to enjoy the band with some songs you may already know.

Trick or treat, smell my feet. Pass the Vaseline please.

It's String Cheese, and it's oh, so good.

I love this album, very funky, good covers, good jams, smooth sounds. Best music for chilling, hosting a party, or slightly more illegal activities

String cheese seamlessly plays cover songs making them their own while honoring the original. This CD really impressed me with the quality of doing a live of cover songs. In contrast to Phish that did horrible renditions of cover songs at their concerts String Cheese really does them justice without losing what makes them String Cheese. They ever do a great rendition of Phish's The Wedge and get Keller Williams on Vocals on his Freeker by the Speaker. If you like String Cheese you will love this Album.

This is clearly the best live album that has come out in 2009. The sound is impeccable and the song selection is also phenomenal. No complaints whatsoever. It is an amazing piece of work. Congrats SCI.

Now if they would re release their old albums on vinyl I would be very happy. The cover songs are done better than the original artist did them.