The 10,000 Lakes Festival (10KLF) announces the addition of The String Cheese Incident to the lineup, confirming a Minnesota performance on their summer tour. The Colorado-based group has spent more than a decade making innovative, genre-defying music and will perform two sets at the 10,000 Lakes Festival Friday, July 20 on the Main Stage.

"The String Cheese Incident is thrilled to be returning to 10KLF for the third time and are looking forward to performing in the North Woods once again," says SCI manager Mike Luba.

SCI has confirmed two new "Incidents" along their sold out New York City and Colorado runs; Wednesday, July 11 th at the Beacon Theatre and Thursday, August 9 th at Red Rocks have been added to their Summer Tour schedule. Tickets for these two shows go on sale on Thursday, May 31 st at 10:00 am Mountain Time at www.stringcheeseincident.com.

It was in a small hipster bar in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia where I met the band for a pre-show birthday dinner for my good friend and road manager Ben Scrimali. The members of the band were extremely down to earth and friendly as we talked about Boulder and the ever changing music of the Motet. After we ate and drank it was time to be merry and mosey over to the Fire, another small bar in the big city.

The last eight months have been kind of a crossroads period for San Francisco rockers, New Monsoon. Not only did they recruit a new bass player, but also lost their two key percussionists who have left the band indefinitely.  In today's fragile music scene, this situation could have been disastrous.

Live set pays tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Staple Singers and Billie Holiday; set includes traditional spirituals as well as and original several new original songs.

In our looking back at last year's 10,000 Lakes Festival in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, we turn to Day Two of the four-day event.

It's been said that fine, delicate wines need to mature slowly. For bands, sometimes that's true. In GB Leighton's case, it has taken almost two decades of songwriting and serious performing to develop into a force that is poised to take on the musical world.  That maturing is grounded in Brian Leighton's songwriting, his powerful vocal delivery, and the backing of a phenomenally talented band.