From October 24-27, Hulaween will return to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla., for another rousing edition of the beloved American tradition of combining a multi-genre musical lineup with a community-filled camping experience under the Florida sun. Defining this year’s 11th annual occasion are resident festival accomplices, The String Cheese Incident, who have signed on to perform three nights of headlining sets, or Incidents, in addition to a unique crossover with Grateful Dead guitarist/original member Bobby Weir.
Billed as The Bobby Weir Incident, the forthcoming collaborative delivery will represent the first time a member of the Grateful Dead has participated in an iteration of Hulaween. It also marks Weir’s debut sit-in with The String Cheese Incident, despite a shared affinity for John Barlow’s lyrics, including a co-writing credit with mandolinist/vocalist Michael Kang on “Desert Dawn.” During Hulaween, the amalgamated lineup will offer a pair of 90-minute sets, leaning into the shared improvisational approach of letting music live and develop in the moment.
String Cheese Incident’s latest Relix interview, culminating in our September 2024 issue, Editor-in-Chief Dean Budnick asked members about their impending Hulaween gigs with Weir. Michael Travis said, “It’s an incredible honor to get to dig in with Bobby. It’s so deeply satisfying and amazing to get to play a show with him and be included in that musical conversation.” Adding his own sentiments regarding the forthcoming musical experience, Kang touched on the Grateful Dead hefty collection, imparting, “Obviously the song book is amazing. We also have a personal connection through our old friend John Perry Barlow, who passed away a few years ago. JPB and I were really close and obviously Bobby was really close with him as well. I think it’s going to be very cool.”
Michael Berg, co-founder and owner of Hulaween, told Relix, “As long-time deadheads, we are excited to welcome Bobby Weir to Hulaween in the grandest fashion! A first and once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between Bobby and our host band, The String Cheese Incident as The Bobby Weir Incident, is going to be the sing-along get-down we all needed to wrap up this year’s festival season at the 11th annual Hulaween. Another Hula co-founder, my brother Paul Levine, hosted shows with Bobby’s Rat Dog earlier in his career back in the late 90s. However, this will be my first time officially welcoming him to one of our curated events.”
Berg concluded by touching on the uniqueness of what’s to come: “Grateful Dead’s monumental effect on our culture and community cannot be measured, so after celebrating it for 3+ decades now, honored is an understatement, and the word ‘special’ only scratches the surface. This will be an all-time moment for Hula, SCI, and, of course, Paul, myself, and the rest of our partners & team.”
Apart from The Bobby Weir Incident, Hulaween’s 11th edition is slated to feature debut live performances from Sublime, featuring original members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh alongside frontman Jakob Nowell, the late Bradley Nowell’s son. Also joining the festival ranks as first-time players at this event are rapper/activist Killer Mike, duo Black Pumas, and Australian singer-songwriter Tash Sultana.
Returning for another round of Hulaween are Umphrey’s McGee and jamgrass rockers Greensky Bluegrass. Also set to head back to the familiar grounds are British electronic masters Tipper, LP Giobbi, Daily Bread, and Walker & Royce. Attendees can also anticipate sets from Andy Frasco & The U.N., Cory Wong, Dumpstaphunk, Sam Grisman Project, Eggy, Lettuce, Midlife, New Mastersounds, and Say She She.
Tickets are on sale now via suwanneehulaween.com. Scroll down to view more of the 2024 artist lineup.
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