5 questions for Pjef Grantham

John Lehndorff, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 21, 2007 at midnight

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Pjef Grantham, 35, is a diehard F.O.C. (Friends of Cheese). He's attended more than 200 concerts ("I've stopped counting") by the String Cheese Incident since his first show in a Houston bar in 1996. He has seen the Boulder-based jam band's "incidents" all over the United States and elsewhere, including "Japan, Canada, Costa Rica and Texas."

Since he likes to be in front of the stage for every show - "First in line, last to leave is my motto" - he will be in line early in the morning outside Denver's Fillmore Auditorium Thursday through Saturday. Then he moves to Vail's Dobson Arena for shows Monday and Tuesday.

Grantham talked with Rocky staff writer John Lehndorff recently. He said he would have brought his home-made hula hoop, a SCI icon, for the photo session, "but it's frozen in the ice outside my house in Nederland."

1 Some people have this perception that fans of String Cheese Incident are hippie-dippie kids who don't have jobs, don't shower and do drugs. What are you people really like?

"People always say to me, 'You guys are too happy.' We're not Wookies - that's tour rats. I'm a Realtor. I sell houses for Homestead Real Estate in Boulder. There are a lot of professionals: doctors, teachers in F.O.C. and lots of lawyers. That's how we can afford to travel and see shows. . . . There really aren't a lot of drugs at all in this scene. We've been able to avoid the dark side, for the most part. We're definitely a group of misfits, but in the best of ways."

2 Why would anyone want to see the same band - any band - 200 times?

"Why? Because I can, and because I'm a lucky, lucky man. I love the music, but the No. 1 thing for us is the community. This music has brought together so many amazing people. I have friends all over the country because of this."

3 SCI is playing three Spring Carnival shows in three nights this week at the Fillmore. Are these Incidents really any different from any other Incidents?

"Absolutely. Everybody's really amped for this because they didn't do these shows last year. People are coming from all over because this is the home base - you know, 'Come to Cheeseland!' Also, there are unofficial theme nights. Thursday is pirate night, Friday is purple-bunny night and Saturday is silver-space-alien night. The Saturday show is usually three sets - the first is always bluegrass. Everybody gets into the vibe. I hope they play (the song) Sand Dollar."

4 Although most of the people attending SCI's Colorado shows will be veteran Incident-goers, there may be a few newbies. Are there unofficial rules of etiquette that rookies should know about?

"Absolutely. No. 1, for sure, is: Shut Up and Dance. When people around us are talking during songs, we have a hand signal that lets them know to stop. Also, Don't be a Stump. Those people just stand there like trees. You always bump into them and they suck up all the positive energy. And Freak Freely: Let yourself go for it and don't hold back. You're among friends."

5 SCI member Billy Nershi has announced that he'll leave the band after the spring and summer shows, including an expected Red Rocks appearance. The future of the band is undecided. How do you feel about the possible end of String Cheese Incident?

"I have mixed feelings. Sad, maybe, but everything has always been so positive about this community that I know it will keep going. Whether it's for String Cheese or their new bands or something else, I can't help but think it will work out in a good way."

How to talk like an F.O.C.

If you want to experience a String Cheese Incident concert fully, you need to know the lingo, logistics and job assignments. Here are a few, as explained by Pjef Grantham:

• FOCs: Friends of Cheese - that's what we call ourselves. "Cheeseheads" is acceptable, but that's really for people from Wisconsin.

• Incident: a concert by the String Cheese Incident

• Railrider: The rail is the edge of the stage. There's a clan of us who get in line early in the morning. We eat, talk, play cards, hula-hoop. When the doors open, everybody races to claim a spot. You can feel the circular flow of energy from the band to the audience and back. We call it "the vortex." You know, the shows have gotten so big that if you're in the back you don't feel part of it.

• Waistoids: People who are totally drunk or whatever who try to push their way to the front because they have something they just have to tell (band member) Michael (Kang). They usually don't get past The Blockers.

• Blockers: If you're up front, you don't want to get crushed forward. The Blockers are a barrier row of people who set up a little back from the stage and block the crush while they're dancing.

The shows

• String Cheese Incident performs with various guest bands Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Fillmore Auditorium and Monday and Tuesday at Vail's Dobson Arena. All shows are sold out. Hula hoops will not be allowed at the Thursday and Friday Fillmore shows. Hula hoops will be allowed at the Saturday Fillmore show and the two Vail shows.

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