First time Rock & Rails performer Los Cheesies will bring new energy June 29

One of the most enjoyable things about Rock & Rails is the mix of bands that play each week. It's possible that the only thing each week has in common is that whoever is playing on stage, they are going to be danceable.

And Los Cheesies might be one of the most unconventional bands to step onto the bandstand stage at Whistle Stop Park. Their mix of fusion reggae, ska, Latin, '80's, rap and psychedelic rock stylings is blended with wacky humor that could winkingly be called "Yankovian" (as in Weird Al Yankovic). They have played at the Boulder Creek Festival, Frozen Dead Guy Days, Taco Fest and a handful of beer fests, and now, the seven-member group is looking forward to bringing all of it to Whistle Stop Park on June 29.

"I am a humongous fan of the town of Niwot," said Shawn Camden, the band's founder, manager and member. "They're an extremely loving and welcoming music community, very open minded and an intergenerational audience. It's an amazing place."

Camden thinks the band is a great fit for the series because it provides one thing that Niwot's audiences want: music they can dance to. Los Cheesies has sometimes been called a party band, hailed for their energy. "It's hard not to move to our music," he said. "It's very audience participation-heavy." He predicts that audiences will be entertained by the breadth of their material, which includes a song about turkeys, where the audience is asked to gobble.

The band has a local following, and its members come from throughout the U.S. as well as internationally, including natives of Arkansas, New Jersey, California, Wyoming and Mexico. Many have been playing music since their youth. They have been performing in the area for a dozen years, and their diverse backgrounds contribute to the variety of stylings they bring to performances. The band has released several albums and serves as a crowd-pleasing opener for larger acts.

"We're a wild, unexpected band that's going to be jumping in the audience, moving around, shaking and dancing with people, making them repeat lyrics with us," said Camden. "Lots of unexpected things will happen."

The Teresa Storch Band will open for Los Cheesies with their mix of soulful lyrics and "genre-pushing rock sounds."