The String Cheese Incident [ tickets ]'s reputation as touring heavyweights continues to cement in October as the band rolls out in support of "One Step Closer," the group's fifth studio album.

SCI performed in front of a half-million fans worldwide in 2004 alone, according to a press release, and is keeping up a similar pace in 2005. In July, the Colorado-based band headlined the Big Summer Classic 2005, which also featured Michael Franti & Spearhead, Keller Williams and Umphrey's McGee. In September, the group heads to Japan for three shows before returning to the states for the October tour.

SCI's fall outing launches Oct. 6 in Portland, ME, and includes two-night runs at New Hampshire's Hampton Beach Ballroom, Ithaca, NY's State Theatre, and Atlanta's Fox Theatre.

The tour closes Oct. 29 in Las Vegas, where the group plays the inaugural Vegoose festival, which features a plethora of artists whose foundations have been built on the road. Others on the bill include Dave Matthews, Widespread Panic, Jack Johnson. Phil Lesh & Friends with special guest Ryan Adams, Trey Anastasio, The Flaming Lips and Primus, among others.

In recording "One Step Closer," which hit stores in June, SCI's members wanted to spend some time closer to home after another long year on the road. They ended up recording the new set a friend's home in the hills of Colorado's Front Range, outside Boulder.

The band, known for its do-it-yourself ethic, did bring in an outside producer, Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris) to turn the knobs on the new set.

The recording process was documented in an accompanying DVD, which features 30 minutes of exclusive B-roll footage and a track that didn't make the final cut.