Blues Traveler

Look, I started coming to these Red Rocks shows in the early 70s and first caught the HORDE in 93. My kids started coming in sometime like 2000 or so, and this 4th of July was...what? I lost count, but my son is pushing 30. It's not a show, really, this thing where the same people show up and we mark time by watching the crowd grow old along with John and the guys. It's become a permanent tradition for us. Soon enough, there'll be grandkids involved. What are we going to do when Popper retires? I hope someone takes up the mantle. Hanson or someone.

Awesome band, awesome show. Big Head Todd and The Monsters were great as well. Blues Traveler is an amazing live act. These guys nailed it, John Popper is incredible and the whole band is dead on the money. Hope to see them again soon and hope they play some of the hits they haven’t performed live in some time.

Love their music, however was a little disappointed by them playing their best hit, Run Around, so early and didn’t play The Mountains Win Again. Also, love the instrumental jam but maybe cut back on it a little.

Venue is only about a year and a half old; built three years ago, but then shut down for almost 2 years because of Covid, so it’s clean and roomy. Blues Traveler rocked five stars there. Thought the sound could use some improvement; probably louder than it should’ve been, but other than that I would give the venue itself five stars also. Not real familiar with big head Todd, but they rocked too.

We saw the opening act, North Mississippi Allstars, unfettered, then we were treated to a delay that lastes over 1 hour due to thunderstorms and hail, then we saw Railroad Earth take stage. Blues Traveler came on and played 5-5 1/2 songs before a return of thunderstorms and hail canceling the remainder of the show. This was a huge dissapointment but only the fault of rhe weather. I will be back to thw venue and will damn sure be attending future Blues Traveler shows.

The show was interrupted by a serious hail and thunderstorm (not that unusual in CO in July!), and instead of limiting the Railroad Earth portion (2nd band), they were allowed to play a long set. When BT finally played, storms returned, and we heard only a couple of BT songs + some covers before the show was ended. John Hopper is an amazing performer and managed a quick switch of his harmonica mid-song, even when it was reported he was not feeling well. We plan to go to their Flagstaff show at the end of July so we can hear a full set.🤞

Blues Traveler: 10/14/22 “Athens traffic may have given us the ‘run-around’ thanks to UGA’s homecoming parade but a one hour arrival prior to showtime was all I needed to secure my spot. It was a Friday evening sell-out in the historic Georgia Theater and my first time ever seeing Blues Traveler LIVE so I wanted the best view possible. For the next two hours I stood my ground up against the stage positioned exactly between where John and Tad were likely to be stationed. The theater (1,028 capacity) would prove herself the perfect size for the blues rock/jam band formed in New Jersey. The set up stage L to R was: bass, drums, a stand holding Popper’s assortment of harmonicas, keys, and guitar all a forefront a full stage length backdrop of the album Four’s black cat artwork. The line up featured the trio going all the way back to their ’87 beginnings with John Popper on vocals/harmonica, Chan Kinchla—guitar, and Brendan Hill—drums. In addition were Tad Kinchla, Chan’s brother on bass since Bobby Sheehan died in ’99, and Ben Wilson on keys since 2000. The band took the stage at 9:20 for an hour and thirty-five minute set which included the big three, ‘Run Around’, ‘Hook’ and ‘But Anyway’. John announced, ‘What’cha say, lets boogie’, and he never stopped. Popper 55 dressed in an Aces San Francisco shirt looked great— the one time 435 lb frontman is now a lean mean harp playing machine, vocalist, and sometimes a scatter. The set featured a number of solos mixed in between songs, keyboard, bass and drum. You could tell when the solos were about to go down as John headed back stage but actually sat down for the view all the way back toward the side. Catching the view from my angle you could see him tapping along and talking to the sound engineer. First was the keyboard solo steady, smooth, and carrying a retro vibe. Ben wore a ’1973’ shirt with a 1973 banner hanging front of his keys to symbolize Roe V Wade. Next was Tad on bass, it was one of the best bass solos I’ve experienced. When they brought out his peddle-board during set-up I thought to myself, why are they setting the guitar effects board where the bass guitars are. The enormous board with 11 units on it was Tad’s and I got to watch his foot use each one of them! Tad had a medallion hanging from his mic stand that John joked was his trophy for selling out the venue. When the drum solo began John hung around, one could see the platform literally shaking as Brendan pounded on the silver-glittered kit accentuated with two skulls hung on the cymbal stands. Chan didn’t have a longstanding solo but there was no doubt he was all in to the performance interacting with the audience all evening with numerous hand gestures and call outs. One highlight was a cover of Charlie Daniel’s ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’ where you guessed it, harmonica was swapped out for the fiddle parts. The Georgia crowd reacted as expected with a rousing round of bull dawg barks. For the encore, the band typically chooses a different cover per show such as Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ or ZZ Top’s ‘La Grange’. The evening’s choice was Mary Jane’s Last Dance’ well worthy of honoring Tom Petty’s legacy. At a show like this it’d be difficult to leave the front row WITHOUT a souvenir. The gentleman to my immediate left caught a harmonica tossed by John, the lady to my right a drumstick. As I began to feel somewhat distraught and left out, my wife Michele suddenly bent down and came back up handing me a pick. Somehow Chan’s pick had travelled across stage, a beautiful white pick with ‘KINCH’ on one side and the black cat on the other. Opening for Traveler was an alternative folk rock band from Appalachia ‘Annabelle’s Curse’ featuring Carley Booher on electric mandolin. The band played a 35 minute set. One of the audience members called out ‘More mandolin’ in lieu of ‘More cowbell’, The band proved themselves tight, engaging and worthy of checking out their music catalogue! Prior to the show I had someone tell me that by the end of the show I’d be sick of hearing the harmonica. Let’s face it, it’s not everyday that you hear a harmonicist like John —I thoroughly enjoyed each blow, suck, and slide! My right foot never stopped tapping, I almost had to drive home leftie to avoid any unforeseen accidents.” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #714)

One of the best Blues Traveler show in years. This was number 36. Saw them last year at Redrocks. I got Brendan and Tad to sign my BT giant guitar pick. Cool venue except they had no beer. Being a winery they only sold wine and we sat on fold up chairs.

I have waited almost 30 years to catch them play live and it was worth the wait. They sound great. Very energetic band (maybe outside of Popper). John Popper’s voice is a talent. Just a fun jam band full of blues show!

The show was epic, but be careful buying tickets through Bandsintown. Showed Blues Traveler in town and a link to buy tickets so I bought some. Then I got an email with a link saying “Your tickets to see Train are here.” Thought I’d screwed up but it turns out Blues Traveler was the opening act for a Train show. I don’t enjoy Train. I still would have gone but probably wouldn’t have paid as much as I did for tickets.

As always John and the band kicked ass...they never disappoint The surprise for me though was Jewel..wow...what a little powerhouse...amazing voice...she has a new fan for sure...and Train..eh..they were a little to tiny bopperish for me...to top 40...good show great band but confetti and streamers is a bit to childish for me...I'm there for music not a carnival

I've been following these bands for years. Had a crush on Jewel for years and love how Train is just feel good music! Shoot, even had some great times in Florida with Mr. John Popper himself!!!(back in the early 2000's). Def a great show, great audience and the best music!!!

I love going to Blues Traveler. They seemed off though. There was miscommunication on the stage, John and Chan kept leaving the stage and at one point you could see Tad mouth the words "What are we doing?". Brendan came out after the show and greeted everyone that wanted to meet him. He shook our hands and spoke to each person individually as if he's known them his entire life. Even though they were a little off I'll still go see them again and again and again.

Great show, awesome venue with the way it’s set up! G. Love definitely held his own last night. Everyone seemed to be on their game last night. Great jams.

Threw me his harmonica after but anyway! John popper and blues traveler are the best value in a show you’ll ever have in your life watching John popper drink whiskey and play the harmonica, doesn’t get better

Great show at a historic venue! The entire crowd singing happy birthday to John’s daughter Eloise was a highlight, as was an energetic cover of Bob Marley’s Could You Be Loved to cap off the encore.

It wasn't as good as last October's show at the Cain's. And the opening act was better last year too - this year's Con Brio had a good sound but the lead vocalist was annoying as fuck.

First Blues Traveler show with my daughter & she was amazed all night! Memories to last a lifetime. As always, BT blew the roof the building with an excellent set spanning their 30 years. P.S. Opening act Animal Years was great too!

Such a great show!!! So awesome to hear John Popper live and up close. Was like an old MTV Unplugged show! Lol. Truly this man has such a gift with his songwriting ability and amazing harmonica skills!! My date (who is a bigger fan than I) and I had an amazing time...was a real treat to see live 🙂

Blues Traveler is a must see show. They killed it. I will be seeing them in San Francisco in November as well. The energy coming off of that stage was intoxicating. I could have watched them do their thing all night.