Blues Traveler concert experience: set listing, ideas, opening acts…
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Well, that exceeded all expectations.
On Friday, July 31, Blues Traveler headlined at Uncasville, CT’s 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena and full-on blew the roof off the sucker.
The rapturous four-hour (!) present, just certainly one of many as a part of their nationwide, summer time tour with particular company Spin Doctors and Gin Blossoms, felt like a near-religious, communal experience.
Although John Popper’s group absolutely might coast on the goodwill they garnered in the ’90s, the ensemble refuses to telephone a single observe in and delivers muscly, gutsy jamming the place songs bleed effortlessly into one another (reaching a euphoria-inducing fever pitch the second time they cowl The Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” however more on that later) and switches genres at the drop of a hat.
Their live present — which is equal components southern-fried, freaky, psychedelic, prog, funky, jazzy and, sure, bluesy — shouldn’t be just spectacular. It’s impressed.
They’re removed from finished, too. Popper and co. have reveals all over North America scheduled from August by way of October this yr. That consists of stops at Canandaigua, NY’s Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Aug. 9, New York City’s Capital One City Parks Foundation Stage on on Saturday, Aug. 15 and Hamburg, NY’s Erie County Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Should you attend, put together for a marathon that also occurs to be an alt-’90s dream come true.
Spin Doctors will get the Herculean present underway with a fast seven-song set made up of unimpeachable hits like “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” together with a rousing cowl of Prince’s “Purple Rain” and fan favorites “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” “Margarita,” “Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven” and “Still A Gorilla.”
Simply put, they’re a delight.
Shortly after, Gin Blossoms takes the stage and expertly straddle the line between delicate and highly effective or folks and rock. The harm in Robin Wilson’s voice that makes his music so highly effective is still intact and helps songs like “Hands Are Tied” explode and build to a sensory overload crescendo live.
Toward the end of their performance, Wilson, 61, announced “Now, we’re gonna play the rest of the hits,” which promptly obtained the crowd on their toes.
Phones got here out for his or her observe excellent “Found Out About You,” which sounds just like the report besides you’re listening to Wilson sing with a backing band made up of hundreds of followers. It’s candy as is the fact that Wilson’s son joined his pops onstage to shred.
Arizona’s favourite sons closed their set on a high observe. For my cash, “Allison Road” never hit so arduous. Live, it’s epic area rock with a name and response clap in-built. Same for “Hey Jealousy” and the wall of sound-like “‘Til I Hear It From You.” Sure, the crowd drowned out the chorus but who cares? You can listen to the record 1000x and it’ll never sound like that.
Plus, let’s be real. We all got here to belt our coronary heart out and reinforce the truism that timeless music doesn’t age. It only will get better with every pay attention.
Finally, following a short intermission, it was Blues Traveler time.
Let’s get one more factor out of the approach.
Popper still has the buttery pipes (and the hat he’s been rocking for over 30 years now). The indefatigable frontman hits the highest notes you’ve ever heard and provides his complete soul the millionth time he’s wailed “Hook.” His ardour is really one thing to behold. As is his downright nasty harmonica playing. The siren is unbroken!
His tight yet groovy band is one thing else, too.
Jumping from the more and more freaky “Things Are Looking Up” to the iconic “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” to the unbelievably catchy “Run-Around” and then again to “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is sort of a sugar rush for the ears. So many tempo modifications, so many surprises, a lot enjoyable.
Everything segues without a second to slow down; no breaks needed right here.
Heck, at one point, a big fella sitting next to me obtained up and jigged. That was the power in the room. Blues Traveler’s twangy funk can’t assist however make you progress your dang toes.
Later in the set, one might make the argument that their Frampton-esque droning offers Emerson, Lake And Palmer and RUSH a run (“run-around” if you’ll) for his or her prog cash and so they wouldn’t be improper.
You might also evaluate their feel-good basic rock “Champipple” (with Spin Doctors’ Chris Barron) to throwback Doobie Brothers.
So many sounds!
Bringing measured jazz to the desk next had me questioning “what can’t this band do?” They’d make Vince Guaraldi proud with their nimble noodling and next-level scat circulation.
Closing the complete bloody affair with a bit making enjoyable of encores and an prolonged cowl of Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” was a cherry on top.
Wasn’t needed, though. All my expectations had already been far exceeded.
Final verdict: We aren’t speaking about Blues Traveler sufficient. They delivered what may be the most cohesive and musically numerous present as I’ve seen in years. Heck, I’d name it a masterclass. To scale back the group to a legacy act that had a few hits before the flip of the century is blasphemy. They just may be certainly one of the most important live bands round.
I’m calling it- Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors just may need been certainly one of the best live shows I’ve ever been to.
Where are Blues Traveler occurring tour next?
A whole calendar including all North American tour dates, venues, when particular company aren’t showing and hyperlinks to purchase tickets may be discovered below.
Blues Traveler concert datesAug. 8 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OHAug. 9 at the Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NYAug. 11 at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VAAug. 12 at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VAAug. 14 at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, MAAug. 15 at the Capital One City Parks Foundation Summer timeStage in New York, NYAug. 18 at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, NYAug. 25 at the Bethlehem Musikfest Grounds in Bethlehem, PAAug. 27 at Innsbrook Pavilion in Glen Allen, VAAug. 28 at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary, NCAug. 29 at the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NCSept. 1 at Coachman Park in Clearwater, FLSept. 3 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FLSept. 4 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, FLSept. 5 at the Synovus Bank Amphitheater in Atlanta, GASept. 8 at the Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville, KYSept. 10 at Water Works Park in Des Moines, IASept. 12 at The Ledge Waite Park Amphitheater in Waite Park, MNSept. 15 at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MOSept. 17 at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OHSept. 18 at the Allegan County Fair in Allegan, MISept. 19 at Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City, MIOct. 10 at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, CA
without Gin Blossoms and Spin DoctorsOct. 11 at the Durango Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, NV
without Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors
What songs did Blues Traveler carry out live?
Set List FM reported these have been the songs they took to the stage on July 31 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
01.) “Things Are Looking Up”
02.) “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (The Charlie Daniels Band cowl)
03.) “Run-Around”
04.) “But Anyway”
05.) “Champipple” (John Popper & The Duskray Troubadours cowl)
06.) “Look Around”
07.) “Carolina Blues”
08.) “Hook”
Encore
09.) “Breakdown” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cowl)
Which tracks did Gin Blossoms rock?
Based on our findings at Set List FM, right here’s what the ’90s icons delivered on July 31.
01.) “Follow You Down”
02.) “Hold Me Down”
03.) “Mrs. Rita”
04.) “Learning the Hard Way”
05.) “Lost Horizons”
06.) “As Long as It Matters”
07.) “Until I Fall Away”
08.) “Hands Are Tied”
09.) “Found Out About You”
10.) “Allison Road”
11.) “Hey Jealousy”
12.) “Til I Hear It From You”
What tunes does Spin Doctors take to the stage?
Here are all the songs Spin Doctors carried out live on July 31, according to Set List FM.
01.) “Still a Gorilla”
02.) “Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven”
03.) “Margarita”
04.) “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues”
05.) “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”
06.) “Purple Rain” (Prince cowl)
07.) “Two Princes”
Who else is coming to Mohegan Sun Arena?
So many big acts.
John Mayer (Oct. 9) and Metallica (Nov. 19 and 21) are just two of our favorites headed to Uncasville’s beautiful, Pueblo type 10,000-seat area (that comes full with a Frank Pepe’s, after all) these next few months.
To be sure you’re in the loop, a whole Mohegan Sun Arena calendar including all upcoming occasions, dates and present start occasions are listed below.
Mohegan Sun Arena schedulePhoenix Mercury at Connecticut Sun
Friday, Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m.Billy Idol with Devo
Saturday, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m.Atlanta Dream at Connecticut Sun
Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.Brandi Carlile
Friday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m.New York Liberty at Connecticut Sun
Saturday, Aug. 15 at 1 p.m.Marco Antonio Solis
Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m.BKFC – Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
Friday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m.Kesha with Chromeo and Erika Jayne
Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.Kehlani
Sunday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m.Chicago Sky at Connecticut Sun
Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.Golden State Valkyries at Connecticut Sun
Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.TLC with Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue
Friday, Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m.Demi Lovato
Saturday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m.Elvis Spectacular
Sunday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m.Staind
Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m.Matt Rife
Friday, Sept. 4 at 8 p.m.Matt Rife
Saturday, Sept. 5 at 8 p.m.Goo Goo Dolls
Sunday, Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m.Australian Pink Floyd Show
Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.Jeff Dunham
Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.ZZ Top with George Thorogood and The Destroyers
Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m.Brandon Lake
Sunday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.Erykah Badu with De La Soul
Thursday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m.Boyz II Men
Saturday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m.Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun
Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m.Toronto Tempo at Connecticut Sun
Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.Brantley Gilbert
Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.Dan and Shay
Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.beabadoobee
Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m.Alanis Morissette
Friday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.Foo Fighters
Sunday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m.John Mayer
Friday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.Lainey Wilson
Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m.DJ Cassidys Pass The Mic Live with Busta Rhymes
Sunday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m.Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Exhibition
Monday, Oct. 12 at TBDBasketball Hall Of Fame Men’s Exhibition
Tuesday, Oct. 13 at TBDDaughtry
Thursday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m.Ricky Martin
Sunday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m.Godsmack
Saturday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m.Rush
Friday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m.Rush
Sunday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.Reality Fighting – A Night of MMA Fights and Grappling Superfights
Friday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m.Basketball Hall of Fame Tip Off – Providence Friars vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Saturday, Nov. 7 at TBDGoose – 2 Day Pass
Nov. 13-14Goose
Friday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m.Goose
Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.Il Volo
Sunday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.Metallica – 2 Day Pass
Nov. 19 and 21Metallica with Suicidal Tendencies
Thursday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.Metallica with Spiritbox
Saturday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m.Straight No Chaser
Friday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m.Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Friday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m.Matt Mathews
Saturday, April 10 at 8 p.m.
’90s icons on tour in 2026
Many major acts that broke big before we knew what Beanie Babies have been might be on the street this yr.
Here are just 5 of our favorites you received’t need to miss live these next few months.
• Foo Fighters
• Goo Goo Dolls
• The Wallflowers
• Cake
• 10,000 Maniacs
Want to journey again in time a bit additional? Take a have a look at our listing of all the greatest basic rockers on tour in 2026 to seek out the present of your goals.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live occasions reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour bulletins out of your favourite musical artists and comedians, in addition to Broadway openings, sporting occasions and more live reveals – and finds nice ticket costs on-line. Since he began his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to call a few. Please observe that offers can expire, and all costs are topic to alter.
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