The Fourth of July is a celebration that represents the soul of this country in the heart of many Americans. It is a time when we recognize our historical ability to overcome the odds and make good through perseverance and industry and it is these qualities that have made this nation great. Although some do not always agree with the finished product or those whose hands are at work, the outcomes of these United States prove that we are unique, diverse, and deliver on inspiration and tradition. Certainly these characteristics are not limited to capitalism and innovation, but can be found to color multiple threads in our woven tapestry, including the world of music. With jazz, the blues, and a myriad of unique performers and perspectives born on this soil, one does not have to look far to find greatness in melody and verse within our culture. Considering this context, one example that has undeniably carved out its own manifest destiny and has been blessing music lovers with their explosive sound for decades is none other than the rock and roll oddity known as Blues Traveler. Fronted by THE harmonica player from hell and populated with one of the tightest groups of musicians around, this band, who has been going strong for more than thirty years, arguably represents the epitome of the attitude that screams America. With this in mind, it is no wonder that this five piece juggernaut would once again be the band honored with ringing in the Independence Day celebration at the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre earlier this month.
For the 31st time in their career since starting their wild wide in the late eighties, the New Jersey spawned phenomenon hit the musical mecca on July 4th once again and continued their long standing tradition of packing to capacity the natural wonder set at the gate of the Rocky Mountains. With seats filled with both veterans and newcomers alike from across the country, the fury that is Blues Traveler delivered once again a memorable set that certainly did not disappoint. As if seeing Blues Traveler under the banner of this national holiday wasn’t enough, this night would also mark the beginning of the band’s summer tour, an aspect that has long been a part of their standing relationship with this celebrated summer date.
As in years past, the band did not come alone and invited alt rock friends Spin Doctors and Gin Blossoms to join in not only on the holiday, but for the extent of the summer tour. Fans were treated to opening sets from both groups and each one was afforded an hour to make great use of their time, hitting the stage with the vigor and energy that is often associated with any performer having the honor of playing Red Rocks, whether as headliner or supporting talent. Both bands sounded tight and although the sun was still heating up the venue, plenty of participants who came for the pre-game showed their appreciation by dancing to and singing along with many of the classics that have made these performers a part of the nation’s radio soundtrack, including Spin Doctors’ “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and Gin Blossoms “Hey Jealousy” and “Follow You Down”. Besides the recognizable popular takes, Spin Doctors included two tunes “Rock and Roll Heaven” and “Still A Gorilla” off of Face Full of Cake, their first studio production in twelve years released earlier this year. They also surprised many by performing out of left field a well received version of Grateful Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower”. Gin Blossoms followed suit and continued the crowd pleasing experience, performing a set almost entirely composed of highly recognizable tracks from their first three albums, prompting a great deal of participation from the crowd.
With short breaks between each set, the vibe of the place was relaxed and full of smiles and looking in any direction, the surroundings certainly contained a family vibe as generations sat with each other, the young tuning into Blues Traveler by Mom and Dad’s influence and in some cases, under the direction of Gma and Papa. By the time the scene was set for the main event, the sun was below the horizon and twilight was setting in. With cooling temperatures, it appeared that each and every seat had someone in it and with showtime impending, one could feel the energy rising.
Walking on to the Team America World Police parody song “America, F**k Yeah”, the crowd was greeted by Popper voraciously calling out to the ten thousand, “Red Rocks!!!”. Under a smile-inducing wave of excitement from the packed house, Popper and Company smiled out over the energized amphitheatre. As the cacophony settled, Popper went on:
It has been a long hard slog to get here tonight and it is our 35th Red Rocks performance! Thank you all very, very much for coming tonight and for coming all these years. You guys have been absolutely, seriously, mother f**cking awesome! Let’s give a hand for The Spin Doctors! And let’s give a hand for Gin Blossoms! But enough of my yakking, what do you say? Let’s boogie!
With a final wave of applause, the quintet got the evening going with “Things Are Looking up”. This track from the Suzie Cracks the Whip album notably got its live debut among the hallowed sandstone thirteen years prior during the Fourth of July celebration of 2012. Per the usual, guitarist Chan Kinchla lit this one up and set fire to the stage with his pyro-audio technics. The first five minutes of the tune was full throttle and played with the high octane energy that has made this gritty band some of the baddest boyz in the business. Nearing the end of the six minute opener, the band eased and gave keyboard king Ben Wilson the chance to beautifully lead the transition into the long time staple “Run-Around”. Literally played over a thousand times since 1994, this catchy number has always been regarded as one of the keys that unlocked the commercial success of BT from the beginning. Alongside the signature ridiculousness that is Popper’s harmonica solo, his vocal delivery on this, especially at this altitude, is awe inducing to say the least.
WIthout a pause, the band transitioned with some tasteful jamming into the surly twist of “Defense and Desire”. Originally released in 1993, this dark overload is covered in that grimey edge and in the live setting, it just hits the senses with a dense gravity. Wilson’s organ play originally spun the room and eventually moved into some nice synth work. Popper’s harmonica runs pushed the limits of intensity. Towards the end, Popper departed the stage, leaving the remaining brotherhood to jam. Bassist Tad Kinchla got some spotlight time and showed off some serious ‘how factor’ chops as the audience and the rest of the band egged him on. Now it must be stated that prior to the show, there were mumblings that John Popper had been dealing with health issues recently and that some terms being thrown around leading up to the holiday show included ‘infection’, ‘short sets’, and even ‘cancellation’, and although nothing official had been published at the time of the summer tour kickoff, it seemed plausible that something was up as Popper hobbled off stage, appearing fatigued and worn rather than leaving because of technical difficulties as some have speculated. The aforementioned jam sans Popper extended for multiple minutes and was long enough that some up close wondered if the living legend would return. A wave of excitement and applause swept through the evening air as he reappeared and dropped right into “But Anyway” with a vigor that showed he was far from being done celebrating this hallowed night.
With a full house getting down, this one charged forward and recharged everyone listening. Chan took an extended solo, lighting the whole place up like a firework and smiling all the way through with that infectious grin that fans of the band have known since the beginning. Five minutes into this great version, Wilson and Popper took turns circling each other, Wilson going full synth sonic and Popper putting some great effect to his harp, the two strapping into crescendo in unison until everything broke free and the crowd reciprocated in a grateful wash of appreciation and delight. Totaling out at eight and half minutes, this one had the wheels coming off the wagon.
Pausing to catch his breath and share a bit, Popper hit the mic:
Thank you, Thank you. How are you guys feeling anyway? Well, we love coming to get to play for you tonight. This is a crazy week, but we kept thinking to come and play here as long as we’re not actually ‘in trouble’ was something worth fighting for. This is for all of you.
Under an overwhelming veil of reciprocation from the crowd, Popper raised his two hands, mic in one, harmonica in the other, and performed his own version of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Bending and morphing, this one resonated against the monolithic rocks known as Creation and Ship and shook free any binding chains of the soul by putting a grin spin on the national anthem that was brimming with spontaneity and creativity as it poured forth from under Popper’s signature black hat and concealed face.
Getting back to business, Popper cited ‘a cavalcade of musical confusion’ and introduced Spin Doctors’ Chris Baron and Native American flute player Cody Blackbird to join the band on the oldest BT tune of the set, “100 Years”. According to Popper, this was a tune that Baron had always wanted to sing with Popper and tonight that wish would come true. Baron’s voice fit this gentle piece without question and hitting the stanzas alongside Popper sent sweet emotion through the multitude. Blackbird’s contribution on the flute was nothing short of perfection and when he and Popper worked the tune out together, this only added to the magic of the melody. In the end, Popper commented that ‘Chris was supposed to come out and provide me a break and much needed rest, but then I couldn’t help myself when I felt the great voice of my longtime friend and just had to jump in’.
Thanking the guests with discernible sincerity, Popper left the band to swing into juxtaposition as Wilson drove the Kinchla Brothers alongside drummer Brenden Hill to deliver madness on the Black Sabbath cover “War Pigs”. Performed as an instrumental with Wilson providing tonal voicing on the clavinet, this one had the place in full swing. Hill tore at the toms, snare, cymbals, and anything within striking distance and brought the percussive storm, playing with the same charged fervor he had been demonstrating since the beginning of the set. At times, Chan and Wilson rocked out this rock classic together, Wilson making room for the guitarist to relinquish his axe and chip in some chops at the piano bench. Hitting the five minute mark, the tune came to an end and the frontman returned once again from the shadows to bring out the locale appropriate ballad “The Mountains Win Again”. Although initially serving up sweet emotions, this one certainly brought the heat and the middle showed that the band can take any tune and just put the sauce on it in a way that makes their music taste just so damned great!
Continuing with the veiled comments, Popper introduced Gin Blossoms’ Robin Wilson and continued in reflection how moved he was by ‘everyone responding and coming and helping and what has made this whole evening invaluable’. Popper then alluded to the aforementioned recent health issue, throwing in a shout out to St. Anthony’s Medical Center, stating, “if you see drunken doctors running by, just let them go”, bringing laughter to many of the concert goers even if it seemed a bit confusing.
With Chan taking charge, Tom Petty’s “Last Dance with Mary Jane” was the shared collective selection. Changing the lyrics from ‘Indiana’ to ‘Colorado’ from the get go grabbed everyone’s attention and beckoned applause and cheer from the mass. With Chan and Robin Wilson alternating verses, the familiarity of the tune had the whole of Red Rocks jumping in on the sing along. Popper’s solo on this one was inspired even if it was a bit short. Coming in at five minutes, this one would have made Tom Petty himself smile, may he rest in peace.
For the final guest of the night, Popper called on founding member of the Spin Doctors’ Eric Schenkman to go toe-to-toe with Chan on guitar and he certainly didn’t disappoint. With a thick intro, the two got down to the delta with a swing at “Carolina Blues”. Supported by Wilson on the Hammond B3 organ, this one had The Rocks feeling more like a Sunday than a Friday. This BT blues original carries a strut with attitude and when Popper laid into the bent harmonica solo, the ten thousand lit up. When Schenkman was provided an opportunity to show off his own brand of goods, he took a solo that started low and slow, patient and pulsing, and eventually built off of the backdrop of Popper and Chan lifting the piece until Schenkman shredded the edifice to tatters. Coming back to earth, Schenkman stepped to Popper’s space and engaged him in some great call and response that eventually ended up with more over-the-top playing that in the end, had many fists pumping the air. Coming in at over eleven minutes, this choice was the longest of the night.
Although there is no Blues Traveler without the handiwork of drummer Brenden Hill, his timing, intensity, and style being a definitive part of their distinct sound, no set of the Black Cat would be complete without the opportunity to hear his capability without interference or distraction. With that, the next segment was a clinic superior of drumming dumbfoundry that allowed the audience to take in a few minutes of the living man metronome.
Applauding Hill with cymbal ring still in the air, Popper moved into the final tune of the set and invited the audience to sing along once again on fan favorite “Hook”. The harmonica lines in this tune, whether the radio version or witnessed first hand, just leaves so many jaws hanging in disbelief. What is even more impressive is Popper’s capability to deliver these runs and the spitfire vocal progressions of many of the band’s lyrics at the altitudes touted in the Rocky Mountains. Mix in the rumors of health issues and no amount of amazement would define the talent that is this man and this band.
Returning to the stage to satiate the encore spot, Popper paused again to deliver more ambiguous words to the echo of health concerns:
You know there were a lot of doctors and crew guys and management and lawyers and band mates and other bands who helped facilitate what was like this dumb medical accident f**k up that jeopardized our 35th july fourth and I didn’t want to do that and luckily thanks to them I could and safely. The whole time it was you guys who I was thinking of. You are just the ones who would let me off the hook too and we love you for that and I promise I won’t do anything reckless or dangerous, although we are wrestling a bear in Nebraska, but that was always part of the contract.
Under a wave of laughter, Popper introduced the band and included shout outs to all the guests of the evening before getting it on with the final selection: a sizzling version of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher”, a choice that has become a frequent selection since its introduction on, you guessed it, the 4th of July in the year 2023.
In the end, the band celebrated independent thinking and a sh*t ton of auditory fireworks with ten thousand of their closest friends. With over eighty minutes of sin-sational music, the band proved again that thirty years later they still have what it takes to bring the masses to their feet and show everyone a ridiculously great time. Although nothing has been published about what Popper’s health issue was, the fact that these gentlemen of grit played on, especially the beloved harmonicist, showed that the attitude they throw around on stage ain’t no act. Instead, it is a credo that they live by, honoring the privilege bestowed upon them to rock the earth and melt the faces that find their brand of debauchery the cat’s meow.
