The jam band Blues Traveler is known for its improvisational live sets, with some songs stretched from their five-minute studio recordings to 10- or even 20-minute versions.
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While grunge groups on the West Coast were smashing amps and expressing often depressive lyrics, Blues Traveler and other groups like Dave Matthews Band and Spin Doctors were bringing a little light and levity to the industry.
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As such, the band’s live shows are something to behold. Thankfully, through the magic of YouTube, we can do just that. So, with all that said, here below are three Blues Traveler live concerts every fan of the band should see.
Woodstock ’94 (1994)
With acts like Metallica, Aerosmith, Nine Inch Nails, Sheryl Crow, and more on the bill for this giant festival, it was a big deal that Blues Traveler was part of the mix. But that’s just how big the group was in the mid-’90s. The festival drew some 350,000 people as it celebrated the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock. During the band’s 40-minute set, which you can see below, Blues Traveler played their big hit, “But Anyway,” as well as songs like “Low Rider” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Shoreline Amphitheatre (1995)
This set from the California stage shows the band at their height in a bit of a more somber setting. Frontman John Popper plays his harmonicas, plucking them from his vest, one for every key in their pockets. The group plays songs like their smash “Run Around” and an extended, psychedelic cover of the classic “Gloria.”
The Print Shop (2022)
This set here below from the Print Shop in Atlanta shows the band nearly 30 years after its height. Yes, the group and its members have gotten older. Frontman Popper has shed a great deal of weight, but the energy and jam are up. The group kicks off the set with their first hit single, “But Anyway.” Check out Blues Traveler as it continues to share its groove here below.
Photo: Graham Felder / Courtesy DRPR
