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 (!) show, just one of many as part of their nationwide, summer tour with special guests Spin Doctors and Gin Blossoms, felt like a near-religious, communal experience.
Although John Popper’s group surely could coast on the goodwill they garnered in the ’90s, the ensemble refuses to phone a single note in and delivers muscly, gutsy jamming where songs bleed effortlessly into one another (reaching a euphoria-inducing fever pitch the second time they cover The Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” but more on that later) and switches genres at the drop of a hat.
Their live show — which is equal parts southern-fried, freaky, psychedelic, prog, funky, jazzy and, yes, bluesy — is not just impressive. It’s inspired.
They’re far from done, too. Popper and co. have shows all over North America scheduled from August through October this year. That includes 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, prepare for a marathon that also happens to be an alt-’90s dream come true.
Spin Doctors gets the Herculean show underway with a quick seven-song set made up of unimpeachable hits like “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” along with a rousing cover 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 sensitive and powerful or folk and rock. The hurt in Robin Wilson’s voice that makes his music so powerful 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 got the crowd on their feet.
Phones came out for their note perfect “Found Out About You,” which sounds just like the record except you’re hearing Wilson sing with a backing band made up of thousands of fans. It’s sweet as is the fact that Wilson’s son joined his pops onstage to shred.
Arizona’s favorite sons closed their set on a high note. For my money, “Allison Road” never hit so hard. Live, it’s epic arena rock with a call and response clap built in. 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 came to belt our heart out and reinforce the truism that timeless music doesn’t age. It only gets better with every listen.
Finally, following a brief intermission, it was Blues Traveler time.
Let’s get one more thing out of the way.
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 gives his whole soul the millionth time he’s wailed “Hook.” His passion is truly something to behold. As is his downright nasty harmonica playing. The siren is intact!
His tight yet groovy band is something else, too.
Jumping from the increasingly freaky “Things Are Looking Up” to the iconic “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” to the unbelievably catchy “Run-Around” and then back to “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is like a sugar rush for the ears. So many tempo changes, so many surprises, so much fun.
Everything segues without a second to slow down; no breaks necessary here.
Heck, at one point, a big fella sitting next to me got up and jigged. That was the energy in the room. Blues Traveler’s twangy funk can’t help but make you move your dang feet.
Later in the set, one could make the argument that their Frampton-esque droning gives Emerson, Lake And Palmer and RUSH a run (“run-around” if you will) for their prog money and they wouldn’t be wrong.
You could also compare their feel-good classic rock “Champipple” (with Spin Doctors’ Chris Barron) to throwback Doobie Brothers.
So many sounds!
Bringing measured jazz to the table next had me wondering “what can’t this band do?” They’d make Vince Guaraldi proud with their nimble noodling and next-level scat flow.
Closing the whole bloody affair with a bit making fun of encores and an extended cover of Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” was a cherry on top.
Wasn’t necessary, though. All my expectations had already been far exceeded.
Final verdict: We aren’t talking about Blues Traveler enough. They delivered what might be the most cohesive and musically diverse show as I’ve seen in years. Heck, I’d call it a masterclass. To reduce the group to a legacy act that had a few hits before the turn of the century is blasphemy. They just might be one of the most essential live bands around.
I’m calling it- Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors just might have been one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.
Where are Blues Traveler going on tour next?
A complete calendar including all North American tour dates, venues, when special guests aren’t appearing and links to buy tickets can be found below.
| Blues Traveler concert dates |
|---|
| Aug. 8 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH |
| Aug. 9 at the Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY |
| Aug. 11 at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA |
| Aug. 12 at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA |
| Aug. 14 at the Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston, MA |
| Aug. 15 at the Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage in New York, NY |
| Aug. 18 at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, NY |
| Aug. 25 at the Bethlehem Musikfest Grounds in Bethlehem, PA |
| Aug. 27 at Innsbrook Pavilion in Glen Allen, VA |
| Aug. 28 at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary, NC |
| Aug. 29 at the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC |
| Sept. 1 at Coachman Park in Clearwater, FL |
| Sept. 3 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL |
| Sept. 4 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, FL |
| Sept. 5 at the Synovus Bank Amphitheater in Atlanta, GA |
| Sept. 8 at the Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville, KY |
| Sept. 10 at Water Works Park in Des Moines, IA |
| Sept. 12 at The Ledge Waite Park Amphitheater in Waite Park, MN |
| Sept. 15 at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MO |
| Sept. 17 at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH |
| Sept. 18 at the Allegan County Fair in Allegan, MI |
| Sept. 19 at Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City, MI |
| Oct. 10 at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, CA without Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors |
| Oct. 11 at the Durango Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, NV without Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors |
What songs did Blues Traveler perform live?
Set List FM reported these were 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 cover)
03.) “Run-Around”
04.) “But Anyway”
05.) “Champipple” (John Popper & The Duskray Troubadours cover)
06.) “Look Around”
07.) “Carolina Blues”
08.) “Hook”
Encore
09.) “Breakdown” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover)
Which tracks did Gin Blossoms rock?
Based on our findings at Set List FM, 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 performed 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 cover)
07.) “Two Princes”
Who else is coming to Mohegan Sun Arena?
So many huge acts.
John Mayer (Oct. 9) and Metallica (Nov. 19 and 21) are just two of our favorites headed to Uncasville’s exquisite, Pueblo style 10,000-seat arena (that comes complete with a Frank Pepe’s, of course) these next few months.
To make sure you’re in the loop, a complete Mohegan Sun Arena calendar including all upcoming events, dates and show start times are listed below.
| Mohegan Sun Arena schedule |
|---|
| Phoenix 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 TBD |
| Basketball Hall Of Fame Men’s Exhibition Tuesday, Oct. 13 at TBD |
| Daughtry 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 TBD |
| Goose – 2 Day Pass Nov. 13-14 |
| Goose 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 21 |
| Metallica 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 were will be on the road this year.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live these next few months.
• Foo Fighters
• Goo Goo Dolls
• The Wallflowers
• Cake
• 10,000 Maniacs
Want to travel back in time a bit further? Take a look at our list of all the biggest classic rockers on tour in 2026 to find the show of your dreams.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
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