The music takes a psychedelic turn on their entrance to another favorite hit, “Hook,” which brings the entire crowd to their feet. The band takes turns giving each other breaks, leaving no silent space as they take turns jamming wholeheartedly. “He shreds on the harmonica,” a fan remarks to another in the crowd, showing that shredding on harmonica is in fact a possible feat.

His talent on the instrument is indescribable, proving why the band’s notable style led them through decades of touring. John Popper goes to town on his harmonica-toted microphone, contouring sounds you never thought could be produced at speeds unimaginable. By halfway through the first half, every woman (and most men) in the house are on their feet. At the third song, a Blues Traveler rendition on “Last Dance with Mary Jane,” a third of the crowd is standing, and growing by the minute. By the second song, a woman couldn’t take it anymore and flies from her seat dancing. “Let’s boogey!” Popper’s signal snaps the band into chorus, and singing applauses erupt from the crowd.īlues Traveler opens the set list with their famous ‘90s hit “Run Around,” pleasing crowds with a fan favorite from the start. “I don’t care if it’s Oklahoma or Kansas, or Missouri, so we’re just gonna call it Quapaw.” The band laughs in unison with the crowd, cheering and whistling filling up the room. “Quapaw, Quapaw, Quapaw!” lead singer John Popper’s voice belts over the cheering crowd. After a brief intermission, the lights dim to welcome the show’s main attraction - Blues Traveler - and the crowd goes wild. His solo acoustic act picks up as he introduces Blues Traveler keys player, Ben Wilson, who accepts applause as he steps into his massive dual-piano space and begins tearing up the keys like a man on a mission.įans continue to file in through the opener until the house is full. The ensemble gives an ‘80s vibe with Manson’s denim-on-denim getup and fade-in screenplay on the TV screens, paying homage to the time period when he and Blues Traveler came up in NYC. Jono Manson, the band’s later-announced mentor from their early days in NYC, opened the show with a solo guitar act, singing a traditional song about, you named it - the blues - then breaking into a more hardcore southern-acoustic set list. The mood was anticipatory as the band’s opener neared, cheers erupting as the lights dimmed preparing for show time.

Fans loaded in as the doors opened, fresh from dinner and for many, fresh from the casino slot machines. Blues Traveler kicked off Thursday night in the Pavilion at the Downstream Casino Resort.

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