TYRE — John Popper’s harmonic talent was meant to dominate Blues Traveler’s show Friday night at The Vine showroom inside del Lago Resort and Casino. He was definitely a presence to be reckoned with, but he and his harmonicas weren’t a constant output, intentionally or not.
When he took himself and his blues harps away for extended periods, ostensibly to check on sound issues, the performance definitely — and deftly — changed into a jam-band-type show. The rest of this tight, storied band picked up the vibe with extended improvisation and soul. For some, Popper was hardly missed.
Guitarist Chan Kinchla and drummer Brendan Hall, along with keyboardist Ben Wilson and bassist Tad Kinchla (Chan’s brother), seamlessly filled the void while Popper breezed on and off the stage, often with the sound technician at his heels, trying to adjust the tenor of the music coming out of the speakers.
However, when he picked up the special microphone with switches that change the audio effect of the harmonica as it is played through an amplifier, that wail couldn’t be tamed. It was pure Popper.
The switches deliver effects similar to a guitar pedal. As his usual practice, he changed harmonicas many times mid-song to switch from one key to another.
On “Run Around,” the band’s biggest hit, Popper encouraged the audience to sing out some of the lyrics with him, which they did with enthusiasm. The song, which Popper wrote, won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1996.
The show that went just short of 90 minutes opened with “Sweet Talking Hippie,” followed by “But Anyway” and “Dropping Some NYC.” “Crash Burn” came next, and then “Jam,” before the band hit “Run Around.”
There were covers running the gamut from Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” to the Charlie Daniels Band’s “Devil went Down to Georgia,” where Popper’s harmonicas took the place of the fiery fiddle. “Hook” was the last song before the encore “Hot for Teacher,” a Van Halen cover.
The show attracted a good crowd, although The Vine wasn’t near capacity. Still, it was a well-received effort.
Is any band what they were 30 years ago? It doesn’t mean they’re bad, just a little aged and a little different. You can’t hold Blues Traveler hostage to what they sounded exactly like when they broke out in the 1990s.
And, they still have clout.
In 2021, Blues Traveler’s album “Traveler’s Blues” was nominated by the Recording Academy for “Best Traditional Blues Album” for the 2022 Grammy Awards. Warren Haynes, who has maintained a relationship with Blues Traveler since their H.O.R.D.E tour days, appears on that record. Christone “Kingfish” Ingham is on it as well.
And, later this year, the band will take to the road with the Gin Blossoms and the Spin Doctors. Unfortunately, there are no New York dates for that run.
When the music ended Friday, guitarist Chan Kinchla and drummer Hall were in no hurry to leave and visited with fans. Kinchla tossed guitar picks into the crowd where Popper had just finished whirling his harmonicas. Hall got up close and personal, laying down on the stage to pose, with a wide grin, for selfies with fans.