STRICTLY OBSERVING: Traveler Zach

By ZACH COOLEY

Since I missed them at Floyd Fest back in July, I was glad for the chance to see Blues Traveler live in concert at The Fillmore in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 15.  Having just opened in June, this is another part of the North Carolina Music Factory in addition to the Uptown Amphitheater where I saw Heart last month.  The Fillmore is a beautiful new venue also renovated from an old warehouse, which gets surprisingly big-name acts given its small size.  This standing room only facility holds approximately 2,000 people and is complete with six bars, including a VIP section.  The general ambiance of the venue coupled with its quality entertainment made it well worth the journey.
Arriving early, I thought I could hear Blues Traveler doing one last run-through of their set before the show.  I didn’t realize until the concert began that the band I heard was their opening act, Simplified, a Charlotte-based acoustic rock group whose sound bore a remarkable resemblance to the headliner’s.  It was clear that the members of this immensely talented up-and-coming group were well aware of the company they were in.  “It is so awesome to be opening for Blues Traveler right here at home,” noted Simplified front man Clee Laster on more than one occasion during his band’s 45-minute set.  Touring in promotion of their latest independent album, Elephant Sky, which was released in April 2008, the band did a more than sufficient job of getting the crowd warmed up thanks to such songs as “She Don’t Care,” “Six Strings and a Bottle” and “Low.”  They presented a musical atmosphere that was relaxed, yet full of rock and roll energy.  With clear influences from Blues Traveler as well as Dave Matthews Band and Sublime, this North Carolina band has major potential of eventually becoming the latest craze of their genre.
Shortly after 9 p.m., Blues Traveler took the stage for what could be described, more or less, as a two-hour jam session.  These musicians played in a non-stop fashion for their entire set unlike any band I’ve ever seen previously.  They didn’t even stop playing between songs.  The ending flourish of one song would segue into the introduction of the next.  All the while, I was blown away by the harmonica playing of Blues Traveler front man John Popper, which was unmistakably mind-boggling.  Popper, 42, also appeared in good vocal form despite being an obviously heavy smoker.  Both his singing and harmonica playing were proved to be top of the line from the opening number, “Mulling It Over,” a track from their 1990 self-titled debut album.  This let us know we were going to be in for an enjoyable evening, as the band presented their trademark jam sound, which uniquely blends the sounds of blues and psychedelic rock.
Blues Traveler utilized much of their older material for the evening’s performance including “Dropping Some NYC,” “Love and Greed,” “Defense and Desire” and “Slow Change.”  Much of the performance was alive with electric rock and roll energy, which kept the crowd from standing still.  This was not only thanks to Popper, but the rest of the band as well.  This includes guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson.  Although each of them possessed equal talent, I must particularly applaud drummer Brendan Hill, who almost never stopped beating his drums for his entire two hours onstage.  Such musical stamina, especially on such fast-paced songs, still leaves me in awe.  There were, however, some slower numbers including “Yours,” which featured Popper on electric guitar.
“Carolina Blues” was an obvious crowd pleaser for the Charlotte audience as was the band’s cover of Sublime’s “What I Got.”  They also did a reputable job on the Cheap Trick classic “I Want You to Want Me.”  Blues Traveler also performed several songs from their most recent album, North Hollywood Shootout, released in August 2008.  These included “The Beacons” and the poignant ballad “How You Remember It.”  The unquestionable highlights of the show, however, were the performances of their biggest hits, “Run Around” and “Hook.”
For their encore, they returned with drinks bought by a former high school classmate in Princeton, N.J., who had since relocated to North Carolina.  It was at Princeton High School where Blues Traveler got their start as a garage band.  “We want to dedicate this song to anyone who has ever served in our armed forces,” Popper said before leading the band in “Forever Owed,” a very touching ballad from North Hollywood Shootout written specifically for those risking their lives for the freedom of our nation.  They closed the show with an unbelievable cover of the Charlie Daniels Band signature “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”  The song featured Popper at his finest, playing harmonica in place of the customary fiddle.  I can honestly say I have never heard such harmonica playing in my life.  It is truly amazing to behold such musical talent.
When listening to Blues Traveler that night, I was constantly reminded of a quote from Elwood Blues in The Blues Brothers.  “By the year 2006, the music known today as the blues will exist only in the classical records department of your local library,” he prophesized.  Thanks to bands like Blues Traveler, that didn’t happen and hopefully never will.
A graduate of Wytheville Community College, Zach Cooley lives in Wytheville. Contact him at .