Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors @ Erie County Fair, Hamburg, NY 8-18-26

The nineties came alive this past Tuesday night at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, NY. The Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors took to the stage to take people back to a time when the internet was in its infancy and cell phones weren’t the norm yet. This tour is in the middle of a long stretch of dates that will last over 3 months. Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms are co headlining and have been alternating dates in the headline slot. For this show, it was Blues Traveler to take the stage last.

This was an early start, so the Spin Doctors took to the stage at 6pm and played a 45-minute set. The band is on tour in support of its first album in 13 years called ‘Face Full of Cake.” That album was released in April of 2025. The band went back to the 1994 ‘Turn it Upside Down’ disc to kick tings off with “Big Fat Funky Booty.” The band is still led by Chris Barron on vocals. Barron’s infectious positives vibes were on display throughout the entire set. His smiling and playful dancing invigorated the crowd as the band powered through their set. A few new tracks “Still a Gorilla” and “She Stands Alone” made it into the set. A cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain” also was played. I love the song and glad they did it, but for some reason, I don’t believe it went over very well. Outside of that, the band was solid as they closed with what many consider their biggest hit in “Two Princes.” A great set overall by the Spin Doctors.

Next up was the Gin Blossoms. I believe this was my first time seeing the band live. I saw Robin Wilson sing for the Smithereens a few years ago but that as about it. The hour long set included fan favorites and more. They stared off hot with “Follow You Down” and it went from there. Besides Wilson, the band also includes longtime members Bill Leen on bass, Scotty Johnson on lead guitar and Jesse Valenzuela on rhythm guitar. Andy Herrin is the new guy on drums. Wilson commented that this is the best week they ever had touring in their 39-year history as a band. That led them into playing the first song they ever performed live as a band on Christmas Day in 1987. That song was “Lost Horizons.” Wilson played acoustic for both “As Long as it Matters” and “Until I Fall Away.” Blues Traveler keyboardist Ben Wilson joined the band for “Hands Are Tied.” The Gin Blossoms ended their performance on high note as they closed the set with their big hits in “Hey Jealousy” and “Till I hear It From You.” I thought the band really did a great job as they really got the crowd into it from the start and they ended up standing for most of the rest of their set.

Closing the night was Blues Traveler. Blues Traveler burst on the scene in 1990, but it wasn’t until 1994’s ‘Four’ record that took them to new heights. Fast Forward over 36 years, the band still consists of original members John Popper on lead vocals and harmonica, Brendan Hill on drums, Chan Kinchla on lead guitar. They are rounded out Tad Kinchla on bass, and as mentioned earlier, Ben Wilson on keyboards. The positive flow started with “Things Are Looking Up.” Blues Traveler are a jam band. Instead of multiple guitarists usually leading the way, for this band, its Popper’s harmonica playing that is the leading instrument. Playing the Devil Went to Georgia and having the harmonica as the lead instrument instead of the fiddle isn’t an easy feat. Filling the grooves with their song “Defense and Desire” complicates thing even more. It shows how profound they are as a unit. The musicianship here is second to none. There isn’t a time on stage that guitarist Chan Kinchla isn’t smiling while dishing out some tasty licks on his 6^th string guitar. Tad Kinchla and Hill really were locked in and that backbone beat was supplied throughout their 1 hour and 15-minute set. “Got No Place to Go” was a highlight for me along with the stirring instrumental cover of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Jesus Chris Superstar.” To close the show, the band brought up Gin Blossom’s vocalist Robin Wilson for the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers track “Breakdown.”

All three of these bands can play and play very well. It wasn’t just about nostalgia to them, it was more than that. All 3 of these bands had something to prove and all 3 did that in spades on Tuesday night.

Blues Traveler setlist:

Things Are Looking Up

Run-Around

The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band cover)/Defense and Desire/ The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band cover)

But Anyway

Funky Bitch

Got No Place to Go (Gabriella Cilmi cover)

Jesus Chris Superstar (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover)

Regard Steven

Carolina Blues

Drum solo

Hook