Blues Traveler Return to Red Rocks with Spin Doctors and Gin Blossoms
Blues Traveler, photo by Bill Kelly
On July 4, Blues Traveler hosted their annual Independence Day concert at Morrison, Colo.’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a tradition dating back to 1992. The show featured support from the Gin Blossoms, and their old friends, the Spin Doctors. The show also marked the beginning of Blues Traveler’s 2025 Summer Tour. The setlist included songs from the band’s discography from 1990 to 2012, plus covers of iconic rock anthems recast in their own inimitable style. Taken together, these elements made for a memorable concert experience and an excellent continuation of the beloved tradition.
The Spin Doctors started the night with an exciting setlist including a cover of Grateful Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower;” this marked the second time the band has covered this song this year. Gin Blossoms built off the momentum with a strong 12-song set culminating in their tried and true 1995 hit “Til’ I Hear it From You.” Following an exceptional introduction, Blues Traveler took the stage with “Things Are Looking Up” off their 2012 album, Suzie Cracks the Whip. After merging into “Run Around” off their 1994 album, Four, and “Defense and Desire” off their 1993 album, Save His Soul, the group rounded up further classics from their expansive catalog like “But Anyway” and a crowd-pleasing set closer of “Hook.” To pay homage to Independence Day, the group performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Along with their original tracks, the band performed covers of classics including Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “War and Pigs” by Black Sabbath just a day before Sabbath’s lead singer, Ozzy Osbourne, performed the final concert before his retirement. The encore included the quintessential Star Wars melody, “The Imperial March,” along with a cover of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher,” and ended the night with Monty Python’s “Always Look On The Brightside Of Life.”
The following night, Blues Traveler performed late at La Vista, Neb. ‘s Astro Amphitheatre due to an injury sustained by lead singer John Popper. Due to the late start, the band was forced to end the concert early for curfew.
Blues Traveler will return to the stage tonight with a performance at Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s McGrath Amphitheatre. Find tickets and more information at bluestraveler.com/tour.
Blues Traveler
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, Colo.
July 4, 2025
Set: Things Are Looking Up, Run-Around, Defense & Desire, But Anyway, Harmonica Solo, The Star-Spangled Banner, 100 Years, War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover), The Mountains Win Again, Mary Jane’s Last Dance (Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers cover), Carolina Blues, Drum Solo, Hook
Enc.: The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme), Hot for Teacher (Van Halen cover), Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python cover)
