Photo via Blues Traveler’s Facebook page

Blues Traveler returned to Morrison, CO’s scenic Red Rocks Ampitheatre over the weekend for their annual July 4th appearance. The New Jersey-bred group first played Red Rocks in September, 14, 1991, on a bill with Widespread Panic and Acoustic Junction and returned over Independence Day the next summer to open for The Allman Brothers Band on July 3 and 4. They performed at Red Rocks once again on July 2 and 3, 1993–as part of the H.O.R.D.E. tour they helped organize–and on July 4th proper the following year. And, since then, Blues Traveler have headlined Red Rocks on July 4 ever summer, with the only exceptions being in 1999, when they were forced to cancel due to health reasons, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. The quintet has often used its Red Rocks show to offer some special surprises as well.

This year, Better Than Ezra and The Record Company supplied support duties and Traveler kicked off their set with a take on their classic, beautiful four track “The Mountains Win Again,” which felt fitting given the surrounding terrain. (As a hint of things to come, the shouted out the Bobby Sheehan-penned selection on social media before the concert and shared the image of Sheehan and Neil Young that can be found above.) They also offered some selections that felt particularly appropriate on the Fourth of July, including their first run through “Freedom,” another four number, of the year and John Popper’s harmonica-heavy variation on “The Star Spangled Banner.” Giving the night a conceptual feel, they returned to “The Mountains Win Again” partway through the show and also busted out both the four cut “Price to Pay’ for the first time since November 6, 2024 and the old-school Save His Soul number “Whoops” for the first time since October 28, 2017, according to Setlist.fm. The night later came to a close with a standalone take on one of their signature singles, the lone encore of “Hook.” 

Blues Traveler will perform at Grand Junction, CO’s Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park this evening.