Photos by Rebecca Clark | Review by Renee Clark Quade

There’s something special about seeing three bands that were such a defining part of the ’90s still standing on a stage decades later and sounding every bit as good as they did when their songs first became part of the soundtrack of a generation.

On Sunday, August 9, at CMAC in Canandaigua, NY, Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler proved exactly why their music has stood the test of time. There was plenty of ’90s nostalgia throughout the night, of course, but that wasn’t what made this show work. These three bands are still successful because they are incredibly talented musicians who know how to put on a great live show. The songs may bring back memories, but the talent is what keeps people coming back and filling seats.

Opening the show was Spin Doctors, who brought a unique kind of energy to the evening. Chris Barron is clearly a natural entertainer, and his sense of humor was on display throughout the set. At one point, he told the audience he wanted to sing some Spin Doctors songs before having everyone repeat lyrics back to him to finish out the song.

The band also gave the crowd plenty of opportunities to see just how good these musicians are when they have room to stretch out. They worked a long jam into the set, Barron delivered a cover of “Purple Rain,” and there was plenty of improvisation and interaction between the musicians. Before the third song, Barron had everyone get up, and the audience was more than happy to oblige.

One of my favorite moments came when Barron talked about the band being 100 percent real music, without AI or computers, just the band and their instruments. With AI becoming such a growing part of the arts and music industry, it was refreshing to hear a musician proudly point to the human side of what they do. Spin Doctors have nothing to hide behind. The musicians on that stage are the reason the music works, and their live performance made that pretty clear.

The band closed with “The Go Ahead,” after a set that was just as much about having fun as it was about showing off their musicianship. Barron even told the crowd to text him when they got home to make sure they made it safely, another little moment that fit his personality perfectly.

Gin Blossoms got the night started with “Follow You Down,” and the crowd was immediately on its feet. Robin Wilson and the band have the kind of stage presence that makes their set feel relaxed and fun without ever losing sight of the music. Before the bridge and final chorus, Wilson welcomed everyone by telling them, “We are your favorite band, the Gin Blossoms,” and the crowd certainly seemed to agree.

Wilson was constantly interacting with the audience throughout the set. During the second song, he held up his black Solo cup and called for a cheers, with the crowd raising their drinks right back at him. Before the third song, he reminded everyone that this wasn’t a movie, it was a rock and roll show, and told everyone to get on their feet and not let anyone behind them stop them from having a good time.

He also brought the audience into the performance in a more literal way, handing his tambourine to a fan in the front row and letting them play along for part of the song. When he got it back, he eventually handed it to another fan on the other side of the stage. It was a simple thing, but it showed how comfortable Wilson is interacting with the people in front of him.

The set included “As Long as It Matters,” which Wilson jokingly noted had been number one in the Philippines, followed by a slowed-down “Until I Fall Away.” When it was time for “Found Out About You,” Wilson joked that this was the part of the set where they play all their hits and once again got the crowd on their feet. “Allison Road” followed before the band closed their set with “’Til I Hear It From You.”

Then it was time for Blues Traveler.

The stage setup was relatively simple, with a large black banner featuring the cat from their album hanging behind the band. Its eyes alternated between red and white as the band opened with “Stand,” followed by “Run-Around.”

The third song took things in a completely different direction with a Blues Traveler version of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Popper changed the lyrics to reference New York, joking that he couldn’t possibly sing “The Devil Went Down to Canandaigua” because it simply didn’t work. The joke got a big reaction from the crowd, but the real highlight was what came next: an extended jam that gave the band plenty of room to show exactly what they can do.

That’s one of the things that makes Blues Traveler so much fun to see live. Their songs aren’t simply played exactly as they appear on a record. There’s room for improvisation, and the musicians clearly enjoy seeing where a song can go. A beach ball made its way through the crowd during “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” adding another bit of chaos to an already fun moment.

“Anyway” followed, and at one point Popper looked out at the audience and said, “You guys are fucking awesome. There, I said it.” He was just getting started.

Before “Champagne Pipple,” Popper told the story behind the song and explained that it was written with Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors. Barron then came back onto the stage to perform it with him, making for one of the night’s best collaborations.

The story behind “Champipple” was almost as entertaining as the song itself. Popper explained that the song came from an episode of Sanford and Son, where Fred Sanford was talking about the family dream of “Champipple,” a combination of ginger ale and Ripple. From there, the band turned the ridiculous idea into a song about what they hoped “Champipple” would represent: something that makes you feel good, tastes good and gives you a good time.

Barron eventually left the stage, joking that he had gone to high school with these guys and that they were cool back then. He started singing his familiar “doo doo doo” before walking off, then leaned back out to wave goodbye. It was another glimpse of the personality that made his appearance so much fun.

Blues Traveler continued to stretch out musically, including a long keyboard solo before “Regarding.” They also brought Eric Schenkman of the Spin Doctors back onto the stage for “Carolina,” giving the audience another collaboration between the bands.

Popper continued to find ways to connect with the crowd, too. At one point, he spotted a young fan and specifically called him out before tossing him a harmonica. The guitarist also let people in the front row reach out and strum his guitar strings. These weren’t carefully staged moments designed to look good from a distance. They felt spontaneous, and that made them even better.

Eventually, the band reached the point where most groups would walk offstage and wait for the audience to call them back. Popper wasn’t having it.

He jokingly pointed out that their equipment was still sitting right there, so walking offstage just to stand somewhere else while the audience clapped before coming back made very little sense. He called the whole encore routine an illusion and a ceremony and asked the crowd if they wanted another song. When they enthusiastically responded, he laughed that he had just saved himself a walk and saved everyone a few minutes.

It was exactly the kind of moment that fit the entire show. Nothing felt overly rehearsed or formal. The musicians were there to play, have fun and interact with the people who came to see them.

The night eventually came to an incredible close with “Breakdown,” when Robin Wilson returned to the stage to join Blues Traveler. Bringing one of the Gin Blossoms back out for the final song was a fitting way to bring the three-band lineup together one more time.

Before leaving the stage, Popper tossed several harmonicas into the crowd, while the rest of the band came to the edge of the stage to hand out guitar picks and drumsticks to fans.

Walking away from a show like this, it would be easy to call it a night of ’90s nostalgia. The songs certainly brought back memories, and there was something fun about hearing music that has been part of people’s lives for three decades. But nostalgia isn’t enough to explain why these bands are still able to get people into a venue and keep them on their feet.

The reason is talent.

Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler have all created music that has lasted, but they have also continued to prove themselves as live musicians. They can improvise, they can play off each other, they can bring fans into the show, and they can take songs people have heard hundreds of times and make them feel fresh again.

That’s why this music has lasted. It isn’t simply a snapshot of the ’90s that people are revisiting for old times’ sake. These are musicians who have spent decades doing what they love, and they are still damn good at it.

The nostalgia might get people through the doors, but the music is what keeps them there.

Spin Doctors Photo Gallery

Gin Blossoms Photo Gallery

Blues Traveler Photo Gallery