RECAP: Blues Traveler / Gin Blossoms / Spin Doctors @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 7/30/2026
Written by chadfromalbany on August 3, 2026
By Chad from Albany.
The early ’90s were a wonderful time for pop and rock music separately, but there was a particularly unique thing going on in which those two genres somehow blended and made it on alternative radio alongside their peers from Seattle and abroad. Sing-along songs that weren’t offensive to anybody’s ears, and the hardest of rockers could enjoy them while the young baby boomers could also relate to the hooks and choruses and still enjoy that there was just a touch of crunch to the guitars. This time was a special time for these musical mixes across the board – around this time, the sounds of New Jack Swing were topping the charts, when R&B artists sang beautifully over beats produced by hip-hop artists and producers. And even hardcore rap and metal came together for the iconic soundtrack to “Judgment Night.” Wonderful times indeed.
Three of the biggest acts of the ’90s “pop rock” era came together for a triple bill for the second year in a row, this time stopping at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. In the ’90s, SPAC annually hosted the H.O.R.D.E. Festival tour – the underrated touring music festival that brought together an eclectic mix of pop and rock acts, legends of music, up-and-comers, and jam bands. For many years, Blues Traveler, who founded the touring fest, headlined. Personally, that was my favorite tour every year. This lineup was reminiscent of those tours, sans the multiple vendors selling jewelry, music, and memorabilia throughout the back of the lawn. In fact, the lawn wasn’t even available for sale at this concert, which was very disappointing, because the songs by these artists lend perfectly to lying in the grass and taking in the sounds between the passing of whatever is rolled up in that paper they were lighting. But that didn’t stop hundreds of patrons who paid for inside seats from flocking down and congregating on the lawn (and that slippery rubber mat in the front of the lawn) to dance, smoke, sing, and remember that special time, or to introduce younger fans and kids to this timeless music.
Starting at 6 pm sharp, the Spin Doctors took the stage with the fourth single from their iconic 1991 album, “Pocketful of Kryptonite,” “What Time Is It?” All original members were present apart from bassist Mark White, and the Spin Doctors sounded impeccable, with frontman Chris Barron still strutting his mantis-like body around and executing his circular kicks that he has been doing ever since WEQX started playing “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” before most other stations in the country were. And of course they played that as well as “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” before the not only show-stealing, but concert-stealing performance of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” In the pantheon of great guitarists of the era, I have always felt that Eric Schenkman was grossly underrated, and that shone through during his electric performance. Fittingly, their set closed with their signature hit “Two Princes.”
Up next were Tempe, Arizona’s own Gin Blossoms, who celebrated the 30th(!) anniversary of their third album “Congratulations, I’m Sorry” by starting the show off with the lead single from that album, “Follow You Down.” Following that, they launched into a pair of songs from their monster 1992 album “New Miserable Experience”- “Hold Me Down” and “Mrs. Rita.” “Learning the Hard Way” followed, from their 2006 album “Major Lodge Victory,” showcasing the undeniable singing and guitar playing of Jesse Valenzuela. And then we were struck with a barrage of smash hits: “Until I Fall Away,” “Hands Are Tied,” “Found Out About You,” and “Allison Road.” The latter saw the Blossoms joined onstage by frontman Robin Wilson’s son Greg on guitar, who brought plenty (if not too much) youthful energy to the song. He donned his AC/DC shirt and was as frantic as Angus Young was in 1980, while playing a song with a much slower tempo than anything off of “Back in Black”. But I can’t knock it. He was young and excited and played well. Props. Closing out the set was their two magnum opuses: “Hey Jealousy” and “Til I Hear It From You,” which was the single from the film “Empire Records” and became a bigger hit than the movie itself. The Blossoms’ clarity and musicianship made this the most spectacular song of the evening.
The night was rounded off by the legendary Blues Traveler. As I was still in shock that I first saw this band in this theater 31 years ago, I was happy to hear that they continue to look and sound amazing. Of course, frontman John Popper is known for being a master of the harmonica (I cannot immediately think of a band that has had that as a lead instrument, at least to the level of Blues Traveler), but it often gets forgotten about how great of a singer he is, with a voice just as unique as his musicianship. And even while playing their catalog staples such as “Run-Around,” “But Anyways,” and “Hook,” he sings with the passion of singing it for the first time, every time. Nobody has the soul of John Popper. Nobody.
And between those radio staples, they played the electric “Carolina Blues.” Probably the most fun of the evening came when he brought Chris Barron from the Spin Doctors out to perform “Champipple” from the 2011 release with one of his side projects, the Duskray Troubadours. The origin of this novelty song is rooted in an episode of “Sanford & Son,” of which he told the story of when they tried making this drink that was mentioned on the classic sitcom. And the charm of seeing this performed with Barron, his 40-year friend, made it extra special. Unbeknownst to many, Popper and Barron were high school friends who started off together in a band in the mid ’80s called The Trucking Company, before Popper left to pursue Blues Traveler full time. It is great seeing their friendship flourishing all of these decades later. After the set closer “Hook,” Popper and company rid themselves of the cliché that they have to walk off the stage and come back, but instead brought back Gin Blossom’s singer Robin Wilson for a cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Breakdown.”
What a fantastic night of nostalgia by three bands still as good, if not better, than they have ever been. All of the hits were played, and generations came together to see three of the greats. Although I would love nothing more than to see the return of a touring H.O.R.D.E. Festival, or at least an annual one in the northeast, I will take this for now, in hopes that we can relive that tour again, without it being bloated like Lollapalooza has become.
Blues Traveler’s setlist can be found here:
Gin Blossom’s setlist can be found here:
Spin Doctors setlist can be found here:
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