Blues Traveler and Pat McGee Band, headline the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Horse racing season began early this year with the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. From Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9, horse racing aficionados took to the Saratoga Race Track to take part in horse betting and other track-related activities.
The City of Saratoga Springs also kicked off the festival celebration Wednesday, June 5 with the event, Belmont on Broadway, which featured live music from local act, Tops of Trees, and headlining acts, The Pat McGee Band and Blues Traveler.
Before Blues Traveler took the stage, members of the Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the best Broadway shops’ flower window displays.
I wasn’t too familiar at first with the first headlining act, The Pat McGee Band and I missed watching the entirety of the Tops of Trees show set. I was able to catch most of McGee’s acoustic and electric rock set and enjoyed it.
The band did play “Haven’t Seen You In A While”, a song from the album, “Shine”, which helped me regain familiarity with them. McGee was even excited to watch Blues Traveler alongside the large sea of people in the street, he told his fans.
Blues Traveler, the headline stars
Blues Traveler headlined the festival. The successful 90s band, known for their catchy, jam-full songs and ripping harmonica solos, led by harmonicist and vocalist John Popper, wasted no time in delivering “Run Around” to start the show much to the crowd’s delight.
Popper’s vocals and his powerful harmonica chops are still in their prime. Listening to Popper perform his mainstream radio hits in-person was amazing. Hearing Popper jam to “Run Around”, “But Anyway”, and “Hook” on his harmonica alongside long-time band members, Brendan Hill (drums), Ben Wilson (keyboard), and brothers, Chan Kinchla (guitar/vocals), and Tad Kinchla (bass) was awesome.
Popper, who often took breaks between songs to rest his voice and grab a drink before jamming alongside his bandmates, allowed his band to jam away in their funky, spacy, sci-fi instrumentals in “Carolina Blues”, in addition to four cover tunes, “Last Dance With Mary Jane” (Tom Petty), “War Pigs” (Black Sabbath), “Devil Went Down To Georgia” (Charlie Daniels Band), and their show encore, “La Grange” (ZZ Top).
Popper was pleased to perform in the Capital Region area again and thanked the Saratoga Springs community and the fans from all surrounding areas for coming out to see them perform. He even reminiscenced on his time performing several live shows at Northern Lights in Clifton Park alongside guitarist Chan Kinchla. At a Northern Lights show, Popper had encouraged Chan to learn “Last Dance With Mary Jane” for the fans, Popper recalled.
Blues Traveler, even in their 34-plus year run,are entertaining, innovative in their jam improvisations, and delivered the fun times to thousands of fans in the “Spa City”.
Watching the band perform was a treat and a delight for the fans and I to enjoy, while relishing in the milestone moment of welcoming of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival into the city.
Story featured on Page B3 of the June 12-June 18, 2024 printed edition of TheSpot518.
To view more photos of Blues Traveler and Pat McGee Band, click here.
