By Chaz Dykes of Chaz D Photography
If you were trying to find an empty seat at The BayCare Sound in downtown Clearwater last night, you were out of luck. The BayCare Sound was Sold out for a massive summer tour stop featuring three absolute heavyweights of 90s alternative rock: Blues Travelers, he Gin Blossoms, and the Spin Doctors. The energy in the open-air amphitheater was unreal from the second the lights went down, and honestly, the crowd was loud enough to drown out the bay.
Having all three of these acts on the same bill is kind of a dream lineup if you grew up listening to alternative radio.
The Spin Doctors got things moving early. They hit the stage with that signature, funky New York groove, and it didn’t take long for the whole lawn to be moving to “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes.”
The Gin Blossoms brought a totally different, sun-drenched vibe with their classic jangle-pop. Hearing a sold-out Florida crowd belt out every single word to “Hey Jealousy,” “Found Out About You,” and “Allison Road” gave you major chills.
And man, Blues Traveler closed out the night by showing everyone how it’s done. Fueled by the blistering harmonica skills of frontman John Popper alongside his massive, soulful voice, the band put on a masterclass in live improv.
The night also featured some incredible cross-band collaborations. Mid-set, Blues Traveler paid homage to alternative icons Sublime by dropping a crowd-pleasing cover of “What I Got.” Later on, they brought out Spin Doctors frontman Chris Barron—who went to high school with Popper—to join them for a special track they wrote together called “Champipple”.
The song itself has a hilarious backstory: “Champipple” is a quirky, retro-jingle-style track born out of a shared love for the classic 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son. In the show, the iconic character Fred Sanford famously drinks “Champipple”—a cheap, DIY cocktail made by mixing cheap champagne and ripple wine. John Popper and Chris Barron turned that comical concoction into a funky, laid-back tune, and watching the two longtime friends trade lines and swap vocal scats live on stage was an absolute treat. By the time Blues Traveler rolled into “Hook” and “Run-Around,” the place was losing its mind.
As awesome as the music was, the craziest part of the night happened out in the crowd. Right as those typical, threatening Florida storm clouds started rolling in—the kind that usually dump a flash flood on outdoor venues—I spoke to the Medicine Man and he told me about using his mental powers to stay off the storm.
Instead of flinching at the darkening sky, he stood his ground, closed his eyes, and channeled his focus directly upward. Call it luck, manifestation, or pure cosmic willpower, but the storm passed over leaving a nice cool evening to enjoy the show. To top it all off, a glowing rainbow appeared that arched straight over the venue, as the singer for the Spin Doctors spoke about the importance of inclusion, science and Democracy and that every human being is equal.
Between a completely packed house singing and dancing to every 90s anthem and a literal, allegedly magic rainbow, all three bands managed to remind the crowd via the magic of music that we are more alike than we are different. Let me quote the Blues Travelers: “I put all my hope in tomorrow, it’s gonna be great, I can tell, but anyway”… what I’m trying to say is, if you missed it, you missed one hell of a night.
For more info on the bands and the tour visit their websites.
https://www.bluestraveler.com
https://www.ginblossoms.net
https://www.spindoctors.com
Now go out and see some Live Music!
