Bass player down! Just five songs into Blues Traveler’s set at Red Butte Garden on Sunday night bassist Tad Kinchla collapsed due to an undisclosed medical emergency, temporarily halting the show as crews whisked him backstage.
Blues Traveler’s set had begun innocuously enough before the incident when the band took the stage as “Cherry Bomb” by the Runaways played over the PA system. They kicked it off with “Run-Around,” their epic 1994 hit before sliding right into Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Frontman John Popper shined as he subbed out the hard-charging fiddle parts with his harmonica. Without pause they segued into “The Wolf is Bumpin,” “Things Are Looking Up,” and “Funky Bitch.” Popper and guitarist Chan Kinchla (brother of bassist Tad) stood just off stage right as the keyboardist, drummer and bassist began jamming to what I think was Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” but they didn’t get too far. I noticed Tad Kinchla looked a little distressed and he awkwardly lunged toward the front of the stage before going down.
As the old showbusiness adage goes, “the show must go on,” and it did. After coming up with a more acoustic-oriented set on the fly, they continued with “But Anyway,” their first single to get them noticed in the early ‘90s. They did a nice acoustic jam on “100 Years” and with just keyboards and Popper’s soulful vocals they belted out the ballad “Look Around.” I suspect that deep cut was not on the original setlist, nor the even deeper cut “Ode From The Aspect.” Popper dedicated it to the garden audience and shared the song’s origin story about writing it on mushrooms while attending a Jam Cruise. Despite the circumstances that prompted the impromptu set, the band’s unplanned ballads were a highlight.
Guitarist Chan Kinchla took the lead vocals on Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” a song tailored to the band’s harmonica-heavy bluesy style. They finished with an electrifying jam on “Carolina Blues” and “Hook.” I hope bassist Tad Kinchla has a speedy recovery from whatever ailment led to his incapacitation on Sunday night. I appreciate Blues Traveler’s professionalism in the face of adversity.
JJ Grey & Mofro opened the show with a sturdy co-headlining 12-song set. Mofro didn’t have any missing pieces, in fact, there were 10 Mofros supporting Grey. With a brass section, stellar backup singers, and additional percussion, Mofro provided Grey with his signature country funk sound.
Grey began the sun-soaked Garden party by walking on stage blowing a fiery harmonica. Trailed by his large crew, they rattled the hillside with a sizzling “Olustee,” the title-track to Grey’s sensational new album. His first full-length record of new material in a decade , he came ready to share. For his second number he reached back to his first studio album in 2001 with the sing-along “Air.” The chorus goes “We’ve been walking on air, y’all, we’ve been walking on air.” Some days in Utah you can actually walk on the polluted air, but on Sunday we were met with blue skies and clean air allowing us to fill the Garden with our collective harmonies.
Grey & Mofro mixed in a nice balance of old and new. From his latest release, he thrilled us with “Rooster,” got us singing again on “Top of the World,” and he belted out a fresh ballad “Starry Night” before delivering a highlight,“Seminole Wind.” Longtime fans were delighted with his performance of his classic “Orange Blossom” (including more collective singing.) On “Lochloosa,” exuberant patrons tossed flowers on stage much to Grey’s delight (don’t worry, no Red Butte flowers were harmed). His backup singers engaged him in a vocal duel that Grey conceded he couldn’t win. The 11-artist ensemble ended their powerful set with the spiritual “The Sun is Shining Down,” and it certainly did.
Despite our concern over the well-being of Tad Kinchla, Blues Traveler and JJ Grey & Mofro gave fans a night to remember.
Epilogue: Blues Traveler didn’t make any public statement about the incident, but I noticed Tad took the stage two nights later in Montana. Maybe the heat or some funky Chick-fil-A got the best of him. Of course, a “tequila accident” would make for a better story (but I’d just be making that up and I don’t write for Fox News.) Either way he is back on stage and we’re happy he’s doing fine.
Who: Blues Traveler and JJ Grey & Mofro
What: Red Butte Garden Outdoor Concert Series 2024
Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
When: Sunday, July 7, 2024
Info: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/
Get the latest on arts and entertainment in and around Utah. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your guide to the best of life in Utah.
