Blues Traveler treated fans to a special surprise on Sunday at Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts in Patchogue, NY, debuting a cover of “Althea” by the Grateful Dead with guitarist Chan Kinchla on lead vocals.
The moment marked Kinchla’s first time singing “Althea” with Blues Traveler, though it was not his first encounter with the song. Earlier this year, he joined rising outlaw country stars Andrea Whitt and Jaime Wyatt for a twangy rendition of the beloved Go to Heaven track during the Y’all Star Revue at Desert 5 Spot in Los Angeles. That performance—part of the Sho-Bud Live Showcase celebrating the revival of the iconic Sho-Bud Guitars brand—featured Whitt’s lush pedal steel, Kinchla’s fiery fretwork, and Wyatt’s soulful vocals.
Back on the East Coast, Kinchla and company gave “Althea” a more traditional treatment, blending the band’s trademark groove and improvisational flair with the Dead’s timeless storytelling.
The Patchogue set also included another notable cover: Rush’s “YYZ”, which the band has been experimenting with since debuting the song at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, AZ, on August 30th. Sunday’s version marked only the fourth live performance of the instrumental prog-rock favorite.
Check out Blues Traveler’s debut of “Althea” below, along with Kinchla’s earlier rendition of the song featuring Andrea Whitt and Jaime Wyatt.
Blue Traveler will return to the stage tonight at The State Theatre in Ithaca, NY. Find tickets for the band’s ongoing fall tour here.
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Chan Kinchla, Andrea Whitt, & Jaime Wyatt – “Althea” (Grateful Dead)
[Video: Y’all Star Revue]
Setlist: Blues Traveler | Patchogue Theatre For The Performing Arts | Patchogue, NY | 10/5/25
Set: Things Are Looking Up > Go Outside & Drive (with “Loser” [Beck] and “Blister in the Sun” [Violent Femmes] interpolation) > Run-Around > Believe Me > But Anyway, Alone > Funky Bitch (Son Seals) > YYZ (Rush) (John Popper off stage) > The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band), Ode From the Aspect (John and Ben duet), Carolina Blues > Drum Solo > Hook
Encore: Althea (Grateful Dead) (Chan on Lead Vocals, First Time Played)