Saw Gov't Mule Saturday Night

[SteveSly]

Saw Gov’t Mule Saturday night at The State Theater in Kalamazoo MI. The State is a beautiful restored old historic vaudeville theater originally built in the 1920’s and the perfect place to see a band like this. Since The Mule change their set lists every night, you never know what you are going to get, but I have never been disappointed. The band came on at about 8:15PM (opening with one of my favorite tracks “Mule”), and played until close to midnight (with an intermission). As always they cover an incredible amount of musical ground. Rock, Blues, Reggae, Jazz, Psych, you name it, they do it. For prog oriented fans they even threw in a Mahavishnu Orchestra cover which was out of this world. Everyone in the band are exceptional players and get plenty of chances to show off over the course of the set. Along with his exceptional playing, Warren Haynes has the perfect voice to fit this music and he was in fine form all night. Towards the end of the night they brought out blues great Larry McCray to play with them for the last couple of songs of the main set and then again for the encore. Everything got very bluesy with McCray and Haynes pulling off several impressive guitar duels. The band bring a full production with a nice lightshow and great sound. All for $32 bucks and 24oz Bell’s Beer on tap. Can’t beat that!

Here is the set list:

MULE
STOOP SO LOW
TIME TO CONFESS
TRANE
ETERNITY’S BREATH (MAHAVISHNU ORCHSTRA COVER)
ST. STEPHEN JAM (GREATFULL DEAD COVER)
FORSAKEN SAVIOR
MR. HIGH AND MIGHTY
BRAND NEW ANGEL
LAY YOUR BURDEN DOWN
SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING (HOWLIN WOLF COVER)

(INTERMISSION)

DONE GOT WISE
WHEN THE WORLD GETS SMALL
STRATUS
I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS (ZEPPELIN COVER – this was awesome!)
DRUM SOLO
THE SHAPE I’M IN
WORRIED DOWN WITH THE BLUES
I FEEL LIKE BREAKING UP SOMEBODY’S HOME
SOULSHINE

(ENCORE)

IT HURTS ME TOO
GONNA SEND YOU BACK TO GEORGIA

[mozo-pg]

Nice review!

[Gerardo]

How was the attendance? I'm guessing the place was packed? Everytime this type of band like Gov't Mule, Umphrey's McGee and Phish among others play here in Central Florida, it's always a sellout unlike...well you know

[nosebone]

Love Mule, hope they come to Ct. again.

[SteveSly]

How was the attendance? I'm guessing the place was packed? Everytime this type of band like Gov't Mule, Umphrey's McGee and Phish among others play here in Central Florida, it's always a sellout unlike...well you know

It was not sold out; in fact the back part of the balcony was pretty empty. The place holds 1500 and my guess was that there was probably around 1000 (maybe a bit more). I was actually a bit disappointed in the turnout as I would like to see them play this venue again. Umphrey’s is playing the same venue in November and will probably sell it out (they have a lot of history here as well as it being the bass players home town), but The Mule does not draw as well in these parts.

[Gerardo]

It was not sold out; in fact the back part of the balcony was pretty empty. The place holds 1500 and my guess was that there was probably around 1000 (maybe a bit more). I was actually a bit disappointed in the turnout as I would like to see them play this venue again. Umphrey’s is playing the same venue in November and will probably sell it out (they have a lot of history here as well as it being the bass players home town), but The Mule does not draw as well in these parts.

Thanks! 1,000 is still a healthy number. I just wonder why and how is it that these types of bands like the Mule, Umphrey's McGee, String Cheese Incident, Phish, Moe, etc., which are not that far removed from progressive rock if you think about it (they have muso-type playing, long jams, improvisation, etc), are so popular and have such a big draw and tour regularly without having a radio hit (although the Mule and Phish have had tv exposure, especially in late night tv), and more progressive rock bands can't have or enjoy/reach at least that level of success here in the U.S.? (and I'm talking about the newer bands, not the old 70's bands) I mean, currently, besides Dream Theater, Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree and Coheed and Cambria, for example, who else is attaining that level of success on the touring circuit? Anyways, just asking myself that question, don't want to hijack your thread Steve. By your account, you enjoyed the show and that's what matters, regardless of musical genre.

[SteveSly]

Thanks! 1,000 is still a healthy number. I just wonder why and how is it that these types of bands like the Mule, Umphrey's McGee, String Cheese Incident, Phish, Moe, etc., which are not that far removed from progressive rock if you think about it (they have muso-type playing, long jams, improvisation, etc), are so popular and have such a big draw and tour regularly without having a radio hit (although the Mule and Phish have had tv exposure, especially in late night tv), and more progressive rock bands can't have or enjoy/reach at least that level of success here in the U.S.? (and I'm talking about the newer bands, not the old 70's bands) I mean, currently, besides Dream Theater, Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree and Coheed and Cambria, for example, who else is attaining that level of success on the touring circuit? Anyways, just asking myself that question, don't want to hijack your thread Steve. By your account, you enjoyed the show and that's what matters, regardless of musical genre.

Never quite been able to figure that out either, especially with a band like Umphrey’s whose material I consider to be at least about 30% pure progressive rock. The Mule aren’t really prog, but some of their stuff does delve into psycadelic music which is at least proggy. In fact there were times during the show that if you closed your eyes, what they were doing was not that far removed from a band like Ozrics or bands of that genre.

The Mule’s audience is all over the place too. There were really young people there along with people who looked like they might be in their 70’s and everything in between. Not all that different from a prog audience.

[nosebone]

Mule carries the Allmans/Dead followers, which is huge.

[profusion]

All the old-school Dead and Allmans fans I know are also fans of classic prog (at least the more well-known bands), but I'm not sure the younger crowd in that scene was raised on prog.

[ronmac]

All the old-school Dead and Allmans fans I know are also fans of classic prog (at least the more well-known bands), but I'm not sure the younger crowd in that scene was raised on prog.

Yeah, I would be the younger crowd is connected by jam bands like Phish and Widespread Panic.

[SteveSly]

Mule carries the Allmans/Dead followers, which is huge.

Yea there were a significant amount of Allman Brothers T-shirts scattered amongst the audience. Mostly older folks though.

[Shadow]

Saw Gov't Mule Saturday Night

Was it's name Francis?

[Jimmy Giant]

Haynes and his band are so damn talented. At least they'll be around after the ABB call it quits.
I never quite figured out why deadheads liked any of these guys. I can't stand the dead but love Mule & ABB. I also like old Phish alot, but not the drawn out jams. These bands could outplay the dead blindfolded and duct taped. I could never draw enough parallels to explain this phenomena!

[Dana5140]

And Stratus is a Billy Cobham composition.

[Dan Marsh]

Next Mule show: Halloween when they cover Neil Young

Then the 4 New Years shows

Then Jamaica

This is the best band on the planet, imho.

[mozo-pg]

Are the Allmans calling it quits with Haynes and Trucks departure? I didn't hear any news.

[Dan Marsh]

Are the Allmans calling it quits with Haynes and Trucks departure? I didn't hear any news.

Originally they were going to call it quits.

I think Gregg has mentioned carrying on, but who knows.

[Fracktured]

Mahavishnu Eternity's Breath is surprising but not shocking. I've heard Warren has done parts of Gates of Delirium and who knows what else over the years. One thing about Warren is that he's not shy about doing all kinds of different types of music. I actually like the second disc of Shout with the other vocalists.

[Fracktured]

Are the Allmans calling it quits with Haynes and Trucks departure? I didn't hear any news.

Somehow I think Gregg will get 2 different guitarists and continue on. Gregg said they'll have to drag me off the stage. I doubt Dickey is one of the candidates, but I'd love to see him back again.

[SteveSly]

And Stratus is a Billy Cobham composition.

I knew it was a cover, but did not know by who.

[mozo-pg]

Whew! I definitely would love to see them carry on.