Ann Wilson Shares The Stage With Gov’t Mule At Lockn’ Festival

The 2017 edition of LOCKN’ at Infinity Downs Farm in Arrington, Virginia was in full swing yesterday, with its first full day of music featuring sets from The Marcus King Band, Anitbalas, Blackberry Smoke and more. Gov’t Mule was featured as one of last night’s headlining acts, sandwiched in between two sets of Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band. Unexpected pairings have become the tradition at LOCKN’ as it was announced prior to the fest that Mule would be joined by Ann Wilson of Heart during their scheduled slot.

The Southern-jam titans kicked things a cover of The Staples Singers’ “Hammer & Nails.” From their the old-school “Thorazine Shuffle” came ahead of a strings of tunes from their latest studio album – “Stone Cold Rage,” “Traveling Tune,” “Revolution Come…Revolution Go” and “The Man I Want To Be.” The four-piece act than reached back for “Game Face,” which segued into a section of the Allman Brothers Band classic “Mountain Jam” before returning back to “Game Face,” with a crowd-pleasing “Soulshine” following.

Warren Haynes & Co. next welcomed Ann Wilson of Heart to the stage. The augmented act kicked things off with a pair of Led Zeppelin covers, with Wilson handling lead vocals on “Immigrant Song” and “Black Dog,” from Zep III and IV. Next up came a take on Memphis Slim’s “Mother Earth,” a track that Mule included on their 1995 self-title debut album. From there Wilson did her best Janis Joplin impression with a take on “Cry Baby,” a song that was originally recorded by Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters, but one that Joplin put her signature stamp on. Wilson closed things out with Mule with a take on one of her own tunes, leading the band through “Magic Man,” from Heart’s debut album Dreamboat Annie.

Gov’t Mule teased a bit of “Immigrant Song” before launching into “Mule” > “I’ve Been Working” > “Mule” to close out their LOCKN’ 2017 set.

Watch a handful of videos of Ann Wilson’s sit-in, and check out the full setlist below:

 Photo by Ian Rawn

Setlist

Hammer & Nails, Thorazine Shuffle, Stone Cold Rage, Traveling Tune, Forsaken Savior, Revolution Come…Revolution Go, The Man I Want To Be, Game Face* > Mountain Jam > Game Face, Soulshine, Immigrant Song** (Concert Debut with Ann Wilson) Black Dog (Concert Debut with Ann Wilson), Mother Earth (with Ann Wilson), Cry Baby (Concert Debut with Ann Wilson), Magic Man (Concert Debut with Ann Wilson), Mule*** > I’ve Been Working > Mule

*with Birdland tease, ** with Mule tease, ***with Immigrant Song tease