Gov’t Mule Performs ‘Heavy Load Blues’ Album In Atlanta

Gov’t Mule performed their upcoming new studio album, Heavy Load Blues, in its entirety during the first set of their concert last night. Friday’s pre-announced full-album performance was the first of two Mule-o-Ween shows taking place at The Tabernacle in Atlanta.

Mule will release the blues-oriented Heavy Load Blues on November 12, featuring a mix of covers and originals written by frontman Warren Haynes. The first set contained several Gov’t Mule debuts, starting with back-to-back opening tracks “Blues Before Sunrise” and “Hole In My Soul.” Other first set first-timers for Haynes, drummer Matt Abts, bassist Jorgen Carlsson and multi-instrumentalist Danny Louis included “Love Is A Mean Old World,” The Animals’ “Last Clean Shirt,” the title track “Heavy Load” and the set/album closer “Black Horizon.”

The second set at The Tab got going with “Million Miles From Yesterday.” The band then strung together a sequence made up of “Trane,” “Rumble” and “Sex Machine,” which was followed by “Pressure Under Fire,” “Banks Of The Deep End,” “Thorazine Shuffle” and “Dark Was The Night.” A cover of Al Green’s “I’m A Ram” was selected for the second set closer. Haynes led his bandmates through an encore consisting of “In My Life.”

Gov’t Mule’s Mule-o-Ween run at The Tabernacle continues tonight with a special Halloween Eve concert celebrating The Allman Brothers Band’s iconic 1971 live album, At Fillmore East. Mule will be joined by guests Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke and original The Marshall Tucker Band drummer Paul Riddle for the tribute. Find information on Gov’t Mule’s Mule-o-Ween livestream here.

Watch audience-captured footage of last night’s first-set performance of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” and Ann Peebles “Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home” below:

Setlist (via Gov’t Mule Facebook)

Set One*: Blues Before Sunrise^, Hole In My Soul^, Wake Up Dead, Love Is A Mean Old World^, Snatch It Back And Hold It->Hold It Back->SIBAHI, Ain’t No Love In The Heart of the City, Last Clean Shirt^, Make It Rain, Heavy Load^, Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home, If Heartaches Were Nickels, I Asked Her For Water, Black Horizon^

Set Two: Million Miles From Yesterday, Trane > Rumble > Sex Machine, Pressure Under Fire, Banks Of The Deep End, Thorazine Shuffle, Dark Was The Night, I’m A Ram

Encore: In My Life

Notes:

• * Heavy Load Blues album, played in its entirety
• ^ First Time Played