Gov’t Mule Welcomes Jeff Sipe & Mike Barnes In Asheville

Gov’t Mule returned to the stage on Friday to kick off their summer tour in frontman Warren Haynes‘ hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. Drummer Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit/Leftover Salmon) and guitarist Mike Barnes (Derek Trucks, John Scofield) each sat-in with the band at various points on Salvage Station’s outdoor stage as part of a concert featuring Kevin Scott on bass.

Scott stood in for regular Gov’t Mule bassist Jorgen Carlsson, who recently tested positive for COVID-19. Carlsson is finishing a quarantine period following the positive test. Kevin Scott was a member of Jimmy Herring’s most recent solo outfit, The 5 of 7. Mule hadn’t performed since January as their spring tour was postponed after Haynes suffered a shoulder injury.

Gov’t Mule focused on classic originals to get their tour and night in Asheville underway. “Thorazine Shuffle” led into “Mule,” which was followed by the pairing of “Larger Than Life” and “Banks Of The Deep End.” Haynes then fronted the group on Tom Waits’ “Make It Rain” before a lengthy “Gameface.” Friday’s first set came to a close with the band’s interpretation of Junior Wells’ “Snatch It Back And Hold It” from their 2021 blues album, Heavy Load Blues, featuring the “Hold It Back” jam within.

Haynes, Scott and multi-instrumentalist Danny Louis were joined by Jeff Sipe for the classic Funkadelic instrumental “Maggot Brain” to launch Friday’s second set. Then, Matt Abts took his spot back from Sipe as the set rolled on with a take on Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer.” Next up was the beloved “Soulshine” along with “Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home.”

Mike Barnes, a childhood friend of Warren Haynes, emerged towards the end of the second set for “Sco-Mule.” The quartet then went it alone to cap the frame with “Asked Her For Water.” Gov’t Mule said farewell to Asheville with an encore featuring Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Effigy.”

Watch fan-shot video footage from Friday’s concert below:

Setlist (via Gov’t Mule Facebook)

Set One: Thorazine Shuffle, Mule, Larger Than Life, Banks of the Deep End, Make It Rain, Gameface, Snatch It Back And Hold It -> Hold It Back -> Snatch It Back And Hold It

Set Two: Maggot Brain (w/ Jeff Sipe), Cortez The Killer, Soulshine, Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home, Sco-Mule (w/ Mike Barnes), Asked Her For Water

Encore: Effiigy

Kevin Scott on bass for entire show.