Gov’t Mule Put On 1st ‘Eminence Front’ Cover Since 2015 With Soul Rebels In San Antonio

Gov’t Mule tapped brass band The Soul Rebels and longtime collaborator harmonica plyer Hook Herrera as special guests last night in San Antonio. The Soul Rebels came out towards the middle of Mule’s lengthy set at the Majestic Theatre for a two-song sit-in that included a bust-out cover of The Who’s “Eminence Front.”

Guitarist Warren Haynes and bandmates multi-instrumentalist Danny Louis, drummer Matt Abts and bassist Jorgen Carlsson welcomed members of the New Orleans-based Soul Rebels for both “Eminence Front” and the “Hole In My Soul” that preceded The Who classic. The latter is an original that appears on Mule’s 2021 blues album, Heavy Load Blues.

Penned and sung by Pete Townshend, The Who released “Eminence Front” on 1982’s It’s Hard. Gov’t Mule unveiled their take on the song at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on October 11, 2002. Fourteen additional versions followed as per Setlist.com with the last coming way back on April 24, 2015 in New Orleans. The Soul Rebels contributed to “Eminence Front” at the 2015 show in their hometown as well.

Watch a few clips of last night’s “Eminence Front” along with pro-shot video of the 2015 version below:

At the start of Mule’s set, following Soul Rebels’ support performance, the quartet went with a “Broke Down On The Brazos” that flowed into a “Tributary Jam” to open. Déjà Voodoo gem “Slackjaw Jezebel” then led into the pairing of the title track and “Traveling Tune” from 2017’s Revolution Come, Revolution Go. Next, the four-piece played Shout! standout “Forsaken Savior” ahead of a take on The Beatles’ “She Said, She Said” featuring a “Tomorrow Never Knows Jam” before The Soul Rebels emerged.

Gov’t Mule continued the marathon frame after the Soul Rebels’ appearance with a heady medley of “Trane,” “Rumble,” “Sex Machine,” “Frankenstein,” “Eternity Shuffle” and “St. Stephen.” Out came Hook Herrera next, after he sat-in the previous night in Fort Worth, to blow harmonica on the blues standard “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” and Junior Wells’ “Snatch It Back And Hold It.” The latter came complete with “Hold It Back,” an improvised segment worked up by the quartet in the studio while tracking Heavy Load Blues.

Oldies “Banks Of The Deep End” and “Thorazine Shuffle” closed out Mule’s main set. Hook Herrera was on hand for the evening’s encore. The five musicians delivered covers of Muddy Waters’ “Long Distance Call” and Tom Waits’ “Get Behind The Mule” to end the night in San Antonio. Gov’t Mule and The Soul Rebels play Houston’s 713 Music Hall tonight.

Setlist (via Gov’t Mule Facebook)

Set: Broke Down On The Brazos > Tributary Jam, Slackjaw Jezebel, Revolution Come, Revolution Go, Traveling Tune, Forsaken Saviors, She Said > Tomorrow Never Knows Jam, Hole In My Soul**, Eminence Front**, Trane > Rumble > Sex Machine > St. Steven Jam, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl***, Snatch It Back > Hold It Back > Sibahi***, Banks Of The Deep End, Thorazine Shuffle

Encore: Long Distance Call***, Get Behind The Mule***

• ** With The Soul Rebels
• *** With Hook Herrera