Guests Join Govt Mule Tour Closer In New Orleans

Last night Gov’t Mule brought their Spring Tour to close with a show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. As expected, Warren Haynes and crew welcomed several guests to the Saenger stage for a night heavy with horns and covers.

[Photos by Adam McCullough]

Mule kicked off the night with originals “Mr. Man” followed by “Rocking Horse” which went into “Stoop So Low” followed by “Larger Than Life” and “Forsaken Savior.” It was at this point in the night both the guests and the covers started coming out as the brass band The Soul Rebels emerged to join the band for much of the rest of the set. The Soul Rebels, composed of Lumar Leblanc, Julian Gosin, Corey Peyton, Erion Williams, Paul Robertson, Marcus “Red” Hubbard, Derrick Moss and Edward Lee, Jr., augmented Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s “Pass The Peas” and “Doin’ It To Death” before taking a breather as Mule ripped through The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb.” The Soul Rebels quickly returned for a take on The Stones’ “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” and the set closing cover of The Who’s “Eminence Front.”

The second set started like the first with guitarist Haynes, bassist Jorgen Carlsson, keyboardist Danny Louis and drummer Matt Abts opening with their original “Mule” that went into recent collaborator John Scofield’s “Wabash” before returning to finish “Mule.” At this point the band brought out New Orleans native Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews who assisted on Tower of Power’s “What Is Hip?” and “I’d Rather Go Blind” made famous by Etta James and sung last night by local vocalist Maggie Koerner. The rest of the show was just the Mule who closed the second set with Billy Cobham’s “Stratus” which included a tease of the Sco-Mule track “Hottentot,” followed by “Child Of The Earth” and “Thorazine Shuffle.”

The three song encore was all covers, with Pink Floyd’s “One Of These Days” fading into The Doors’ “Riders On The Storm” and the show closing “People Are Strange.” Mule takes a brief break from the road before heading to Europe for a tour beginning May 1 in Belgium. Haynes will be the special guest at tonight’s Page McConnell & The Meter Men show at New Orleans’ Joy Theatre.

Setlist (via Mule.net)

Set One: Mr. Man,  Rocking Horse > Stoop So Low (Outro 2), Larger Than Life, Forsaken Savior, Pass The Peas*, Doin’ It To Death*, Under My Thumb, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)*, Eminence Front*

Set Two: Mule > Wabash > Mule, What Is Hip?,** I’d Rather Go Blind***, Stratus^,  Child Of The Earth, Thorazine Shuffle

Encore: One Of These Days > Riders On The Storm^^ > People Are Strange

*  with The Soul Rebels
**  with Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews
*** with Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Maggie Koerner
^ “Hottentot” tease
^^ “My Favorite Things” tease