A Little Help From Friends: Tedeschi Trucks Band & Gov’t Mule Swap Sit-Ins In Mansfield

Tedeschi Trucks Band and Gov’t Mule brought their string of five co-bill shows to the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts on Saturday night. Members of the TTB joined Mule before Warren Haynes and Danny Louis returned the favor to end the concert.

Gov’t Mule opened their set with oldies “Bad Little Doggie,” “About To Rage” and “Rockin’ Horse.” The quartet then served up a “Game Face” that included “Mountain Jam” within. TTB vocalists Alecia Chakour and Mark Rivers came out to back Haynes on the ensuing “Stoop So Low,” a track featured on Mule’s 2013 album Shout!.

The four-piece went sans guests for “Revolution Come, Revolution Go” and “Banks Of The Deep End.” Mule then brought out TTB saxophonist Kebbi Williams to add to the live staple “Blind Man In The Dark.” The band went on to close their set with crowd pleasers “Mule” and “Soulshine.”

Tedeschi Trucks Band delivered a 15-song performance at the Boston area amphitheater. The 12-piece ensemble led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks struck up a powerful cover of The Box Tops’ “The Letter” to get their set underway. After initially focusing on originals such as “Do I Look Worried,” “Future Soul” “I Want More” and “Made Up Mind,” the TTB devoted the tail end of the set to covers.

Susan Tedeschi shone on the Bonnie Raitt-popularized “I Can’t Make You Love Me” before Alecia Chakour stepped into the spotlight to sing B.B. King’s “It Ain’t Fair.” Derek Trucks used his solo on the song to lead a transition into The Allman Brothers Band's classic “Dreams.”

Warren Haynes returned to the stage as “Dreams” began. TTB keyboardist Gabe Dixon handled vocal duties before Derek Trucks and his former ABB bandmate Warren Haynes exchanged one memorable lick after another.

Haynes stayed out for “Stand Back,” an Allman Brothers song from the band’s iconic 1972 album Eat A Peach. Susan Tedeschi, Gabe Dixon and Warren Haynes took turns on lead vocals as they did on the song last week in Toronto. Trucks ceded the main solo to Haynes and also added some searing leads of his own to the “Stand Back” performance.

Tedeschi Trucks Band ended the night with Warren Haynes and his Gov’t Mule bandmate Danny Louis lending a hand on a cover of “With A Little Help From My Friends.” The 14 musicians played the Joe Cocker version of the Beatles’ hit.

Watch audience-shot video of Tedeschi Trucks Band & Gov’t Mule’s Mansfield collaborations:

A replay of the Mansfield show and livestreams of the remaining Tedeschi Trucks Band/Gov’t Mule co-bills can be viewed on nugs with an All Access subscription.

Setlists (via TTBase.net)

Gov’t Mule

Set: Bad Little Doggie, About To Rage, Rocking Horse, Game Face > Mountain Jam > Game Face, Stoop So Low[1], Revolution Come, Revolution Go, Banks of the Deep End, Blind Man In The Dark[2], Mule, Soulshine

• [1] w/ Alecia Chakour & Mark Rivers
• [2] w/ Kebbi Williams

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Set: The Letter, Do I Look Worried, Who Am I, I Walk on Guilded Splinters, Ain’t That Something, Future Soul, I Want More > Beck’s Bolero, Just Won’t Burn, Made Up Mind, I Can’t Make You Love Me, It Ain’t Fair > Dreams[1], Stand Back[1], With a Little Help From My Friends[2]

• [1] w/ Warren Haynes
• [2] w/ Warren Haynes & Danny Louis