Warren Haynes Will Play 3 Historic Guitars With Gov’t Mule On New Year’s Eve

When Gov’t Mule returns to New York City’s Beacon Theatre for their 20th New Year’s Eve show at the venue, frontman Warren Haynes will rotate between three iconic guitars from the Family Guitars collection. Mule confirmed the theme for the concert, which will follow the quartet’s December 28 performance at the Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, New York and first night at the Beacon on December 30.

Gov’t Mule selected the theme “1971: The Year Music Changed The World” for their December 31st show. “From the birth of landmark albums to the rise of new cultural movements, 1971 shaped the soundtrack of generations — and Mule is ready to bring that era back to life in true, full-throttle fashion,” reads a description of Mule’s tribute to one of the most transformative years in rock, soul and funk.

Haynes & Co. announced powerhouse British soul vocalist Yola, acclaimed guitarist/vocalist Jackie Greene and Easy Star All-Stars' Chronic Horns as the first wave of special guests to join them on New Year’s Eve. Mule advised fans to “expect deep cuts, iconic anthems, surprise collaborations and the kind of once-in-a-lifetime moments the Beacon is built for.”

Warren Haynes will switch between Mike Bloomfield’s 1963 Fender Telecaster, Dickey Betts’ 1958 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and Jerry Garcia’s Travis Bean TB500 #11 during the celebratory performance on New Year’s Eve. Read a description of each guitar below:

The Bloomfield Tele

The guitar that ‘killed folk’—Mike Bloomfield’s 1963 Fender Telecaster, purchased in Chicago and forever known as The Bloomfield Tele—will be played live during Gov’t Mule’s NYE run.

This is the very instrument Bloomfield used with Bob Dylan at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, the moment that electrified a genre and changed music history. It’s also the guitar heard throughout Highway 61 Revisited.

Dickey Betts’ ‘58 Les Paul

Dickey Betts’s 1958 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop dark black— refinished by Gibson in ’72 and transformed into a burst—returns to the stage this New Year’s Eve.

This is the very guitar heard on the iconic Fillmore East recordings and the first three Allman Brothers Band albums, Betts’ main axe from 1969–1971 and played through ’79 before he gifted it to Dangerous Dan Toler. A cornerstone of Southern rock history, back in the spotlight where its legend was built.

Jerry Garcia’s TB500 #11

One of the guitars set to join us on stage is the iconic Travis Bean TB500 #11, played by none other than Jerry Garcia. The first TB500 every built, this instrument was played during the recording sessions for ‘Terrapin Station’ and at over 90 Grateful Dead concerts.

While the TB500 was not used by Garcia on the 1971 release of the Grateful Dead’s self titled album, the guitar continued to give life to these songs from 1976-1977.

Tickets and VIP packages for Gov’t Mule’s 2025 New Year’s Eve run are on sale now.