Gov’t Mule returned to the road last night for the first time since their Island Exodus destination event back in January. The jam titans are kicking off their Spring Tour with a three-night run of Colorado shows that began on Friday with a headlining appearance at Spring Back To Vail.
Warren Haynes & Co. got their first show in nearly three months off the ground with “Hammer & Nails” from their 2002 LP The Deep End, Volume 2. The foursome then reached back and dug in on one of their oldest songs, “Mule.” Van Morrison’s “I’ve Been Working” was dropped in the midst of the track from their self-titled debut. The lengthy stretch featured teases of Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street,” Sly & The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” and “Going Down.”
“Banks Of The Deep End” followed and the tease-heavy frame rolled on with an “Unblow Your Horn” that included a nod to Bob Marley & Wailers’ “Get Up, Stand Up” and Mule working in the lyrics to “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).” Back-to-back covers closed out the set. First up was a version of the Steve Miller Band classic “The Joker” that included a tease of The Allman Brothers Band’s “Les Brers In A Minor.” Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Effigy” followed, with the Willy And The Poor Boys song featuring a distinct jam on Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.”
The quartet tapped the Allman Brothers’ “Dreams” to begin the second stanza. “Beautifully Broken” came ahead
of a take on Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself” that saw Mule work in a tease of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog.” Finally, “Funny Little Tragedy” and longtime fan-favorite “Soulshine” closed out the five-song set. Gov’t Mule looked to Tom Waits’ “Goin’ Out West” for their lone encore last night in Vail.
Setlist (via Mule.net)
Set One: Hammer & Nails, Mule > I’ve Been Working > Mule, Banks Of The Deep End, Unblow Your Horn > The Joker with Les Brers In A Minor tease, Effigy > Folsom Prison Blues Jam > Effigy
Set Two: Dreams, Beautifully Broken, Lively Up Yourself, Funny Little Tragedy, Soulshine
Encore: Goin’ Out West
