Gov’t Mule closed out a three-night swing through Georgia on Friday with a gig at the Macon Auditorium. The jam titans welcomed longtime friend and former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Jack Pearson for the majority of their second set and encore. Being in the heart of Allmans’ country, the augmented act delivered a greatest hits package culled from the legendary band’s catalog.
Warren Haynes & Co. got their night final night in the Peach State off the ground with the pairing of Son House’s “Grinnin’ In Your Face” and “Mule” from their 1995 self-titled debut. The four-piece would stick with classic material next, reeling off “Rocking Horse,” “Banks Of The Deep End” and “Patchwork Quilt,” Haynes ode to Jerry Garcia. The newest songs of the night followed as Mule delivered “Revolution Come, Revolution Go” and “Thorns Of Life” from their most recent studio album. Haynes seemed to signal they were going to kick things up a notch as the band closed out their set with a pair of “rage” songs delivering “About To Rage” and “Stone Cold Rage.”
Haynes looked to his days in Allman Brothers to get the second frame going offering up “Kind Of Bird” from Shades of Two Worlds. Pearson emerged next, as the ABB alums would channel their former band for the rest of the evening. Pearson replaced Haynes in the Allmans for a short stretch in the late-1990s as Warren focused on Gov’t Mule. The now five-piece act looked to Haynes’ much-beloved “Soulshine,” which originally appeared on 1994’s Where It All Begins before diving headfirst into one Allman Brothers Band heavy-hitter after another. “Blue Sky” began the run with “Dreams,” “Jessica” and “Whipping Post,” which included a tease of “Les Bres In A Minor,” filling out the stanza. Pearson would join Gov’t Mule for their extended encore as they’d once again give the Macon faithful another dose of Allmans’ material serving up a “Melissa” that featured “Mountain Jam” dropped in its midst.
Setlist (via Gov’t Mule From The Road)
Set I: Grinnin’ In Your Face > Mule, Rocking Horse, Banks Of The Deep End, Patchwork Quilt, Revolution Come Revolution Go, Thorns Of Life, Broke Down On The Brazos > Tributary Jam, About To Rage, Stone Cold Rage
Set II: Kind Of Bird with Hottentot tease, Soulshine*, Blue Sky*, Dreams*, Jessica*, Whipping Post*
Encore: Melissa* > Mountain Jam* > Melissa*
* w. Jack Pearson
