Home Jambase moe.’s Rob Derhak Joins Gov’t Mule In Maine

moe.’s Rob Derhak Joins Gov’t Mule In Maine

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moe. bassist Rob Derhak was Gov’t Mule‘s special guest on Tuesday night. Derhak teamed with the band on the moe. classic “Opium” during Gov’t Mule’s concert at the State Theatre in Portland, Maine. The evening also featured tributes to Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia on the 27th anniversary of his death.

Maine resident Rob Derhak emerged towards the end of the quartet’s first set in Portland. Derhak replaced bassist Jorgen Carlsson for “Opium,” a moe. song Gov’t Mule has covered occasionally dating back to 2012. Rob penned “Opium” for inclusion on moe.’s 2001 studio album, Dither. The bassist and Mule guitarist Warren Haynes shared vocal duties on the tune.

Check out fan-shot video of last night’s “Opium” collaboration below:

“Opium” came just before Gov’t Mule closed out their first of two sets at the State Theatre with Carlsson back on bass for “Soulshine.” The four-piece opened the frame by performing the traditional “Railroad Boy” and then paired originals “Whisper In Your Soul” and “Banks Of The Deep End.” Mule went on to play covers of Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself,” Charles Otis’ “Brother Bill (The Last Clean Shirt)” and Ann Peebles’ “I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home” as well as their own “Temporary Saint” before welcoming Derhak to the stage.

Gov’t Mule looked to 2006’s High & Mighty for the “Million Miles From Yesterday” that kicked off their second set in Portland. Haynes then led the group through “Patchwork Quilt,” a song he wrote in honor of Jerry Garcia after learning about the guitarist’s death. Next came Mule’s first “Dark Star” since September 24, 2019.

Warren Haynes sang the first verse of the Dead’s psychedelic era gem and then Mule embarked on a jam featuring elements of “Trane,” Link Wray’s “Rumble” and Sly & The Family Stone’s “Sex Machine” to preface an instrumental “St. Stephen.” Next came Revolution Come…Revolution Go standout “The Man I Want To Be.” Mule went on to reprise “Dark Star” complete with “Smokestack Lightning” within. More covers brought the set to its conclusion as the group tackled Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Morning Little School Girl” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground.”

Haynes, Carlsson, multi-instrumentalist Danny Louis and drummer Matt Abts returned to the stage and played a bit of “Trane” to start last night’s encore. Gov’t Mule then took on the Hunter/Garcia chesnut “Loser” for their finale.

Watch fan-captured video of the first “Dark Star” sequence:

Setlist (via Gov’t Mule Facebook)

Set One: Railroad Boy, Whisper In Your Soul, Banks Of The Deep End, Lively Up Yourself, Temporary Saint, Last Clean Shirt, Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home, Opium^, Soulshine

Set Two: Million Miles From Yesterday, Patchwork Quilt, Dark Star > Trane > Sex Machine > St. Stephen Jam, The Man I Want To Be, Dark Star > Smokestack Lightning > Dark Star, Good Morning Little School Girl, Dark Was The Night

Encore: Trane > Loser

^ – with Rob Derhak of moe.

Source: JamBase.com