Gov’t Mule Raleigh – 4/13/08
This year I didn’t get to go to Wanee festival (which by the way was the best thing that happened to me in ‘07) – but catching Gov’t Mule outside the Lincoln Theatre and the Greyboy All Stars that night inside the Lincoln somewhat made up for it. Not able to find anyone interested in going I headed out solo – Mule’s a can’t miss band for me so no biggie.
I made it there in time to catch the last few songs from the Jamie McLean Band. Jamie’s other main gig is guitarist for the legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band, though his band is more straight forward rock. What I heard I enjoyed, but I ended up catching with an old college friend during Jamie’s set.
I positioned myself up front for the Mule. Warren came out and played a few slide licks, organ comes in- I knew immediately what song it was – “It takes more, more than a hammer…” Mule launches into “Hammer and Nails” with Hess and Abts locking into an infectious groove with a much appreciative crowd ready to groove along.
Next was “Rockin’ Horse” which has become a staple in both Mule and Allman Bros shows – I don’t think I can count on 2 hands the number of times I’ve heard this one live – but it never gets old.
“‘My gaurdian angel wears a hard hat,”
Said the boy with the microphone’
“Else, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”
Ever since I was a young a boy
I couldn’t leave well enough alone
Mule covering the Beatles’ “She Said, She Said” into “Tomorrow Never Knows” was well worth the price of admission. Warren begins playing the Tomorrow Never Knows melody and then begins singing:
Turn off your mind relax/and float downstream
During the end of Fallen Down, Mule goes into “Gimme Shelter” and then into an out of this world The Other One Jam with Greyboy All Star Karl Denson absolutely killing it on the sax. Karl then came back again during “Blind Man in the Dark” with even a bit of an Afro Blue tease.
Second set featured a Led Zeppelin’s version of “When The Levee Breaks”.
All and all – the best show I’ve been to this year for sure. I talked to an older couple that claimed to have seen over 200 Mule shows (I may have seen 15 or so if I had to guess) – the wife said she’d put this show in her top 3 Mule shows.
That night I caught the first bit of the Greyboy All Stars show, the only song I recognized was a cover of the Beatles “Taxman.” I’ve seen Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe 6 or 7 times, but this was my first Greyboy show…I enjoyed it, but was a bit tired and grew uninterested (mostly just tired) from hearing I-IV-V structured songs…don’t want to knock them too much Karl Denson was great as was Robert Walter and the rest of the band – I’m sure most nights I would’ve gladly stuck around. Warren did come out and play slide on about 2 or 3 songs – it was quite surreal seeing Warren Haynes in a smaller venue.
04.13.2008 Lincoln Theater Street Stage Raleigh, NC
Set 1
Hammer & Nails Judgement Day Tease
Rocking Horse
A Million Miles From Yesterday
Larger Than Life
She Said, She Said->
Tomorrow Never Knows
Fallen Down->
The Other One Jam with Karl Denson
Brighter Days
That’s What Love Will Make You Do with Robert Walter and Jamie McLean
Blind Man In The Dark with Karl Denson
Set 2
I Think You Know What I Mean->
When The Levee Breaks->
I Think You Know What I Mean
Slackjaw Jezebel
Beautifully Broken
Devil Likes It Slow->
Drums
Streamline Woman
Thorazine Shuffle
Encore
Soulshine
All Photos by Chris Rushin
All Monitors mixed by Earl McCoy
Tags: Gov't Mule, Greyboy All-Stars
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