• Registered: 2006-05-22
  • Posts: 109

Topic: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

Gov’t Mule finally came to Houston last Thursday at the Meridian and really put on a great performance.  It had been over 6 years since their last visit, and I felt fortunate to be in the enthusiastic audience of about 700.  Grace Potter & the Nocturnals opened and laid down some nice originals and cover tunes – she has a fantastic voice, played some mean Keyboards, and is very easy on the eyes.  The Mule followed with 2 excellent sets as follows:

Set 1
Slackjaw Jezebel
Larger Than Life
Rocking Horse
Thelonius Beck
Empty Pages (cool Traffic tune)
Slow Happy Boys
Bad Man Walking
About To Rage
Honky Tonk Women with Grace Potter
Set 2
So Weak, So Strong
Sco-Mule
Champagne & Reefer (a few folks fired up accordingly)
Painted Silver Light
Drums
Bad Little Doggie
Blind Man In The Dark
Encore
It Hurts Me Too

I stood about 10 feet in front of Warren Haynes for the 1st set, enduring the crowd, sweat, and neck strain from being vertically challenged – but it was worth the effort.  Haynes threw down some of the best, extended, smoking leads of ever seen or heard, especially on Larger Than Life and About to Rage.  His guitar sounded incredible and his singing was darn good too.  Without a doubt, he is my favorite living singer/songwriter/guitar player (Joe B is a very close 2nd).  The overall sound and mix was great and the rest of the band was awesome as well.  I already new Matt Abts was a badass on drums, but the Bass Player (Andy Hess) was better than I had expected, and Danny Louis filled out the sound nicely on Keyboards and laid down a few smoking leads as well.
I stood back in the middle of the room for the 2nd set where there was a little more air, and the sound was still very good.  Overall, I was glad that they played some of the Heavier tunes that I wanted to hear, but I was surprised that they didn’t play any songs from High & Mighty.  They have so many to choose from and they change the Setlist every night, so you never know what you’re going to get – the only song I would have scratched was Slow Happy Boys.  Definitely, a memorable show – hopefully, they won’t wait 6 more years and will play the Verizon Theater the next time.

  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 729

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

Sounds like a great show.  I love the Mule and Warren is a very close 2nd to Joe in my book.  But either way he plays an incredibly tasty axe.  And that voice!  And those lyrics!

3 Reply by darrflo (edited by darrflo 2008-05-03 18:41:21)

  • From: BEAVER PA
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 179

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

One of my favorite Warren Haynes' penned tunes is Soul Shine. GM ended their set with it here in Pittsburgh last time.

Tell me about the car i saw parked outside your door ? Tell me what you left me waiting two or three hours for ? Tell me why when the phone rings, baby, your up and across the floor ? Please dont keep me wondering no more.....
  • suhl
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Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

warren haynes is a songwriter/guitarist, joe bonamassa is a guitar player who has written a few songs.  he is not a songwriter in the sense that warren haynes is, not by a long shot.  i love both and don't really put one above the other..  i think joe has more guitar skills warren haas more songwriting skills.  two of my favorites and both at the level i consider where you can't say someone is better than someone elese..  anyhow, that looks like a pretty decent set.  i love hearing about mule live shows and saw them last year for myself for the first time it was fantastic.  i have to say this is a band you have to see live to truly appreciate.  i liked them a lot before i saw them live, but after it is like i finally get it.  it is cool you got to see it hurts me too i'd really like to hear them play that i have a solo acoustic recording of warren playing it and it is so cool.  bluesy as hell.  soulshine is fantastic of course and better when performed by the mule than abb(my opinion of course).  i saw them do the reggae version last year which was cool.  anyohw cool you got to see mule i think they are one of the best bands touring in the world.  and i love how they change the setlist night after night defintely gives me more fuel to see them at multiple dates. 

on a sidenote i listened to worried down with the blues the other day which is just so badass and they pretty much never play live.  god i would love to see that and have derek trucks come out there.   mmmm i can dream.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fCdNsm7gvu8

If wine and pills were hundred dollar bills
I might keep you satisfied

suhl's Website

  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 729

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

suhl wrote:

warren haynes is a songwriter/guitarist, joe bonamassa is a guitar player who has written a few songs.  he is not a songwriter in the sense that warren haynes is, not by a long shot.  i love both and don't really put one above the other..  i think joe has more guitar skills warren haas more songwriting skills.  two of my favorites and both at the level i consider where you can't say someone is better than someone elese..  anyhow, that looks like a pretty decent set.  i love hearing about mule live shows and saw them last year for myself for the first time it was fantastic.  i have to say this is a band you have to see live to truly appreciate.  i liked them a lot before i saw them live, but after it is like i finally get it.  it is cool you got to see it hurts me too i'd really like to hear them play that i have a solo acoustic recording of warren playing it and it is so cool.  bluesy as hell.  soulshine is fantastic of course and better when performed by the mule than abb(my opinion of course).  i saw them do the reggae version last year which was cool.  anyohw cool you got to see mule i think they are one of the best bands touring in the world.  and i love how they change the setlist night after night defintely gives me more fuel to see them at multiple dates. 

on a sidenote i listened to worried down with the blues the other day which is just so badass and they pretty much never play live.  god i would love to see that and have derek trucks come out there.   mmmm i can dream.

You make some good points, suhl.  And I'll clarify my remarks by saying when I said Warren is a very close 2nd to Joe in my book, it wasn't in a "better than" sense, but in a "my favorite" sense.  And there is a bit of an apples and oranges comparison, too.  But when they are both that good it's just splitting hairs anyway.

  • suhl
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Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

true.  i meant it in a similar sense.  i love both and really would like to see them tour together but sadly i dont think it will ever happen.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fCdNsm7gvu8

If wine and pills were hundred dollar bills
I might keep you satisfied

suhl's Website

  • suhl
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Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

man look at the last set they played.  i don't know if some of you have heard of a lot of these guest but surely everyone has heard of a few and let me tell you i know most of them and all are good.  i swear mule is cool with everyone in the world worth listening too.

Set 1
Unring The Bell
Blind Man In The Dark
You Got Me Hummin'* with Dave Malone
Parchman Farm* with Dave Malone
with Bela Fleck
Fortunate Son* with Ivan Neville & George Porter
Sailing Shoes with Ivan Neville & George Porter
Hey Julia* with Ivan Neville & George Porter
Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley with Ivan Neville & George Porter
When The Levee Breaks with Kirk Douglas & Owen Biddle
Gold Dust Woman with Grace Potter
Who Knows* with Grace Potter & Brendan Bayliss
Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home with Sonny Landreth
Goin' Out West with Eric McFadden

Set 2
Africa (New Orleans) with Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Cyril Neville & Eric Krasno
32/20 Blues with Count M'Butu, Kofi Burbridge & Eric Krasno
The Sky Is Crying with Walter Trout, Count M'Butu & Henry Butler
Everyday I Have The Blues* with Wolfman Walter Williams, Yonrico Scott & Count M'Butu
Three String George with Count M'Butu & Yonrico Scott
Thorazine Shuffle

Encore
Soulshine Gospel Intro

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fCdNsm7gvu8

If wine and pills were hundred dollar bills
I might keep you satisfied

suhl's Website

  • Registered: 2008-03-27
  • Posts: 297

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

I'm glad the sound was good at that place...

we had a really hard time with the sound when I was there opening for Gregg Allman. He nor his road crew were happy at all with the p.a. system they had in there...it looked like it had been thrashed by all of the extreme metal bands from the past that still had their posters up in there...because nothing seemed to work...

i liked the venue though...very cool lay out...it was a good introduction to Houston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EGOdbJ4sRM
  • Registered: 2006-05-22
  • Posts: 109

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

Suhl, I'm totally with you on your analysis of these 2 extraordinary artists - Joe Bonamassa & Warren Haynes.  It's kinda pointless of me to "rank" great musicians, anyway.  I'm just glad that they both apply their talents to music I LOVE.
KV

  • From: Psychotic Silicon Valley, CA.
  • Registered: 2007-09-20
  • Posts: 42

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

My music buddy and I already got our tickets to see Gov't Mule co-headling with Bob Weir
and Ratdog at the Mountain Winery in July. This is my favorite band and one of my favorite small, outdoor venues. I try to see the Mule every chance I get and I'm always impressed with the way this band gives 100 + %. You never know who will show up to jam or what  they will pull out of the music vault. I saw the set lists from New Orleans - amazing. Sonny Landreth and Walter Trout and more sitting in! I'm going to see Sonny again this week! Guitar Player Readers Poll award for best slide guitarist.

"Where's my Mule!?"

"So much music, so little time."

Gr8ful Fred
  • suhl
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Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

spongeworthiest wrote:

Suhl, I'm totally with you on your analysis of these 2 extraordinary artists - Joe Bonamassa & Warren Haynes.  It's kinda pointless of me to "rank" great musicians, anyway.  I'm just glad that they both apply their talents to music I LOVE.
KV

yeah like i said im not ranking them i just consider joe more of a guitar player where i consider warren a guitarist/songwriter as he has done a boatload of both.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fCdNsm7gvu8

If wine and pills were hundred dollar bills
I might keep you satisfied

suhl's Website

  • From: Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2008-03-28
  • Posts: 263

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

I've seen Mule MANY times over the years and its ALWAYS a great show.  He can really lay some some good tunes.  Been a huge fan of him ever since his early days with Allman Brothers and obviously later with Mule.  I'm actually listening to the track he played on with Corrosion Of Conformity right now. 

If you never checked them out live or otherwise, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn
  • suhl
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Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

stare too long \m/

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fCdNsm7gvu8

If wine and pills were hundred dollar bills
I might keep you satisfied

suhl's Website

  • From: Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2008-03-28
  • Posts: 263

Re: Gov't Mule - Houston - May 1

suhl wrote:

stare too long \m/

Yep. It's a killer song.

Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn