Govt. Mule 10/28/16 College Street Music Hall

Packed house for a pre-Halloween jam session with the Mule. While I have reviewed leader and guitar god Warren Haynes in this blog many times in recent years, it has been at least ten years since I have seen him at the helm of his original band. GM started in 90s as a southern rock jam band, hitting the scene in some seminal festivals like the HORDE tour. The group was a trio of Haynes, Matt Abts on drums, and Allen Woody on bass. They toured relentlessly and achieved some fame. Bassist Woody took the hard partying regimen seriously and died in a pile of cocaine. I think it was a formative moment for the remaining two who have had to mourn, then navigate their future. Haynes went on to play lead axe for the Allman Brothers, Phil and Friends and other festival pillars. Abts remained largely out of sight, but manned the kit for GM. On this evening, they were joined by bass, keys/trombone, and Steve Ellison on sax and flute. The first set had some original GM staples like Unring That Bell, a soul rocker Feel Like Breakin Up Somebody's Home. After the requisite ( and possible homage to Woody?) Thorazine Shuffle, it was cover time. Marley's Lively Up Yourself, Dave Mason's Sad and Deep as You, Birdland by Weather Report, and a classic In Memory of Elizabeth Reed by the Allmans. Haynes is such a musical chameleon, that a bass audition to fill Woody's shoes must be nerve-wracking. Bass player wanted must be fluent in rock, funk, jazz, jam, metal, reggae, blues, soul, and standards and keep partying to a minimum.