All the ingredients were there; the great music venue called The Ryman, one of the hardest working bands on the road today, guitar legend (and one of the top ten guitarists of today) Warren Haynes, a great mood (as in Haynes being happy to be at The Ryman), and a pumped-up crowd ready to rock. Mix them all together, bake on high for 3+ hours, and out came one smokin’ hot night of music.

This Gov’t Mule tour is in support of their latest album “By A Thread”, and they did indeed play 5 of the new tunes off that album. The most impressive of these was “Broke Down On the Brazos”, featuring tight vocals by Haynes and booming bass by Jorgen Carlsson. Also notable was “Railroad Boy” with some nice 12-string work by Haynes. However, this show was not just about the new stuff. With, by my count, 20 songs over two sets and an encore, there was plenty of other material to groove to. But from where I sat, this night was a standout due to the cover songs performed and the way in which they were done.

The first set featured a funky and psychedelic “Shape I’m In” (The Band), featuring Danny Louis on keys and trumpet. The intro to this was outstanding. After a few more tunes (including the Elizabeth Reed-ish “Kind of Bird”) and a rousing, “Spoonful”-tinged “Ventilator Blues” (with Audley Freed), the set ended with a sometimes tender, sometimes hot “Dear Prudence”, with Freed doing the heavy lifting on guitar and Haynes concentrating on the vocals.

The second set started with a spirited “Maggot Brain” that served as a great lead-in for perhaps the best cover of the night, “When the Music’s Over”. Most impressive on this one was how deep Haynes went on vocals to capture the spirit of Jim Morrison, as well as the band synching nicely to replicate the mood of the original perfectly. “Eternity’s Breath” included a little “Norwegian Wood” tease in it, and then we heard “St. Stephen Jam” (but not sure if I’d technically call this a cover of the venerable Grateful Dead staple due to all that Mule adds to it). Oh yeah, there was also a “Highway Star” tease thrown in somewhere else during the show too.

In the one-song encore we were treated to Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer”. There were great dual guitars by Haynes and Freed, plus Haynes doing the opposite of what he did on the Doors tune by going high on the vocals. This tune made for a very satisfying ending. If, like me, you tend to think of Haynes one-dimensionally as a guitar god, he proved tonight, by channeling both Morrison and Young in the same show, that he’s quite the vocalist as well.

Of course it’s never a great show without the beat, and Matt Abts was terrific, as usual, on the skins, providing much of the heat. Also as usual, he did a rollicking drum solo halfway through the second set. And this final ingredient, combined with all the others, pushed this Mule show into the exceptional range.

You can purchase both this entire performance (highly recommended), as well as “By A Thread”, on www.mule.net. Check it out.

Gov’t Mule played at The Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 1/28/2010.

Pennman’s Picks (Upcoming Shows)

• Local (Bowling Green)
  • Every Sunday @ 6 – KY Blues Jam – Wha Bah’s
  • 2/19 – 00 the Rabbit – Tidballs
  • 2/20 – Felonious Funk – Micki’s on Main
  • 2/26 – Nine Horse Johnson – Shelly’s Place, Tyrone Dunn (UnPlugged) – Micki’s on Main
  • 2/27 – Jonell Moser – Greener Groundz, Canago – Café Vioni
• Road Trips (Nashville)
  • Sommet Center – Winter Jam – 2/21**, Clapton/Daltrey – 2/27, Muse – 3/15, Bon Jovi/Dashboard Confessional – 4/21, James Taylor/Carole King – 5/22, Daughtry – 5/30.
  • Wildhorse Saloon – Rick Springfield – 2/13 & 14*, George Thorogood – 3/17*
  • TPAC – Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular – 3/12, Moody Blues – 3/18
  • Ryman Auditorium – Keb’ Mo’ – 2/19*, Trey Anastasio – 2/25, Gordon Lightfoot – 3/6, Foreigner – 3/16, John Prine – 3/26, Tegan & Sara – 3/31, Aretha Franklin – 4/25
•  *Recession Buster – Tix available under $25  ** Free ($10 donation at door suggested)    

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman