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Government Mule
10/30/2008
Burlington, VT
Flynn Center for the Performing Arts

Comments: Jorgen Carlsson's First Show

1st Set: Wandering Child, Larger Than Life, Thelonius Beck, Don't Step On The Grass Sam, Streamline Woman, Catfish Blues, Beautifully Broken, Thorazine Shuffle

2nd Set: Stay With Me *, Rocking Horse, She Said, She Said > Tomorrow Never Knows, Trying Not To Fall > Drums > Fallen Down > The Other One jam, Mule > Bass > I Ain't Superstitious > Mule

Encore: Hallelujah (1), Slackjaw Jezebel

Setlist Notes: * First Time Played; (1) Warren and Danny only

Burlington and Vermont have a long history with the Mule. Warren, Woody and Matt played a ton of early gigs here, and they have always stopped in to Vermont every year at least once. Warren mentioned this during the first set and he added that there was no better place to start their new Kinder Revolution Tour.

Without opening act Back Door Slam who will be opening for most of the tour, they played a longer two set show - so much the better for us - especially seeing as me and the Mrs. were seated in the center of the 4th row!

Playing a lot of early songs in the first set - opening with "Wandering Child" and then playing "Larger Than Life", "Thelonius Beck", thier longtime played cover of Steppenwolf's "Don't Step on the Grass Sam" and ending the set with a whompin' "Thorazine Shuffle" - they put new bass player Jorgen Carlsson throught his paces - and he held up. Solid, not flashy, but solid - and he had the bottom. The first set also included a powerful "Streamline Woman" form High & Mighty - which really gave off a heavy Zeppelin vibe.

Second set opened with "Coverment Mule" as they played the old Faces tune "Stay With Me" for the first time. It was funny, because we had just seen The Black Crowes a couple of weeks ago at Higher Ground - and seeing them had inspired me to load up my .mp3 player with a lot of old Faces, Stones and Rod Stewart albums - just yesterday afternoon - "Stay With Me" had come up in random play - if I had only known that "later that same night..." (heh heh) They pulled it off nicely - although Warren is NOT Rod Stewart on vocals. After a nice tight "Rockin' Horse", they played a couple more covers - this time from The Beatles. "The Deep End's" "Trying Not to Fall" led into a very long Drums, and then "Mule" and lot's of jamming - and Jorgen again held his own - even taking a nice solo.

For the encore, Warren and Danny came out and played a sweet version of Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah", before the Mule brought the show home with "Slackjawed Jezebel".

I've seen Mule a couple dozen times over the last dozen years with many line-ups - and though this was not the best show I ever saw them do, I've never seen them do a bad one, and Jorgen certainly showed enough to know that the Mule's hallmark of consistently well played shows and excellent cover versions will not be fading anytime soon.

Of course I mean Leonard Cohen's "Hallelulujah" - I guess I just think of Jeff Buckley's version when I hear that song.

Great review, #6! And nice recovery on 'Hallelujah too! : ) Thanks for sharing.

Going to see the Mule on Sunday night and really looking forward to it. Was hoping for 'Thelonious Beck' and 'Larger Than Life' there but I have some other hopefuls too.

>>And nice recovery on 'Hallelujah too!

Thanks to my friend George Tirebiter, who dusted off the cobwebs in my mind.

Great review #6!

Looks like a great time.

What a way to kick off the weekend. . .

Looking forward to tonights Mule-O-Ween!!!

Nice review #6

Thanks!

good review #6

The Mule has yet to let me down and I must have seen them at least 25 times. They always deliver!

Viva da Mule