Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Govt Mule/jackie Greene Buffalo 8/7/10

Had a ticket and decided to stick with family instead- looks like I missed an epic Morning Dew encore!

From Buffalo News:

As long as there have been jam bands, Western New York has been hip to the scene — from the Grateful Dead playing with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in 1970 (well before the term was coined) to the emergence of locally produced front liners moe. and Soulive, to the many summer festivals hosted by hardworking area acts.

And Saturday night’s finale of Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor, featuring two soaring sets from Gov’t Mule and an opening helping from Jackie Greene, shows Buffalo Place is hip to this fact.

Greene first made waves as a guitarist/vocalist in the most recent lineup of Dead bassist Phil Lesh & Friends. With fans shouting song requests between every tune, the California-cool roots-rocker and his backing trio emphasized the strength and structure of the song over the reckless-abandon jam, with clean sheen to his voice, an honest delivery to his pretenseless songs and an arsenal of guitars.

Greene immediately separated himself from the countless cloud-hopping wankers in the jam band biz by singing, “I Live Right Here with You,” while wielding a resonator guitar in the opening number, “I Don’t Live in a Dream.” He employed a Gibson Les Paul and acoustic guitar while running through cuts from his fourth and latest album, “Till the Light Comes.” He brought out a spotless and funky-looking Danelectro guitar to serve up a swampy tone on the scene assault of “Hollywood,” only to trade it for the Les Paul to steer the tune into the Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Taxman.”

Though most certainly a collective group, Gov’t Mule’s high gear hits when all-time great guitarist Warren Haynes lets his soul shine, which he does on every tune. Formed nearly two decades ago as a side project of Allman Brothers Band sidemen, the now quartet — Haynes, original drummer Matt Abts, keyboardist Danny Louis and bassist Jorgen Carlsson — have earned their place among the most prominent purveyors of Southern rock.

They focused on recent original material early in the show, such as the engine-revving “Mr. High&Mighty” and a climactic “Brand New Angel,” with Haynes switching from a regular Les Paul to a Gold Top.

The monster ballad “Million Miles from Yesterday” gave way to “Slackjaw Jezebel” and their cover of Deep Purple’s “Lazy,” before Haynes broke it down again to pour his heart out on “I’ll Be the One.”

After an improv-heavy second set, Greene joined the band for an encore of the Dead’s “Morning Dew,” a most serene closing of another stellar Rocks the Harbor season.