Gov’t Mule took the stage at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for an unforgettable night of music on May 12. The band were joined during the energetic evening by special guests Peter Frampton, Audley Freed, Jamey Johnson, Robert Kearns and Tom Bukovac.

The performance opened started off with “Traveling Tune,” which got the crowd warmed up and ready for an incredible night of music and was paired with “Thorazine Shuffle,” a heavy blues rock tune showcasing Warren Haynes’ guitar skills early on.

After that, they played “Mule,” a classic Gov’t Mule song that always gets the crowd going, then paid homage to The Allman Brothers Band with a cover of “Soulshine,” which included a tease of iconic band’s “Jessica.” Next up was their brand new song, “Dreaming Out Loud,” which was followed by “Time to Confess,” which featured some amazing drumming from Matt Abts. They followed that with 2012’s “Captured,” then “Same as It Ever Was” before Frampton sat on a chair next to Haynes for a highlight of the first set on the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and set closer “I Don’t Need No Doctor” by Nickolas Ashford, which included a tease of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” by The Allman Brothers Band.

The second set started off with “Made My Peace,” a bluesier jam song that allowed the band to showcase their musical chops. They then played The Bands’ “Up on Cripple Creek,” which featured guest appearances from Freed, Johnson, and Kearns. The guests stayed on for Drivin’ n’ Cryin’s’ “Straight to Hell” before Gov’t Mule commanded the stage to play their own “Revolution Come, Revolution Go.” Syreeta’s “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers” came things next, slowing things down while again showcasing the band’s individual skills.

They continued at this place for “No Need to Suffer” before speeding things up with “Rocking Horse,” a heavy blues rock song that had the crowd dancing and singing along. Perhaps the frame’s greatest highlight was a cover of a Neil Young & Crazy Horse song, “Cortez the Killer,” followed during which they were joined by Freed and Bukovac, which closed the segment.

After returning for an encore, Gov’t Mule closed the show with a heartfelt rendition of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero,” which was followed by a reprise of “Traveling Tune,” bookending the performance and leaving the audience with a lingering sense of musical satisfaction.

Gov’t Mule
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
May 12, 2023

Set I: Traveling Tune (>)Thorazine Shuffle, Mule, Soulshine (The Allman Brothers Band cover) (“Jessica” Allman Brothers Band tease) Dreaming Out Loud, Time to Confess, Captured, Same as It Ever Was, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles cover) (with Peter Frampton), I Don’t Need No Doctor (Nickolas Ashford cover) (with Peter Frampton) (“In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” tease)

Set II: Made My Peace, Up on Cripple Creek (The Band cover) (w/Audley Freed, Jamey Johnson and Robert Kearns), Straight to Hell (Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ cover) (w/Audley Freed, Jamey Johnson and Robert Kearns), Revolution Come, Revolution Go, Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers (Syreeta cover), No Need to Suffer, Rocking Horse, Cortez the Killer (Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover) (w/ Audley Freed and Tom Bukovac)

Enc.: Working Class Hero (John Lennon cover) (>) Traveling Tune (Reprise)