Photo via Gov’t Mule’s Official Instagram

On Wednesday night, Gov’t Mule brought their current tour to Portland, Maine, for a gig at the State Theatre. For the occasion in The Forest City, local Rob Derhak of moe., joined the Warren Haynes-led ensemble for a cover of his band’s original number, “Opium.”  

The Aug. 9 performance got underway with a traditional cover of “Railroad Boy” and marked the first rendition of another band’s tune during the covers-heavy two-set performance, which featured takes on numbers by Bob Marley & The Wailers, Grateful Dead, Ann Peebles, The Allman Brothers Band and a commemorative encore of Jerry Garcia’s “Loser” as a nod to the San Francisco legend’s passing, which occurred 27 years to the day of Wednesday night’s concert. 

Sprinkled in with the mix of covers were jammed-out takes on their legendary original material, including “Million Miles From Yesterday” and “The Man I Want to Be.” Lighting up the stage was Jorgen Carlsson’s melodic bass playing and Matt Abts thundering drum solos. 

The Wednesday night sit-in occurred during the tail end of the first set, prior to a set ending take on The Allman Brothers Band’s “Soulshine.” The memorable moment doubled as a bust-out for Gov’t Mule, who had not performed moe.’s tune since Island Exodus 2020. Gov’t Mule have played “Opium” on occasion, even without the members of moe., after their joint appearances, which occurred in 2012 and 2013. 

See Gov’t Mule’s Tuesday night in Maine’s full setlist below. 

Gov’t Mule

State Theatre – Portland, Maine 

Aug. 9, 2022

Set I: Railroad Boy* > Whisper in Your Soul > Banks of the Deep End > Lively Up Yourself! > Temporary Saint > Brother Bill (The Last Clean Shirt)^ > I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home~ > Opium+ > Soulshine’ 

Set II: Million Miles From Yesterday > Patchwork Quilt (1) > Dark Star (2) > Trane > Rumble (3) > Sex Machine (4) > St Stephen Jam (2) > The Man I Want to Be > Dark Star (2) > Smokestack Lightning (5)  > Dark Star (2) > Good Morning Little School Girl (6) > Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground (7)

Enc.: Loser (8)

Notes:

*- traditional cover

!- Bob Marley & the Wailers cover

^- Charles Otis cover

~- Ann Peebles cover

+- moe. cover with Rob Derhak of moe.

‘- The Allman Brothers Band cover

(1)- Phil Lesh and Friends cover

(2)- Grateful Dead cover

(3)- Link Wray & His Raymen cover

(4)- Sly & the Family Stone cover

(5)- Howlin’ Wolf cover

(6)- Sonny Boy Williamson cover

(7)- Blind Willie Johnson cover

(8)- Jerry Garcia cover

Setlist via Setlist.FM