Legendary rock band Gov’t Mule graced the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans with a performance on May 5. The sold-out show featured a setlist that delighted fans with a mix of classic hits and debuts.

The night kicked off with “Traveling Tune” and “Wake Up Dead” before transitioning into the bluesy “Street Corner Talking” and the fan favorite “Make It Rain.” “Game Face” got the crowd going, leading into a cover of the Talking Heads’ “Same As It Ever Was,” which marked the band’s debut of the iconic song.

The first set continued with a medley of covers, including “Trane” > “Rumble” > “Sex Machine” and “Eternity’s Breath Shuffle” before culminating in an impressive “St. Stephen Jam.” The band’s tribute to Radiohead’s “Creep” flowed into “Apollo Honey Jam” featuring Reeves Gabrels on guitar. The set ended with a rousing rendition of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” followed by a seamless transition into Jimi Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” and finally back to “Rockin’ In The Free World.”

The second set featured a bunch of friends and kicked off with “John The Revelator,” featuring the Levee Horns. “Stage Fright” followed, also featuring the horns, before the band played their debut of “Dreaming Out Loud,” then “From A Whisper To A Scream,” and “Sailing Shoes” with George Porter Jr. on bass and Ivan Neville on keyboards. Porter Jr. and Neville stuck around for “32-20 Blues,” on which they were joined by Smoky Greenwell before Porter Jr. helped close the frame with “Thorazine Shuffle.”

For the encore, the band brought out Gabrels and Greenwell for a powerful version of Tom Waits’ “Get Behind The Mule.” Fans left the venue buzzing after witnessing Gov’t Mule’s masterful performance, full of surprises and exceptional musicianship – see the full setlist below.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Gov’t Mule (@govtmule)

Gov’t Mule
Orpheum Theater– New Orleans
May 5, 2023


Set I: Traveling Tune, Wake Up Dead, Street Corner Talking, Make It Rain, Game Face, Same As It Ever Was*, Trane > Rumble > Sex Machine > Eternity’s Breath Shuffle > St. Stephen Jam Creep > Apollo Honey, Jam @, Rockin’ In The Free World > Machine Gun > Rockin’ In The Free World @

Set II: John The Revelator #, Stage Fright #, Dreaming Out Loud # *, From A Whisper To A Scream # $, Sailing Shoes # $, 32-20 Blues $ % &, Thorazine Shuffle $

Enc.: Get Behind The Mule @ &

Notes:
* First Time Played
@ w/ Reeves Gabrels
# w/ Levee Horns
$ w/ George Porter Jr.
% w/ Ivan Neville & w/ Smoky Greenwell