Gov’t Mule brings Southern rock to St. Paul

Andrew Bravo
Staff Photographer

Southern rock jam band Gov’t Mule, a group known for their fusion blues-rock performances, played at the infamous Palace Theatre in St. Paul Saturday.

Drawing hundreds to the historic venue, the 90s band performed several songs from their extensive discography, ranging from emotional hits like “Beautifully Broken” on “The Deep End, Vol. 1”, the lively “Bad Little Doggie” from 2014’s “Dark Side of the Mule” and everything in between. Opening with the smash “Mr. Man”, audiences were quick to loosen up and enjoy themselves as the song signified the beginning of an exciting night.

After opening with several of their best songs, a long interlude was taken to cover other songs, many of which had lengthy guitar solos which got fans more and more excited as the night progressed. Such covers, the likes of which included the St. Steven Band and other legends of rock and roll history brought the jam band’s true festival nature to eager crowds ready for an amazing show.

Celebrating their 20th anniversary, the group has an impressive reputation as one of the few great rock bands which survived the hardships of fame and to have the ability to still perform to this day. Stopping on their “Bring On The Music Fall 2019” tour, the band brought out the best in their fans as many danced and sang along as the night progressed.

Originally a side project of The Allman Brothers Band in 1994, Gov’t Mule (or simply known as Mule by their fans) is led by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody and their band, all of whom brought an energetic and lively performance to the Palace. By splitting the performance into two acts, fans were able to take some time to recoup and re-hydrate before another round of jamming out.

Colorful lights, projections of pinwheels and the use of instruments ranging from strings to brass brought turned strangers to friends as everyone enjoyed the bustling show. At one point, one of the songs even featured a trombone solo, something which caught many off guard but changed confusion to happiness as they also joined in the festivities.

In the past, the group has been known to use a variety of instruments to put on impressive live shows across the nation. Everything from percussion to strings (bass, mandolins, guitars, etc.), keyboard and brass brings a fresh blend of new music to create a real jam band experience.

With their long history and dedicated fans, Mule brought forth a concert experience that made many nostalgic while embracing the new music of their favorite band.

Photos by Andrew Bravo | MSU Reporter.