Concert Review: Gov't Mule at Capitol Arts Center, Bowling Green, KY 7/12/2008

In a twist of fate, Owensboro's loss was definitely Bowling Green's gain tonight as the Mule stomped into Bowling Green in lieu of a canceled gig in Owensboro. I was excited, as I'm sure other locals were as well, to be able to see a top notch band play in a sold-out 800-seat venue where there really isn't a bad seat to be had. The fact that it was "our" 800-seat venue was just icing on the cake. I'm sure there were plenty of Owensboro fans who made the trip also. So my expectations were high, and boy were they ever met.

This was the kind of show you always want to see when you lay down your hard-earned greenbacks; all meat, no filler. And thanks to a hastily but well executed production by local classic rock station D93 we didn't have to part with too many of those dollars. It also didn't take long to realize the band seemed to be happy to be here too, sort of like a band that's been doing big venues and finally gets to do a show in a club. All this, combined with an audience that was psyched (Gov't Mule fans are notoriously fervid about the band) led to a truly special night.

From the opening song, the upbeat, bluesy "Bad Little Doggie", to the final encore, a rocking version of the Rolling Stone's "This Could Be the Last Time" (with Bill Lloyd on guitar and vocals), Warren Haynes (lead guitar) displayed his masterful guitar work. This was a show for the guitar lover. Although a case could be made that Gov't Mule is all about Mr. Haynes (also current lead guitarist for The Allman Brothers), his band is tight and they've been working together for some time now. Danny Louis is on keyboards and backing vocals, and the rhythm section of Andy Hess on bass and Matt Abts on drums is steady and solid. As advertised, there were some jams and improvisations mixed in with Mule favorites, like "Soulshine", the song that ended the first set.

There really wasn't a bad song in the two sets. Each Mule song seems to have a unique feel and tone, and as typical with jam bands, you can hear the same song at five different shows and each time Haynes will bring something new to it. There were plenty of rockers to be heard, such as the Led Zep cover "How Many More Years (Times)", but some of the more mellow moments really did it for me. "Beautifully Broken" was a combo of staccato chords, feel guitar, tender vocals, and nice bluesy boards by Louis. The crowd quieted down nicely for "Out of the Rain", with its' slow-hand slide work and weepy vocals, and the mixed-tempo and sometimes haunting "Larger Than Life" was just bursting with feel. The first song of the encore, John Lennon's "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" (also with Bill Lloyd), was done even slower than The Beatles version, displaying once again the variety and unpredictability of a Gov't Mule show.

As the show rolled on, somewhere in the middle I realized that although I have my favorites, I really didn't care what they played next because they were all going to be good. So, uncharacteristically, I stopped trying to write down all the song titles and just enjoyed the show. I was up nice and close to Mr. Haynes and just got into watching him play for awhile; the fingers, the facial expressions, the interaction with the band, etc. It was that good.

Well, I did take some video, but that's easier than writing in the dark. So I couldn't tell you every song that was played tonight, but some of the others were "About To Rage", "Lola Leave Your Light On", "Rocking Horse", "World Gone Wild", and Humble Pie's "30 Days in the Hole", which really didn't sound like Humble Pie at all (as usual, Haynes puts himself into the songs, even the covers).

Before tonight I would have told anyone they were crazy if they said Gov't Mule was coming to Bowling Green. But the fact that they did this show here was the final ingredient necessary for me to call this a "magical" night. Haynes did thank the crowd for rescuing the Mule from the lost gig and said he wouldn't forget that anytime soon. Who knows, maybe Haynes enjoyed his stay so much he'll come back sometime. Maybe he'll be back with The Allman Brothers. No, now that would be really crazy! Or would it? In any event, if you get the chance to see Gov't Mule anywhere, go for it, especially if you like great guitar players.