Mule

Went to see Govt Mule last night at the Center for the Arts in Concord. We walked in and the tin-ceilinged lobby was full of beards, baseball caps and beers. Wool and flannel plaids and Carhart jackets everywhere with a sprinkling of patchouli-scented, messy haired, crunchy granola youth thrown in for good(?) measure.
The show was incredible. Warren Haynes has got to be one of the most talented men you're ever going to see on stage. That man opens his mouth and there is so much power and beauty in his voice. His guitar playing is also just beyond. Every musician up there was incredible. I'm usually not one for keyboards, but the keyboardist rocked. He had some great sounds and amazing chops. All of them did, really.
They played a mix of originals and covers. Early on they did Neil Young's Rocking in the Free World, which I saw them do as an encore in Portsmouth at the Music Hall two years ago. They did a few Zepplin tunes (No Quarter and ... I'm spacing the other one in my Monday morning haze), Traffic's Low Spark of High Heel Boys and a Radiohead tune. I don't think the diehards were into the Radiohead cover but I thought it was brilliant. There was also some free form jazz (acid jazz?) that was pushing the envelope and lots of good long jams. Excellent, excellent, excellent.
Go get yourself some Mule.