Philzone.org Discussion Board: Archive 2004: Non-PF/Dead Show Reviews Archive 2004: Gov't Mule 10/31/04

I just got back from the Mule show in Richmond, VA (The Landmark). Songs not in order and I don't have them all (I don't think).

Sympathy for the Devil, Slackjaw Jezabel, Bad Man Walking, I Think You Know What I Mean, Pygmy Twylyte> Blind Man in the Dark, Bad Little Doggie, Silent Scream, Low Spark and Sad And Deep as You (Sad and Deep was the encore), of course- a drum solo and jam with rest of band, About to Rage, Eminence Front and I don't remember the rest-- at least one more cover, but I can't think of the title and I can't really sing it now can I.

Very cool Halloween decorations on the stage-- spider webs on everything, jack-o-lanterns with Gov't Mule, Deja Voodoo, the band's symbol, and a mule. As the lights went down, the Stones's "Sympathy for the Devil" could be heard faintly playing over the speakers. When it gets to the part where Mick screams, the music faded out and Matt was playing the percussion part, but you couldn't see him at all. The band took the stage and the lights hit Warren as he sang the opening lyrics-- he was dressed as Uncle Sam (even had his mustache and gotee painted white). Matt was dressed as Satan, Andy was Colin Powell (dress general uniform and mask), and Danny was Nixon. It was funny as hell. Andy wore the mask for the entire set and Danny took his off to play trumpet on one song. The guest sax player- Ron Holloway was the Statue of Liberty and Brian Farmer and other techs were monks. Warren was Uncle Sam the whole time, the rest of the guys changed after the 1st Set-- Andy stayed in uniform and Danny was Howard Stern (I think-- he looked like him).

jealous jealous jealous

Love the Mule but for me the show was o.k. Warren did not seem to take many risks with his guitar solos. Sound was not that good. Sounded like the bass was too much, not clear and when warren played the thunderbird not as clear as the les Paul. I don't know if it was the venue or they way the mix was. Sounded the same last year at the same theater. Loved the song selection good covers, review above left off Put a spell on you and Cortez as the encore no Pygmy.

I forgot Put a Spell On You, and they did play Pygmy (it's almost always the intro to Blind Man in the Dark Now, but it is Pygmy Tywlyte). Cortez as encore? Did they do a second one? Because I am pretty sure that Sad and Deep As You was the encore.

Regarding the Pygmye, they do indeed do a Pygmye Jam before most blindmans, fuckin awesome, just a jam though not the full blown version, don't think they have done that since Allen...(((Allen))) but sometimes, just sometimes, Warren will play the 1st few riffs of the full blown version and then let it go, let it go....right into the Blindman.

Wow, adding I Put A Spell on You to that list.....ahhhh!!!!!

I know Lord H, just seeing that setlist is making me get all jumpy and psyched for next weeks shows @ the Fillmore..Are you coming up for those or jsut hitting the so-cal dates?

I really really wish I was going to the Fillmore, I can't believe I am missing 2 nights at the Fillmore. Uuuggghhh, I did it to be able to make the trek to NYE this year and that's what I got to be all about. Would have loved to hang with ya up there though, in time, in time. I miss SF, my old home.

Sad and Deep as you was the encore, they played Cortez at DC,I think 2nd nite. I enjoyed the show a lot and it sounded great from where i was at.

Heres the full setlists with notations from mulebase.com

1st Set: Sympathy For The Devil, You Can Leave Your Hat On (1)+, Slackjaw Jezebel, I Put A Spell On You, About To Rage, Bad Little Doggie, Lola Leave Your Light On, Bad Little Doggie > How Many More Years
2nd Set: Silent Scream, Game Face, I Think You Know What I Mean, Drums > jam (2), Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys (1), Eminence Front, Blind Man In The Dark (1)
Encore: Sad And Deep As You (1)
Setlist Notes: (1) Ron Holloway on sax; (2) Ron Holloway on sax and Danny on trumpet; + first time played

What a great setlist.
I, sadly, love the covers a lot more than the originals.
Warren is, for me, tapped out in the song-wriring dept.
Every song on the new disc sounds like Beautifully Broken redux.
"Leave yer hat on..."insane
"Eminence Front" and the sublime Mason tune: "Sad and Deep...".
Also, I always love his "Cortez..." and "...Free World".
"Thirty Days in the Hole" rawks!
His Beatle covers are masterpieces and ya ain't gonna hear John and Paul play 'em anytime soon.
Of course, he has to intermingle a bunch of orginals but I wish they were more original.

I agree with Dyerwolf, those covers are amazing. Its brings alot more excitement to a show. In Toronto last week, they covered No Quarter and i almost hyperdrived to another galaxy.

Viva-da-Mule!

Had a brain fart this morning about the encore of Cortez sorry about that. Did not pick up the pygmy jam, huge Zappa fan, usually I can catch all of Warren's guitar teases. Must have been spaceing off at the carved pumpkins.

I would say the Blindman intro of Pygmy Twylyte is more than a tease. I think they do in on the Deepest End DVD. It's just the beginning of their studio version on the last disc of the 4 CD New Years 99 box set.

Sound was good I thought, show was great, covers were great (although I really, really wanted the war pigs) love the landmark itself, but hate the drymouth - you can only bring new bottles of water in - and really hated the security this time. My girl got cussed at by a very large, angry man when they found jeiger airplanes in her boots - out of hand - and it made us miss the Sympathy opener, too. I was really impressed with the mix of the whole band - a lot of sick jams that meshed really well.

Garland, is that you - Crawley's Garland, if so -looked for yall after the show, but to no avail

Peace, Sterling

security there was tighter than my ex g/f's a**hole.
show was tight.

Yes Sterling its me but I'd rather not be refered to as Crawley's Garland my wife may get jealous even though she probaly does not know about the Phil Zone. The more I reflect back on the show the more I enjoy it. When I saw the Mule at the Landmrk last Feb. I was three rows back and the sound was too jumbled together and really loud. This time I went for seats in row N left of stage but still not that impressed with the sound. I thought Hess and Danny L. are really steping it up and bringing a lot to the band. Danny's trumpet solo during Put a Spell on you was very nice.

Yeh, sorry Garland, I thought that sounded a little derogatory after I reread it. Good to see you again we'll have to get up for another show soon.

So, I'm not so familiar with Mule tunes and their rotation. I loved Eminent Front, I assume that's been in the rotation before. What about the encore, Sad and Deep as You ? I've never heard or heard of this - it was very good, a slow burner for an encore, but I dug it.

Blind Man in the Dark may have been the hightlight for me - fuckin intense.

Peace, Sterling

Sad and Deep As You is a Traffic song (written by Dave Mason). They have covered it before-- it's on the New Year 99 box set. I think they were going to play one more song because they ended on such a quiet note. To me, it looked like the rest of the guys thought they were going to play one more. Maybe Warren was tired of the Uncle Sam suit.

>>>I think they were going to play one more song because they ended on such a quiet note.

Same thing happened at the Pittsburgh show on 10/30. I thought we were going to get another tune in the encore. I felt we got slammed with new songs and then they encored with one. The crowd was going crazy and I thought they would lay another tune on us but just ended with a new tune. Still a great show though.

Hey Muleshine, I got the same impression. Does RVA have an under 18 curfew? All ages shows here in the beach have to be over by 11, the show got started late because of the tight security and sad and deep ended at quarter after, maybe thats why they didnt play another one.

I don't know if they have a curfew or not. The security was such BS. Did they do that b/c it was Halloween or is that something they always do for concerts that attract the "Gov't Mule-type crowd"? I have only been there twice before and it was to see Jerry Seinfeld--- I was not patted down before going in.

My last time at the landmark was Panic last fall which was sold out and I don't remember security even resembling the gestapo shit on Halloween. There was definately no two-block line to get in. The place is owned by the city which doesn't help. I remember seeing Ratdog there like 5 years ago and it was super lax. Like I said, I love the venue itself and the acts it draws, but I hated the security and I prefer my rock n roll with a cold beer.

When Phil played the Landmark in '01 there was a major patdown at the door for the guys, the line went down the block, around the corner, andthe whole way down that block. They were even going through people's wallets.

The ladies line was about 10 feet long.

Typical Richmond.

the lady in front of me in line to get in had a bag of nuts and the securtiy actually picked through the tiny little bag of nuts and through her whole purse..ive been there alot in the past years and securtiy and attitude of the ushers is always bad towards heads but this was espesailly bad

We went in about 7:20 and they barely gave us a pat down. Maybe they thought if we are on time we would not be smuggling in contraband.