I had heard the name Gov’t Mule and of its leader, guitarist Warren Haynes, bandied about in jam-band circles, but didn’t know their music. At one point, I downloaded a bootleg a portion of their 2007 Halloween show where they covered Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy in its entirety. They sounded very good, but I knew there had to be more to them than a Zeppelin tribute band, so when the opportunity to see them presented itself I dove right in.

Of course what helped seal the deal was opener Back Door Slam, my favorite discovery at Bonnaroo 2008. As Eugene and I walked in, BDS was already on stage before a good-size audience, but we were still able to work our way to a spot on the floor as they played the Robert Cray tune they are named after. Next, they offered up Arlo Guthrie’s “Coming Into Los Angeles.” Davy Knowles’ guitar rang out clean and clear, but he really shined on the slow, smoldering blues “What in the World” by Willie Dixon. Bandmates Ross Doyle (drums) and Adam Jones (bass) kept the rhythm tight and focused. Eugene leaned over as the song ended and said he hadn’t seen or heard a guy play like that since Stevie Ray Vaughn. They closed their set by bringing out Gov’t Mule’s keyboard player Danny Louis for “Tell Me What the Fuss is All About.” A nice gesture between guys who have been touring together, but it was anti-climatic as fans wanted more Knowles magic.

Gov’t Mule came out to a jam-packed house and grooved along nicely. Their music was more blues-based than jam band, but they still took occasional musical excursions within their songs. However, rather than really exploring, they appeared to have a purpose and definite direction in their sonic travels. During the first set, the bass was heavy in the mix and although the music sounded good, the bass levels dominated, causing the songs to sound like Haynes played rhythm guitar except for when he soloed. Knowles came out to close the first set with a cover of David Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair.” He and Haynes traded solos, which pushed Haynes to raise his game.