On Friday, May 1, Gov’t Mule performed at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans. The concert represented the final installment of the Southern-rooted rock band’s spring tour and carried a throughline by way of guest assistance. Following Larkin Poe and Maggie Rose’s supporting roles at already completed stops, the group was primed and prepped to receive Jackie Greene during their weekend kick-off. Greene emerged during the tail end of set one, and later returned to help conclude the concert with a special tribute to Dave Mason. As an added note to an already striking event, the band revived two songs to complement the occasion.
Gov’t Mule took the stage at the Orpheum Theater and began their live performance with “Soulshine,” which initiated a pattern of mid-90s pick-ups: “Rocking Horse,” “Larger Than Life,” before the motif fizzled through the aughts-released “No Need to Suffer.” Peace… Like a River cut, “Gone to Long” served as the prelude to John Scofield-penned “Hottentot.” The group dropped into the original “Time to Confess” before Greene took the stage and began the first leg of his sit-in, providing guitar and vocals during a cover of Neil Young’s “Revolution Blues.” The latter represented a bust-out, last played on August 13, 2023.
The group of musicians remained on stage and performed a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Bertha,” with Greene on guitar and unleashing vocals on the beloved Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia co-write. After the set break, the band (sans guest) retook the stage and played through “Mule,” “Revolution Come, Revolution Go,” followed by “The River Only Flows One Way.” Next, they created a sequence that picked up “Pass The Peas” > “Super Bad” > “Pass The Peas.” “Lay Your Burden Down” came next, and “Unring The Bell” contained a “Get Up, Stand Up” tease…