Gov't
Mule
Beacon Theater
New York, NY
By Tom Semioli
Photo © Alyssa Scheinson
Traditionally cynical New Yorkers learned a lesson on the eve of
New Year's Eve 2005: not all mules are stubborn! Since the untimely
death of Alan Woody in 2000 Gov't Mule has undergone a radical transformation.
For the past few years founding members Warren Hayes and Matt Abts
mourned the loss of their beloved bassist by employing a rotating
cast of notable substitute players for select live dates including
Roger Glover of Deep Purple, session ace Will Lee, Headhunter Paul
Jackson, Metallica's Jason Newsted, Phish man Mike Gordon and Hot
Tuna/Jefferson Airplane legend Jack Casady among many others. Now
with ex- Black Crowe bass player Andy Hess and keyboard whiz Danny
Louis officially on board as permanent members the Mule have morphed
from a retrofitted power trio into a full-fledged modern blues rock
juggernaut.
The band's two gig run at the Beacon Theater in support of their
most recent release, Déjà Voodoo, was both a rebirth and
an assurance to diehard fans that the Mule intend to stick around
for a long, long time. Even the roadies received ovations and were
called by name. Haynes' acapella rendition of the gospel dirge "My
Oh My" slowly faded into the haze of marijuana smoke at the onset
of the show as Abts, Hess and Louis slid into a deliberate mid-tempo
swamp groove, introducing a new, funky composition "Slackjaw Jezebel"
which featured all the players stretching their formidable instrumental
skills.
Louis' legato B-3 and Rhodes textures, along with Hess' warm finger
plucking tone, a stark contrast to Woody's high register flat-pick
playing style, allowed Haynes ample opportunity to rest his fingers
and belt out the blues sans the full-time burden of providing harmony
and rhythm. Punctuating his vocal lines with B.B. King-like stops
and starts on guitar, Haynes' raspy delivery cut through Abts jazzy
cymbal fills and brisk tom-tom patterns. Spirited readings of time-tested
Mule chestnuts such as "Thorazine Shuffle," "Bad Little Doggie"
and a hysterical version of "Don't Step On The Grass Sam," with
audience participation cue cards hoisted by a well-fed roadie, were
the obvious crowd pleasers.
On a stage decorated with psychedelic logos and art-deco lamps suspended
in air, the Mule gave props aplenty to their heroes by way of a
heavy-handed cover of Neil Young's epic "Cortez The Killer" and
Randy Newman's ragtime standard "You Can Leave Your Hat On." Support
act James Blood Ulmer strolled out for an impromptu jam during "I
Asked Her For Some Water And She Gave Me Gasoline," trading prickly
solos with Louis and Haynes. The hymnal "Soulshine" closed out the
evening on a positive, spiritual note as a majority of the faithful
relished the fact that they had tickets to the following evening.
The Mule rides on.
|