OFF: Govt. Mule @ Lynchburg, 24th May, 1998

[Paul Mather]

I went to see Govt. Mule at LIVESTOCK '98, Cattle Annie's, Lynchburg,
VA, last night.  I'd narrowly missed them recently at Columbus, OH, and
so was overjoyed when I heard they were coming "near" me.  This was my
chance to see them live for the first time.

My review: Absolutely excellent!  End of story.

Oh, I guess the studious amongst you might want to know the setlist.  It
was:

JOHN THE REVELATOR[*]
THELONIUS BECK
GAME FACE
THORAZINE SHUFFLE
PAINTED SILVER LIGHT
SHE SAID, SHE SAID
BLIND MAN IN THE DARK
MULE

Like BOC last night, 'Mule were subject to the same stupid time
restrictions, but, unlike BOC, were better prepared: Warren had a
digital LED clock to one side of him, which he kept checking
periodically.  However, this did mean they had to play pretty much
"straight" versions of the songs, and couldn't jam out, as is their
wont.  It was only on the outro portion of "She Said, She Said" that we
got to taste any of the jamming 'Mule do so well, and, even then, Warren
kept casting glances over at the clock.  The time constraint was
particularly evident on the final track of the night, "Mule."  The crowd
was really pumped at the point, and you could just tell Warren wanted
to let rip, but kept a worried eye on the clock, and that held him back.
(The sods even blipped the stage lights off then on again near the end
of "Mule," I guess just to remind the guys their time was up.)  I think
they played for just over an hour, all in all.

Despite the feeling of what might have been, this was an excellent show
(some stupid slam dancers in the crowd notwithstanding [one of whom got
punched out cold by a guy who evidently didn't cotton to such
shenanigans when one of them bumped into him and knocked his glasses
off]).  The sound was monster, and the energy was massive.  For a trio,
'Mule certainly know how to make a lot of sound.  And, yes, Warren *is*
really that good live.

My advice: Even if you have to travel great distances, GO AND SEE THIS
BAND!!

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Govt. Mule, _Dose_

[*] Ironically, when I last described Govt. Mule's sound on BOC-L, I
said they played with "the ferocity of a tent revival on steroids."
Seems now, with "John the Revelator," my words are even more
appropriate... ;-)

BTW, Allen played the weirdest bass for a lot of the set---it was a
double-necked guitar, with the top neck being a bass, and the bottom
being a mandolin (which he played during "John the Revelator").

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Do not look to the sky, it will not rain for you"
        --- Govt. Mule, "Blind Man in the Dark", _Dose_