Gov´t Mule : a jam band to enjoy also in Europe

What is a jam band? Ideally a band that manages to turn a 4-5 minute song from record live into a musical experience of 10-20 minutes, without boring the public. 

Decades ago some progressive rock groups had a habit of filling  an entire side of a record with one song (remember Supper´s Ready from Genesis?), but jamming is something completely different, mainly known in jazz circles. Fortunately, in the United States there are still a few wonderful jam bands, but most of them have rarely (in the best case) crossed the Atlantic to play for their European fans. Groups as Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveller or Widespread Panic might still – though not in their best days anymore, due to various reasons – tour the country, fact is that European fans need to take a plane to go and enjoy their shows.

Since some years at least Government Mule, in short Gov´t Mule, adds a European tour to their annual programme…and what a joy it is for us! Gonzalo who had been following the group since they started, went to their first European concert in Madrid in 2005 and I saw another concert of their first European tour in Amsterdam (the penultimate concert of that same first European tour). Talking to fellow-concert goers that day, I met plenty of Americans who had taken up their holidays to accompany the group for this important step in their career. 

Years have passed, but every European Tour of Gov´t Mule we have seen at least one (often two, once even three) concerts of each tour…but nothing compares to that crazy Austrian who makes a point of standing in the first row at every single Gov´t Mule concert in Europe. 

Although we aren´t that committed, we understand why Gov´t Mule´s public is that eager to go to a concert and why it´s no crazy idea to go to various concerts of the same tour : Warren Haynes and his mates change setlist every single concert, making sure they never play the same set on the same tour, nor in the same place over the years. Moreover, they always surprise their public with a different version of a “classic” song of theirs, and with covers of great rock (or blues or soul) songs of the past. And yes, sometimes a song in this different version takes up 15 minutes live. And if you miss a concert, you can always buy a cd recording of it, available at Gov´t Mule´s website…as setlists vary, it´s even a nice souvenir for the people who did go to the concert!

This year Spain wasn´t included in the European Tour, but we were pleased to see my home town Louvain figuring on the list. In my younger years, concerts would take place in Manhattan near the canal (De Vaart for locals), which has been turned into TV recording studios since then, leaving Leuven without a decent concert hall for a while. Now, Het Depot near the station is the place where most concerts take place, and this one by Gov´t Mule in particular.

And what can I say about the concert? That it´s probably the first concert I went to and heard Warren&co include Mule, Thorazine Shuffle and Blind Man in the same setlist. That our Austrian friend was present. That Soulshine was performed in the more or less “traditional” way (read : no reggae version). That we got almost 3h of concert.  That it had been wonderful…once more! 

I write this post at the end of August. Warren Haynes released his solo record Ashes & Dust last month : of course, I have bought the record, I have listened to the Americana-like music it includes and now, I´m longing for Warren´s return to Europe presenting it…something for November.