Jambands.com - Need We Say More?

Published: 2009/09/24

Photo by Chris Rushin, Mule.net

Last night, Gov’t Mule headlined Los Angeles’ Club Nokia as part of its extended By a Thread tour. Warren Haynes is known for his many friends, so its no surprise that a number of musicians, actors and celebrities took the stage with the guitarist and his band. Partway through the band’s first set, keyboardist Jeff Young appeared on a cover of Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work.” Young, a member of Haynes’ previous band, has toured as part of Steely Dan and helped recommend several future members of Gov’t Mule to the band’s founders.

At the start of the band’s second set, Chris Cornell guitarist Pete Thorn appeared on a stretch of songs that included Alice in Chains’ “Rooster,” Conrell’s Temple of the Dog track “Hunger Strike,” Steve Winwood’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and the final portion of “Hunger Strike.” Thorn sat in with Gov’t Mule this past New Year’s Eve during the band’s alternative rock tribute.

Later in quartet’s set, the young jazz bassist Tal Wilkenfeld—a musician who has performed with the Allman Brothers Band and at Christmas Jam—took the stage for “Sco-Mule.” Finally, near the end of the night actor and musician Bruce Willis emerged to play harmonica on “32/20 Blues” and “Smokestack Lightning.” Willis has shared the stage with the members of the Allman Brothers Band numerous times over the years, including several gigs at the Beacon Theater.