Photo by Heath Robson via Mule.net

Gov’t Mule closed their fall tour at Silver Spring, MD’s The Fillmore on Saturday night. Near the end of the group’s first set, area saxophonist and Warren Haynes Band member Ron Holloway stepped out to play on “I Believe To My Soul.” Harmonica player and longtime Gov’t Mule collaborator Hook Herrera then joined the members of Mule and Holloway for a set-closing “32/20 Blues.”

Herrera returned at the start of Gov’t Mule’s second set to assist on a cover of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.” A few songs later, Holloway returned for a cover of Traffic’s “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys” and, during Gov’t Mule’s first encore segment, pedal steel player Roosevelt Collier from the evening’s opening act The Lee Boys sat in on Neil Young’s “Cortez The Killer.” Finally, Mule returned for a tour-closing second encore. Herrera helped the group kick things off with a take on “The Hunter” and remained onstage as the song segued into “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl.” At this point, Holloway joined Mule and Herrera onstage, and both guests then remained onstage as the number moved back into “The Hunter.”

Members of The Lee Boys joined Gov’t Mule onstage on Friday night, too. During their encore at Columbus, OH’s LC Pavilion, Collier, Lee Boys bassist Alvin Cordy Jr. and Lee Boys vocalist Derrick Lee joined Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes, Matt Abts and Danny Louis onstage for “Soulshine.” To close the night, Gov’t Mule returned for a second encore segment featuring Collier and area guitarist John Boerst on “Ventilator Blues.”

Gov’t Mule will kick off their New Year’s run at Upper Darby, PA’s Tower Theater on December 28.