Opening their two-night, annual stand at the Beacon Theatre in New York, Gov’t Mule welcomed a number of guests to the stage, eventually climaxing with a collective cover of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”

Midway through the band’s first set, contemporary jazz percussionist/Saturday Night Live band member Shawn Pelton joined in on By A Thread track “Broke Down On The Brazos.” Later, guitarist Oz Noy and Jeff Babcock were added alongside Pelton for a cover of the jazz fusion track “Stratus.”

Later, Pelton stayed onstage for a cover of “Feelin’ Alright” by Traffic, which was further amplified by the The Better Half Singers (Machan Taylor, Mini Carlsson and Elaine Caswell). Set one drew to a close with a fitting version of the Beatles classic “With A Little Help From My Friends” featuring Shawn Pelton, The Better Half Singers and bassist Lincoln Schleifer. (In 2014, Schleifer joined Warren Haynes and Jeff Sipe on the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration Tour.)

After Mule opened set two with “Stone Cold Rage” and “Drawn That Way,” The Better Half Singers reemerged to lend their voices on “Easy Times.” Later, guitarist Jimmy Vivino and Beck/Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice guested on covers of “Heartbreaker” and “Walk In My Shadow” by Brit-rock band/Gov’t Mule favorite Free.

Individual drum segments by Carmine Appice, Shawn Pelton and Matt Abts then led into an Allmans-channeling version of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” with Shawn Pelton and Jimmy Vivino lending a hand. Finally, following a “Railroad Boy”>“Traveling Tune” jam, the evening came to a close with with Shawn Pelton and The Better Half Singers joining Gov’t Mule for a rousing verison of “Wish You Were Here” that featured additional Allmans flare with “Little Martha” teases.

Gov’t Mule will return to the Beacon Theatre tonight.
See below for a full setlist:

Gov’t Mule
Beacon Theatre, New York, NY
12/30/2017

Set I: Traveling Tune > Rocking Horse, Banks Of The Deep End, Blind Man In The Dark, Bad Little Doggie, Burning Point, Broke Down On The Brazos*, Stratus^, Feeling Alright^^, With A Little Help From My Friends^^^

Set II: Stone Cold Rage, Drawn That Way, Easy Times%, Fool’s Moon, Heartbreaker%%, Walk In My Shadow%%% > Carmine Appice Drums > Shawn Pelton Drums > Matt Abts Drums > In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed$, Railroad Boy > Traveling Tune

Enc: Wish You Were Here (with Little Martha tease)^^

Notes: *with Shawn Pelton
^with Shawn Pelton, Oz Noy & Jeff Babcock
^^with Shawn Pelton and The Better Half Singers (Machan Taylor, Mini Carlsson & Elaine Caswell)
^^^with Shawn Pelton, The Better Half Singers & Lincoln Schleifer without Jorgen Carlsson
%with The Better Half Singers
%%with Jimmy Vivino & Carmine Appice; without Matt Abts
%%%with Jimmy Vivino, Carmine Appice & Paul Ill; without Jorgen Carlsson & Matt Abts
$with Shawn Pelton & Jimmy Vivino

Source: Mule.net