Gov't Mule - The Georgia Bootleg Box (2012)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Blind Man In The Dark (Georgia Theater 1996)
02. Mother Earth (Georgia Theater 1996)
03. John The Revelator (Georgia Theater 1996)
04. Temporary Saint (Georgia Theater 1996)
05. Game Face (Georgia Theater 1996)
06. No Need To Suffer (Georgia Theater 1996)
07. Trane (Georgia Theater 1996)
08. Eternity's Breath Jam (Georgia Theater 1996)
09. Thelonius Beck (Georgia Theater 1996)
10. Trane (Georgia Theater 1996)
11. St. Stephen Jam (Georgia Theater 1996)
12. Trane (Georgia Theater 1996)
13. Don't Step On The Grass, Sam (Georgia Theater 1996)
14. Presence Of The Lord (Georgia Theater 1996)
15. Birth Of The Mule (Georgia Theater 1996)
16. Left Coast Groovies (Georgia Theater 1996)
17. Drums (Georgia Theater 1996)
18. Mule (Georgia Theater 1996)
19. Who Do You Love (Georgia Theater 1996)
20. Mule (Georgia Theater 1996)
21. Goin' Out West (Georgia Theater 1996)
22. Spanish Moon (Georgia Theater 1996)
23. Gonna Send You Back To Georgia (Georgia Theater 1996)

CD2
01. Blind Man In The Dark (The Roxy 1996)
02. Mother Earth (The Roxy 1996)
03. Mule (The Roxy 1996)
04. Temporary Saint (The Roxy 1996)
05. Game Face (The Roxy 1996)
06. No Need To Suffer (The Roxy 1996)
07. Trane (The Roxy 1996)
08. Eternity's Breath Jam (The Roxy 1996)
09. Thelonius Beck (The Roxy 1996)
10. Trane (The Roxy 1996)
11. St. Stephen Jam (The Roxy 1996)
12. Trane (The Roxy 1996)
13. Painted Silver Light (The Roxy 1996)
14. Don't Step On The Grass, Sam (The Roxy 1996)
15. Birth Of The Mule (The Roxy 1996)
16. Just Got Paid (The Roxy 1996)
17. Goin' Out West (The Roxy 1996)
18. The Same Thing (The Roxy 1996)
19. Gonna Send You Back To Georgia (The Roxy 1996)
20. Young Man Blues (The Roxy 1996)
21. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (The Roxy 1996)
22. Young Man Blues (The Roxy 1996)

CD3
01. Blind Man In The Dark (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
02. Mother Earth (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
03. John The Revelator (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
04. Temporary Saint (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
05. Rocking Horse (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
06. Game Face (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
07. No Need To Suffer (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
08. Trane (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
09. Eternity's Breath Jam (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
10. Thelonius Beck (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
11. Trane (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
12. St. Stephen Jam (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
13. Presence Of The Lord (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
14. Birth Of The Mule (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
15. Monkey Hill (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
16. (I Want You) She's So Heavy Jam (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
17. Mule (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
18. Goin' Out West (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
19. She's 19 Years Old (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)
20. Gonna Send You Back To Georgia (Elizabeth Reed Music Hall 1996)

The Georgia Bootleg Box is the first entry in Gov't Mule's official bootleg series on Evil Teen. This documents the original trio lineup of Warren Haynes, Matt Abts, and the late Allen Woody during a three-night springtime run in Georgia in 1996 - Athens on April 11, Atlanta's Roxy on the 12th, and the Elizabeth Reed Music Hall in Macon on the 13th. This set's six discs contain over seven hours of music. Gov't Mule had been playing live for over three years at the time these shows took place. They had established not just their trademark loud and proud brand of gritty blues-rock and improvisation, but had gelled as a unit who could communicate with one another without a lot of interference. 1996 was a pivotal year, and what's documented here reveals this in spades. Despite the similarity in the set lists each night, the performances are often quite distinct from one another -- in terms of spontaneity and musicality, not quality. All are exceptional. These were not workmanlike gigs. Check the three different reads of the then-new "Game Face," which all commence exactly the same way yet spiral off in different directions. The metallic blues of "Mother Earth" may be a basic 12-bar, but it reveals the depth of communication between Woody's fat-bottom, fluid bass playing and Abts' drumming. It's so intuitive it allows Haynes an elastic freedom - he can play at his bandmembers but also move far afield without worrying about the groove being fluid and in the pocket - and sometimes, as on "Blind Man in the Dark," which opens each night, he travels great distances. There are a number of extra treats here as well. Derek Trucks joins the band's encores in Atlanta and Athens, while blues hero Tinsley Ellis appears on the Macon date. Some of the covers are true highlights as well, including Blind Faith's "Presence of the Lord," Steppenwolf's "Don’t Step On the Grass, Sam" (Atlanta), and an amazing cover of Little Feat's "Spanish Moon" with Trucks on slide. Given its sheer volume, The Georgia Bootleg Box is for the hardcore Mule fan to be sure. That said, this behemoth also reveals in intricate detail what a hungry power trio playing at its very best is capable of.

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