On Halloween night, Gov’t Mule turned the Warner Theatre into a southern-fried rock séance — conjuring ghosts of Aerosmith past and the band’s own storied history — for Mule-O-Ween 2025. The two-set performance capped the band’s Back in the Saddle Tour and celebrated 30 years of Gov’t Mule’s evolution from Allman Brothers offshoot to enduring jam-rock institution.
Opening with “Same as It Ever Was,” the quartet immediately asserted their identity: tight, confident, with subtle room for improvisation. The rhythm section of Terence Higgins on drums and Kevin Scott on bass laid a deep foundation, while keyboardist/guitarist Danny Louis added color and texture behind frontman/guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes. The sound felt full yet controlled.
It should be noted that drummer Terrance Higgins was added to Gov’t Mule’s lineup in place of revered drummer and founding member Matt Abts, who has been sidelined for the entire Back in the Saddle tour to focus on recovering from performance-related injuries. Terrance is the current drummer of Warren’s other project, The Warren Haynes Band.
Highlights in the first set included “Rocking Horse” and “Lay Your Burden Down,” both of which showed how the band continues to mine its rich catalog with new energy. “Peace I Need” and “Unring the Bell” offered more introspective moments, allowing Haynes’ vocals to breathe. “Endless Parade” built steadily into a smooth groove, and “Game Face” followed with punch. The set closed with “Time to Confess,” leaving the audience primed for what came next.
Sonically, the first part of the show felt anchored in the band’s recent studio work — notably the 2023 album Peace…Like a River — as well as the deeper catalog that longtime fans recognize. Their interplay was tight; transitions felt natural, and spaces within the songs were used for subtle flourishes rather than full-on jam explosions, likely in keeping with the theater setting.
Stream Peace…Like A River by Gov’t Mule on Spotify:
During intermission, the stage crew pulled back Danny’s Hammond riser, trimmed the setup, and draped each mic stand with long, patterned scarves — a wink toward Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. The crowd immediately sensed a pivot coming: this was Mule-O-Ween proper, a full-costume musical tribute.
From the first note of “Make It,” the band embraced the spirit of Tyler-era Aerosmith — swagger, punchy riffs, and a willingness to let loose. The opening “Walking the Dog” served as a palate cleanser before the Aerosmith sequence kicked in hard. Marc LaBelle’s vocal approach was a convincing Tyler impression — his phrasing, stage presence, and swagger fit the tribute theme without feeling like a gimmick.
Instrumentally, the band shifted gears. The keys took a back seat, the guitar tones grew rawer, and the rhythmic attack sharpened. Haynes’ soloing on songs like “Same Old Song and Dance” and “Back in the Saddle” demonstrated his fluency in classic rock vocabulary — not just blues and jam-band fare. The crowd responded accordingly: by “Dream On,” voices were raised; by “Walk This Way,” the theater felt like a rock club suspended in the moment.
Special guest Marc LaBelle, frontman of Dirty Honey, joined the band to provide lead vocals for five songs, channeling Steven Tyler’s bluesy rasp and flamboyant stage presence. His turn on “Back in the Saddle,” “Last Child,” and “Sweet Emotion” electrified the room, and by “Dream On,” the entire Warner crowd had become an impromptu choir.
The band didn’t just mimic Aerosmith — they absorbed the style, referenced it, and made it their own through improvisation and reinterpretation. The visual cues (scarves, stage set-down), LaBelle’s presence, and the sequencing all aligned to make this more than “just a covers set.” It was a Halloween event, a tribute with flair, and a statement of musical versatility from Gov’t Mule.
Musically, Warren and Danny traded biting guitar lines while Terence and Kevin drove the momentum with sharp, arena-rock precision. The Aerosmith setlist gave plenty of sonic space for Haynes’ leads, which threaded Tyler-Perry riffs with Mule’s earthy groove. “Seasons of Wither” and “Mama Kin” offered breathing room between the heavier hitters, while “Walk This Way” turned the aisles into a dance floor.
The night closed with a fitting encore: “The Train Kept A-Rollin’,” a Tiny Bradshaw tune famously covered by Aerosmith — and one Mule hadn’t touched since 2018 — tying the homage neatly back to rock-and-roll’s roots.
If you missed the show, you can check out the entire second set posted by @jphicksmusicworld on YouTube:
Mule-O-Ween 2025 wasn’t just a costume party; it was a statement of vitality. Thirty years in, Gov’t Mule continues to evolve — shifting personnel and themes yet remaining unmistakably itself. By night’s end, the Warner Theatre crowd left with ringing ears and wide grins, proof that for Gov’t Mule, the saddle still fits just fine.
Set 1
Same as It Ever Was
Rocking Horse
Peace I Need
Devil Likes It Slow
Lay Your Burden Down
Unring the Bell
Endless Parade
Game Face
Time to Confess
Set 2
Make It (Aerosmith cover)
Walking the Dog (Rufus Thomas cover)
Lord of the Thighs (Aerosmith cover)
Same Old Song and Dance (Aerosmith cover)
Seasons of Wither (Aerosmith cover)
Back in the Saddle (Aerosmith cover) (with Marc LaBelle)
Last Child (Aerosmith cover) (with Marc LaBelle)
Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith cover) (with Marc LaBelle)
Dream On (Aerosmith cover) (with Marc LaBelle)
Walk This Way (Aerosmith cover) (with Marc LaBelle)
Mama Kin (Aerosmith cover)
Encore
The Train Kept A-Rollin’ (Tiny Bradshaw cover)
Enjoy a selection of photographs from Gov’t Mule’s Mule-O-Ween 2025 performance at Warner Theatre on Oct. 31, 2025. All images are copyrighted and courtesy of Ari Strauss.
