2008 Gov't Mule

Lots of bands have been named after animals, like the Flamingos, the Byrds and, well, the Animals. Not many bands, though, have been willing to associate themselves with animals known for stubbornness or even stupidity. But now we have Gov't Mule, an Allman Brothers offshoot that has produced several albums of bluesy rock and sold a ton of tickets to its fans.

Originally a trio, former Allman Brothers Band members Warren Haynes (guitar) and Allen Woody (bass) joined with Matt Abts (drums) for Gov't Mule's eponymous 1995 debut. The band had two other studio albums under their belt, Dose (1998) and Life Before Insanity (2000), as well as two acclaimed live sets, when Allen Woody died in August, 2000. Several high-profile bassists, including John Entwhistle of the Who, helped keep Gov't Mule going until Haynes and Abts settled on Andy Hess, formerly with the Black Crowes, as Woody's permanent replacement. At the same time, Gov't Mule added keyboard player Danny Louis to take the band's sound to a new textural level.

The quartet version of Gov't Mule released Deja Voodoo in 2004 to impressive reviews, and the band has toured to show off the new lineup and all of the music Gov't Mule has created in its career. With a base of soulful Southern rock, combined with some hard boogie and thoughtful, intense ballads, Gov't Mule has proved to be a huge generator of ticket sales. Don't miss your chance to see these legends of rock music.