Philadelphia, PA – So, there I am, trekking up Broad Street in Philly with my partner in crime, headed to The Met to see the legendary Gov’t Mule. She’s never seen them before, but as a lifelong Allman Brothers Band fan, she figured it was about time to experience Warren Haynes in his natural element, live and loud.
Back in the late ’90s, I caught Gov’t Mule at the TLA Theatre on South Street. Even then, Haynes had that unmistakable “you feel it in your bones” quality to his playing, that soulful intensity that moves through you more than it simply plays to you.
Decades later, that same energy still burns bright, and The Met Philadelphia was the perfect stage for Mule’s post-Halloween throwdown.
I’m not lying when I say I was really there for the second set, the one exclusively dedicated to the music of Aerosmith. Haynes and the band have been digging deep into the Boston legends’ catalog lately, not just playing the hits, but mining those raw, early gems from Get Your Wings, Rocks, and their self-titled debut. Those deep cuts are where the real fire lives, and hearing Mule bring them to life promised to be something special.
With the Aerosmith “wings” logo, Mule-modified, of course, glowing on the backdrop, the band tore into “Make It”, “Walkin’ the Dog”, “Same Old Song and Dance”, “Seasons of Wither”, and “Lord of the Thighs.” By that point, I was trying to take pictures and dance at the same time, a dangerous combo. Meanwhile, I’d left my wife back at her seat, and for a second, I thought, maybe I should go check on her.
But then I heard the unmistakable intro to “Back in the Saddle”, and I knew what was coming. Corey Glover, the powerhouse frontman from Living Colour, was about to unleash that famous Steven Tyler “I’m baaaaaack!”, and sure enough, he nailed it. So, like a good soldier on assignment, I stayed at my post.
Glover scatted, shouted, and gutted his way through “Last Child,” locked in perfectly with Haynes’ gritty leads. The harmonies during “Sweet Emotion” were spot-on, and then came the big test: “Dream On.” Could he hit that high, a cappella scream that Tyler is known for? The answer, absolutely. He hit it clean, and the roar of applause that followed was pure approval from a crowd that knew exactly how hard that was.
The Mule powered along in full Joe Perry style, heavy, blues-driven, and razor-tight. The band played Aerosmith not as a tribute, but as peers honoring another great American rock machine. It was a killer set, full of heart, sweat, and soul. In a city with such deep roots in blues and rock, The Met became a temple for that sound, if only for one night.
Show Date: November 1, 2025
