Salzers

By the time the world hears the performances from these two shows, Gov’t Mule will have celebrated 25 years as a band, which is something they never could have imagined. It’s no easy task keeping a band together for 25 years. You don’t get to do that without having built, nurtured, depended on, and tested important relationships. In fact, with any band that’s stayed around that long, it’s all about relationships. When the band decided to document where they are currently (musically speaking), it was immediately clear that, amongst other things, this release should be a celebration of those relationships. Available June 28th via Provogue Records, Bring On The Music: Live At The Capitol Theatre is a commemoration curated with the audience experience at the forefront. “Without our audience, there would be no chance or reason for us to be around 25 years later,” says founding member and lead guitarist Warren Haynes. “They’ve stuck with us from the beginning, and this is our way of including them in the celebration of our 25 years together.”

From the project’s inception it was always planned on being filmed and recorded at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. “It’s one of our favourite venues,” offers Haynes. “Since it re-opened in 2012, we’ve had the pleasure of playing there multiple times with many magical shows taking place over the years.” Additionally, bringing on Danny Clinch to direct the film was always part of the plan. “Our relationship with Danny pre-dates the formation of Gov’t Mule,” explains Haynes. “We’ve watched each other’s careers grow in ways that included twists and turns neither of us could’ve predicted. He shot photos for many Mule records throughout the years, including our very first record. It was an obvious choice to work with him again this time around.”

All in all, the music is the connective tissue that brings all these relationships and experiences together. “Music is the thing that’s helped us individually and collectively get through hard times, and it’s driven every decision we’ve made as band since we began in ’94,” states Haynes. “The music has connected the band with the audience, and we all continue to grow together with it.”