I profess to be ignorant of Gov't Mule. But while I'm off to Tower soon to get that Gilmour solo accoustic mentioned earlier maybe I'll look for some Mule.
I'm friends with Bett's guitarist. They do all their t-shirt printing at my warehouse complex here in Nashville.
Betts is almost 60 and tours like Willie Nelson...non stop basically and usually for 40-50K for a 2=3 hour gig....not bad. He's bringing home the bacon and is decent with his people. He set my friend up in a new house in Bradenton.
My wife and I may go to the Southern Rock at the amphitheater here this summer...it's a bit of a different crowd than I am used to but I'd like to see what's left of Lynyrd Skynyrd while I can.
I've gotten spoiled...I really like to see bands up close in clubs....I don't go much anymore but I saw Lucinda Williams, The Cult, Cheap Trick, and Hole in a very small venue envornment in the past 2 years...very nice. (I know Love is a skank and killed Kurt but...)
I would go to a Stadium to see the whole Floyd.
Actually the last thing I saw was about 6 weeks ago when Daryll Whorley did "Have You Forgotten?" at our pro-war rally here. I also saw Steve Winwood from across the river at the River Stages festival here 2 Sundays ago....he sounded great but I couldn't see him. His estate borders my modest home here in Nashville where his homegirl wife and he live when school is out for their kids in England. He's on the hilltop and I'm down in the valley(hollow) with the peasants..lol
Hey, I see that you mentioned being in Nashville, and I've got a band recommendation for you. When I was a student at MTSU a few years back, I became a fan of a band called The Nationals. Maybe you've heard of them. They play every week (it was every Wednesday at the time, and it was a packed house every time) at a Murfreesboro bar called The Boro, and they are tremendous, a true powerhouse. They're basically a straight-up blues band -- with guitar, harmonica, B-3, bass, and drums -- but they've got so much energy that they sound like a rock band sometimes. They
totally bring the house down, every time. Each show is like an explosion.
Their guitarist's name is Jack Pearson. He's filled in for Dicky Betts on several occasions, sometimes for months at a time, when Betts was unable to tour for one reason or another. Jack's playing is every bit as good as Warren Haynes. He's got technical chops out the wazoo, but that aspect of his playing is completely enfolded within his authentic, down-home blues sensibilities. His playing is always tasty, always musical. He does these harmonized duets with the harmonica (played by another outstanding player -- I can't think of his name -- he's a black guy and he plays his harmonica right, which is through a green bullet mic and a Fender guitar amp -- it's great old-school harmonica tone) and with the B-3 (another great player). I don't know, you'd just have to see for yourself. He's one of these guys that does the impossible and makes it look effortless.
People kept telling me that I had to see these guys, and I was like, yeah right, it's Murfreesboro for crying out loud...what kind of talent would you find playing there on a regular basis. I still can't figure out what they're doing there -- a couple of them must be sort of established there with their jobs or something -- but I must say that some of the best musical moments I've ever witnessed have come courtesy of The Nationals playing The Boro. They get my highest rating. They are total blues gratification, and well worth checking out.