Gov’t Mule Welcome Guests, Deliver Bust-Outs and Cover The Band and Radiohead at Island Exodus 15 Finale

Photo Credit: Dino Perrucci

Last night, Gov’t Mule stepped into the spotlight at Runaway Bay, Jamaica’s Jewel Paradise Cove Resort for the third and final performance in their 2025 concert getaway. To cap off Island Exodus 15, the four-piece Southern rock powerhouse delivered another thrilling two-set show that culminated the energy of their prior performances; with sit-ins, bust-outs and covers, the band’s final destination staging of the year was a celebratory affair.

Gov’t Mule kicked off their first set with 2000’s Life Before Insanity standout “Bad Little Doggie,” taking a wild ride into “Blind Man in the Dark” and “About to Rage.” Following the format established by the first two shows in the series, the band’s first set proceeded largely with a race through the band’s fan favorite originals–this time with a concentration on songs that have been honed over decades of consistent stagings: setlist staples “Unring the Bell,” “Endless Parade,” “Game Face” and “Banks of the Deep End” followed before the first frame closer of 2002’s The Deep End, Vol. 2 select “Time to Confess.”

Mule changed gears as it opened the second set, signaling a more eclectic focus with a bust-out of The Band’s “Genetic Method” for the first time since January 2023. Formerly the organ introduction to “Chest Fever,” the sprawling, dramatic solo was issued by keyboardist Danny Louis in a tribute to The Band’s legendary organist Garth Hudson, who passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The intro led directly into another Band bust-out, this time treating “Stage Fright,” which they last presented in May 2023.

The quartet returned to their own discography with 2000’s “No Need to Suffer,” then dashed into one of the most ambitious jams of the week with the progression from “Snatch It Back and Hold It” to “Hold It Back” and back again featured on the deluxe edition of 2021’s Heavy Load Blues. Mule welcomed vocalist Machan Taylor and members of Big Sugar to the stage again for their fourth ever staging of the 2001 original “Life on the Outside,” rearing its head for the first time since 2004.

Big Sugar frontman Gordie Johnson remained in the mix for “Freeway Jam,” then the full company closed out the second set with the Grateful Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain” and the setting-suited original “Reggae Soulshine.” As the final note of the exhilarating four-night event, the band returned to the stage for an encore with a bust-out of Radiohead’s “Lucky” (last played in June 2023), which nicely bookended the event as a parallel to the day one opener of “Karma Police.”

Gov’t Mule will take a few months off before performing again at the first Suwanee Amp Jam from March 6-8. Yesterday, the band looked forward to later shows in the year with the announcement of a co-headline tour with Tedeschi Trucks Band in September. For tickets and more information on the band’s full tour itinerary, visit mule.net/tour.

01/22/2025

Island Exodus 15

Runaway Bay, Jamaica

Set 1:

Bad Little Doggie

Blind Man In The Dark

About To Rage

Unring The Bell

Endless Parade

Game Face

Banks Of The Deep End

Time To Confess

Set 2:

Genetic Method (1) % >

Stage Fright (2)

No Need To Suffer

Snatch It Back And Hold…

— Gov’t Mule (@govtmuleband) January 23, 2025