[Photos courtesy of Dino Perrucci Photography]
If you’re a doubter of “jamband festivals”, this Gov’t Mule performance from Mountain Jam alone might make you reconsider. Three of us from the NYCTaper crew came out for Saturday of this year’s Mountain Jam, held at the Hunter Mountain Ski Resort in Hunter, NY, and the Mule was that day’s main attraction for a number of reasons. The fact that they are a legendary live band was only part of the picture this time; this particular performance also honored the late, great Levon Helm with a set that found the Mule joining the Levon Helm Band for a tribute that no doubt would have found favor with the man. On a misty night against a verdant Catskills backdrop, Mule and guitarist Warren Haynes gave a life-affirming performance that could turn the coldest cynic on to the power of music. Mountains are often used as a metaphor for the obstacles that define human struggle. This night’s music – played against those gorgeous peaks – demonstrated music’s power to transcend even death. As a series of well-known players joined the band onstage for songs from Mule, Helm and history, we were reminded note after note how lucky we are: to be listening, to be here, to be alive. For us – and I guess it’s fair to call us “city people” – this night was a reminder of the grandeur that lies beyond our steel and glass borders. Mule gave us everything they had until the mist had soaked us all. But most importantly, they gave us a chance to give thanks to those who were gone as well as those who were there with us.
Each of the three of us who were at the show recorded this set, and below we are offering two sources: First, hi and lo’s recording with Schoeps MK21s, and second, Johnny Fried Chicken Boy’s Audio Technica cardiods paired with my AKG 414 large-diaphragm mics, set to “wide cardiod mode.” Both recordings stand out in their own way and offer different “flavors” to enjoy.
Stream “Brand New Angel” from the JFCB/acidjack source:
Stream “I’m A Ram” from hi and lo’s MK21 source:
Stream “Birth of the Mule” from the JFCB/acidjack source:
Download hi and lo’s Schoeps MK21 source: [MP3] | [FLAC]
Download acidjack and JFCB’s AKG/Audio Technica source: [MP3] | [FLAC]
If the FLAC links are no longer working, email nyctaper for the FLAC files
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Gov’t Mule
2012-06-02
Mountain Jam
Hunter, NY
Exclusive downloads hosted at nyctaper.com
Source 1:
Recorded and produced by hi and lo
Schoeps MK21>NBox Cables>Custom Preamp>Tascam DR-680 (24/48)>WaveLab V6 (EQ/Fades/Resampling/Dither)>CD-Wave v1.98>FLAC 1.2.1 with TLH v 2.6.0 (build 168)
Source 2:
Recorded by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy and acidjack
Produced by acidjack
AKG C 414 B-XLS (wide cardiod, AB 1.5ft split, OTS)>Aerco MP-2 + Audio Technica 3031 (OTS, DIN) >> Edirol R-44>2x24bit/48kHZ WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )
[Tracking varies slightly between sources – below is the acidjack/JFCB source]
Set 1 [Total Time 1:16:25]
01 Brighter Days >
02 Brand New Angel
03 Lola Leave Your Light On >
04 Mother Earth>
05 Trouble Every Day
06 World Boss
07 Gameface (w/ Mountain Jam tease)
08 Larger Than Life
09 She Came In Through The Bathroom Window @
10 Bitch #
Set 2 (Levon Helm Tribute with the Levon Helm Band) [Total Time 1:55:03]
11 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
12 Up On Cripple Creek $
13 Ophelia
14 The Shape I’m In
15 This Wheel’s On Fire
16 It Makes No Difference
17 [banter]
18 The Weight %
19 [encore break 1]
20 Birth Of The Mule (with Soul Power Tease)
21 Sco-Mule ^ >It Makes No Difference Reprise
22 Beautifully Broken
23 Forevermore
24 [encore break 2[
25 Planet Of The Ram Jam >
26 I’m A Ram
@ with Machan Taylor, Alicia Shakur & Nigel Hall
# with Earl McIntyre, Jay Collins, Kenny Rampton, Blue Lou Martini, Howard Johnson & Lukas Nelson
$ with Matt Abts
% with Jorgen Carlsson, Machan Taylor, Corky Lang & Lukas Nelson
^ with Blue Lou Martini
If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Gov’t Mule, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from their online store [HERE]
Congrats on discovering what these festivals are wall about. Maybe next time you detox from the computer a bit longer and even camp. Great write up.
Thank you. Thank you! your site is everything musicians (and the music world in general) needs. Hope you can come to one of our shows some night!
I was on Phoenecia that weekend and spent it unaware of this.. although the family and i hung out in a stream not far from the event. Best of both worlds to get to hear this, thanks a million.
thanks!