The Gov’t Mule frontman brought his “Dreams & Songs Symphonic Experience” tour to Meijer Gardens on Monday, reinterpreting classics from Allman Brothers, The Dead & more. The fan review and photos.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Greg Liceraga, a Warren Haynes fan who’s also a member of the Grand Rapids rock band Barrel Bones, won a Local Spins drawing to review Monday’s Meijer Gardens concert. Here’s his take on Haynes’ performance with the Grand Rapids Symphony, along with photos by Paul Jendrasiak.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
The Warren Haynes Band is performing only seven orchestra-accompanied concerts this summer, unfurling one of those rare productions with the Grand Rapids Symphony on Monday night at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
Playing classic songs by Haynes, Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers Band and The Dead, “The Dreams & Songs Symphonic Experience” featured an all-star band (guitarist Haynes, keyboardist Matt Slocum, Gov’t Mule bassist Kevin Scott, drummer Terence Higgins and saxophonist Greg Osby, along with backing vocalists).
Here’s Grand Rapids fan and musician Greg Liceraga’s take on Monday’s show. And read the Local Spins interview with Haynes.
• Top Songs of the Night: It’s difficult to pick with so many great tunes. The first set highlight (and favorite for the night) for me would be the last song, “Invisible.” I really loved the solo sections from each member and it was similar to a Gov’t Mule-like jam. So, a personal favorite for sure. Really got the crowd going. Another from the second set: the cover of “Terrapin Station” by the Grateful Dead. Great use of the Symphony on that one. The extra energy from the crowd really added to the experience. “Thorazine Shuffle,” a Gov’t Mule tune, was really equally a favorite of mine. As a long time Mule fan, I’ve always loved that one.
• Best Symphonic Moment (Song That Worked Best With an Orchestra): “The Deep End,” a Gov’t Mule song, worked particularly well with the Symphony. The conductor was jamming out when not focused on leading the musicians, and he had a huge smile on his face all night.
• Best Instrumental Jam: My personal favorite was “Invisible” from the first set. Of course, the exploratory jams sections of “Whipping Post” and “River’s Gonna Rise” were great, too.
• The Haynes Factor: Warren knows the limited time that the bands are allowed with the curfew at Meijer Gardens, so was very short on words, other than thanking the crowd and musicians. Not much commenting from the stage. He let “the music do the talking.”
• The Fans and Atmosphere: Very focused and attentive, yet pretty mellow. The majority stayed seated for most of the evening, with a few exceptions that got them up and dancing. Everyone seemed to love the experience and had a great vibe the entire evening.
• Song that Drew the Biggest Fan Reaction: The cover of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Whipping Post” at the end of the night was the one that really got everyone up on their feet and dancing. Similar to “Dreams” with the symphony, earlier in the night.
• The Final Grade: I’d give the show an A+. The unique opportunity to see such a renowned artist as Warren with the Grand Rapids Symphony was incredible. The perfect blend of his own compositions and cover songs worked so well in that setting at the venue. He had a great band and singers assembled behind him, too. The MVP was bassist Kevin Scott: His unrelenting and steady bass playing really kept the entire band pumping and grooving throughout the evening. – By Greg Liceraga
PHOTO GALLERY: Warren Haynes Band, Grand Rapids Symphony at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Paul Jendrasiak