"Sometimes you wanna go / Where everybody knows your name / & they're always glad you came."

Yep, the Big Rock is kinda like that.  It's a super friendly neighborhood hangout, the perfect place to unwind after a long week.  It's just that instead of Sam Malone, the Big Rock has Renee to play host and serve up the cold brews and some tasty barbeque or tacos.  Oh, and I don't remember ever seeing any kids or dogs at Cheers, but both are welcome here.

I don't remember seeing any live bands or dancing at Cheers either, but the Mules will be rockin' out at Big Rock Saturday the 25th, and you -- yes, you -- will be doing the dancing, assuming you remember to bring your dancing shoes.

Big Rock is at 1500 Lucas Valley Rd. in San Rafael.  Join us there -- along with the Marin counterparts to Sam, Diane, Woody, Norm, Cliff, Frasier, Carla & the gang -- for a big night of fun.

Yee haw!

The Mules are happy to be back at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for the 4th consecutive year.  Mules, of course, are known for their sense of humor, but sometimes even a mule has to get serious.  Cancer has touched one of our own, not to mention more friends and family members than a mule can count.  So this is an event that is near and dear to our hearts.

It's also fun -- and free!  They've got food, crafts, games, prizes, contests, activities, etc. What am I forgetting?  Oh, right, live music!  The Mules will be playing our patented hoof-stompin' swampy tonk music from 1:00 to 2:30.  They don't exactly have a dance floor, but we can't imagine that anyone is going to object -- or even look at you funny -- if you pick a nice shady spot and just let your feet go wild!  And the fun is all about raising money for cancer research, treatment, prevention & programs, so it's a win-win.

The Relay for Life is back at Olive School, 620 Olive Ave. in Novato.  We'd love to see you there, but if you can't make it, please consider making a donation.

Summer officially arrives tomorrow, so that means in just a few days we’ll be heading into the first official weekend of summer!  You may have your heart set on a Saturday at the beach and a Sunday horseback ride – or maybe you’re more into rock climbing or pickle ball or hang gliding -- or you just can't wait to try out your new hammock. 

Whatever your summer thing is, we know  the perfect way to get your first 2026 summer weekend off to the perfect start:  just as soon as your work-week ends, head straight for the Big Rock Deli, where the Mules will be rockin’ out, celebrating the return of our favorite season. The weatherman is forecasting mild temperatures that evening, but you can be sure the Mules will keep things sizzling!  We may even resurrect a few of the fire-themed songs we introduced for last week's barn burner show.  

Speaking of sizzling, Big Rock features mouth-watering barbeque, as well as a varied menu of tacos, salads and sandwiches, not to mention a wide selection of brews.  So when prolonged boot stompin' on the dance floor inevitably triggers hunger pangs and dry mouth, they've got you covered.

No need to worry about finding a babysitter or pet sitter -- kids and dogs are welcome, as are your neighbors, relatives and work colleagues.  Yes, even your boss and your mother-in-law.  Bring 'em all and get your first summer weekend off to a great, Big Rockin', swampy-tonkin' start!

Big Rock is at 1500 Lucas Valley Rd. in San Rafael.  See y'all there!  And after a night with the Mules, you'll be all primed for parasailing on Saturday. Yee haw!

We'll be back at our favorite west Marin venue, Rancho Nicasio, on Friday, June 12.  We always have a great time there and always make it a special show.  It's not our anniversary, but we'll come up with something to celebrate. (Hmmm, let’s see — June 12 is International Falafel Day. It’s also  Superman Day and  Wear Blue Day. Or how about Peruvian Hairless Dog Day?  So many choices.)  It's coming up soon, so it's time to get serious.  At a minimum be sure to circle the date on your Exploding Kittens 2026 calendar.  But if you're ready to seize the day and take bold action, you should absolutely go ahead and order your tickets today!

If your mom lives in Sonoma County -- or just didn't get enough of the Mules on Friday night -- may we recommend our Mothers Day Eve show at the Waterhawk Lake Club in Rohnert Park?  It's a brand new sister-restaurant to Brewsters (where we played on Easter).  Mom will enjoy scenic lakeside dining (steak frites, cobb salad, fried chicken, pizza etc. with wine, beer or cocktails) along with our patented hoof-stomping, tail-swishing sounds.  This will be our Waterhawk debut, so come help us show these folks what swampy-tonkin' is all about and help get Mom all warmed up for Mothers Day. The Waterhawk Lake Club is at 5000 Roberts Lake Road in Rohnert Park.  See y'all -- and yer moms -- there!

Hopefully you've made big plans for next Sunday to pamper Mom and start making up for some of the misery you've caused her over the years.  But surely your mom deserves more than just a single day.  How about a Miracle Mule Mothers Day Warm-up Weekend?!

Her special weekend begins Friday afternoon just as soon as you get off work.  Swing by and pick her up -- along with the spouse and kids.  Oh, and don't forget Rover -- he's welcome to come with.  (You'll probably find him in the back of your closet chewing on your dancing shoes.  Bring them too.) 

Then whisk Mom off to the Big Rock Deli.  That's that fun, neighborly, unpretentious watering hole that feels to us like home away from home.  Treat her to some scrumptious smoked barbeque or shrimp tacos or a Caesar salad, plus her choice of refreshing brews.  And when was the last time you danced with your mom?  Well here's your chance, cuz the Mules will be rocking the house, playing the hottest swampy-tonk dance music you'll find anywhere in Marin.

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Rd. in San Rafael.  It's the perfect place to kick off your weekend -- and your mom's!  So join us for an evening of fun, food, libations and musical May-hem!  Yee haw!

Miracle Mule will be hopping down the bunny trail for this Easter show at Brewsters.

Marin Democrats Ragin’ Cajun Mardi Gras fund-raiser. Hopefully the Mules will again be joined by ace singer / guitar-player Rep. Jared Huffman.

Enjoy the foot stomping music of Miracle Mule while you indulge in the Marin Democrats’ famous shrimp boil, Hurricanes and handcraft beer.

Purchase Tickets

Details to follow.

The Mules kick off our 17th year
Friday the 17th at Big Rock!

Geologists recently determined that Big Rock (from which the Deli gets its name) actually originated in Little Rock, Arkansas.  It gained mass as it moved westward, ultimately coming to rest in its present location on Lucas Valley Road.  How it crossed the Rocky Mountains was a mystery until historians discovered the journal of muleskinner Silas Gallstone, who recounts hauling a "middling-size rock" across the Rockies near Boulder, Colorado via mule train. The still-growing rock then tumbled down the western slope, heading, when he lost sight of it, in the general direction of Marin County.  This may help explain the Mules' affinity for Big Rock and our feeling of coming home whenever we play there.

We would like to thank all y'all who came out to Rancho Nicasio last Friday to help us commemorate our 16th anniversary.  It was a fun-tastic evening and a fitting cele-bray-tion for the end of our 16th year.  But Mules are perpetually forward-looking critters, so this Friday at Big Rock we will be officially kicking off our 17th year.  

Our two new tunes -- Geoff's hypnotically rockin' "The Lantern" and Dick's Mardi Gras anthem "Living it Up Down in New Orleans" -- were enthusiastically received at Rancho, so they will definitely be included in our Big Rock swampy-tonk repertoire.  They should also be showing up on Spotify, Apple Music etc. any day now. Keep an eye out for 'em!

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are cooling off, but Big Rock has lights and heaters, so it's still the place to head just as soon as the second hand on your workplace clock hits closing time on Friday.

Even on a cool evening, dancing to the Mules can work up a serious thirst and a hearty appetite.  So your host, Rene, will have ready & waiting an impressive selection of cold brews and a menu that starts with barbequed ribs and continues with fish tacos and plenty of other mouth-watering choices.

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road.  This may be the kickoff to our 17th year, but at least as of right now it is the last show on our 2025 calendar.  It could be many cold months until you get your next chance to mule-out with the Mules.  So forget the Mariners vs. the Blue Jays and the Dodgers vs. whoever -- the Mules at Big Rock is the only game in town.  And if you need one more reason to join us at Big Rock on Friday -- you can come help us sing Happy Birthday to Brian! Mule on!

It's hard to believe, but Miracle Mule will be turning 16 this month (it seems like only yesterday that you were hearing the patter of little hooves).  Of course turning 16 means we’re old enough to get our learner’s permit, so you might want to avoid Marin roadways for the next few months till we get a thumbs-up from the DMV.

But turning 16 also means big doings at Rancho Nicasio this Friday.  We don't turn 16 every day, so we've got a big celebration planned, and you need to be part of it!  And to make the night extra-special, we'll be releasing our brand new single, Geoff's latest song, "The Lantern."  It's a hypnotic song about a bar (big surprise) in New Orleans, and it's guaranteed to get you movin' and groovin'.  Oh, hey -- some of you may remember the old days, when singles were actual 2-sided disks, which meant they actually came with two songs.  Well, you never know, we might just be crazy enough to release a second Mule single on Friday.  Would that make it a double-single-release party?  

Surely that should be enough for one night, don't you think?  But wait -- there's more!  In addition to the anniversary party and single (or double-single) release party and two hours of premium swampy-tonk music, you will also get . . . free line dance lessons!  At a recent Mules show in El Dorado Hills, Sandy noticed audience members awkwardly attempting to line dance, and valiantly did her best to get them moving in a semi-synchronous direction.  Now that may have been good enough for El Dorado Hills, but certainly not for Rancho Nicasio.  No, for Rancho we will be bringing in actual professional line dance instructors who know just how to get your two left feet stepping around the dance floor like ballroom champions.  And still more -- Geoff's sons Kal and Kenny will be performing two songs with the band and giving you a taste of Miracle Mule NextGen.  Yes, friends, for this week only, you get all of the above for the low low ticket price of only $20.

We don't care whether you come to Rancho to celebrate our anniversary or to celebrate the release of our new single(s?) or, for that matter, if you come to celebrate National Hug-a-Drummer Day (yes, that's also this Friday -- look it up!).  The important thing is that you're there and ready to celebrate something.  So take a minute and order your tickets now.  You'll be glad you did.

Rancho Nicasio is at 1 Old Rancheria Road in Nicasio.  This could end up being the only 16th anniversary we ever have, so don't even think of missing it!  Mule on!

Fund raiser for The Farm to Fight Hunger. Farm to Fight Hunger is a non-profit organization that grows, harvests and delivers fresh nutritious produce, free of charge, to those in Sonoma County in need of healthy food. Eggs layed by happy pastured hens are also donated to local food banks. They farm in an earth-friendly sustainable manner and work to improve the soil health, therefore improving the nutritional content of the food they grow, increasing the amount of carbon the soil can hold and reducing greenhouse gases. Grow - Gather - Give.

They say that Labor Day marks the end of summer.  Sorry, but summer is our favorite time of year and we're just not done with this one yet -- there are still waves to be surfed and trails to be hiked and hammocks to be lounged in -- not to mention lots more swampy-tonkin' to do!

We've been playing at Big Rock since it was a mere pebble, so it's like home to us.  We're looking forward to "coming home" this Saturday for an evening of rockin' music and summertime fun.  We've got a couple new tunes we may even be ready to try out on you.  We're counting on you to be part of the fun -- c'mon now, y'all are gonna have some dancing to do!

Make it a family outing -- bring grandma and the kids (and don't forget Fido).  When all of you work up an appetite, Big Rock has mouthwatering barbequed ribs, tacos and plenty more to choose from.  And you'll want to wash it down with their wide selection of ice cold beers (including root beer for the younguns).

Big Rock is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  We'll be back there again on Friday, October 17.  OK, maybe by then we'll be ready to carve pumpkins and stack firewood, but for now, let's keep driving with the top down and enjoying summer.  Mule on!

Last year we had a great time at an event at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin.  They didn't even try to convert us -- although we're afraid that our songs about drinking and general moral laxity may have corrupted at least a few of them.  Now, inexplicably, they have invited us to launch their new Joy and Justice concert series.  We'll be sharing the evening with DJ Maad Hatter, so if you're looking to dance, there should be pretty much continuous music. 

Of course, dancing works up an appetite, so chef Alexis Haynes and her Fully’z VeSoul Café food truck will be on hand serving up some mouth-watering Louisiana-inspired vittles.  And of course, man – and woman and mule – do not live by vittles alone, so the church will be turning water into wine — and beer — for those who thirst after more than righteousness.

Doors open at 6:00; the Mules kick things into high gear around 7:15.  Tickets are $18 if purchased in advance, or $20 at the door.  Proceeds go to support the Marin County Cooperation Team, which empowers Marin’s historically underserved communities.

This is our 3rd straight year at this fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society.  If we can be serious for a moment, one of our bandmates is a cancer survivor, so this is an event that is especially near and dear to our hearts.  It's also fun -- and free!  They've got food, crafters, silent auctions, games, prizes, contests, activities, speakers, massage tent, etc. The Relay for Life is at Olive School, 620 Olive Ave. in Novato.  We'd love to see you there, but if you can't make it, please consider making a donation.

Other bands may talk the talk, but Miracle Mule rocks The Rock!  And we'll be doing just that this coming Friday evening. 

We know you'll be watching the office clock as Friday afternoon crawls by and the weekend feels like it'll never get here.  And when closing time finally does come, sure, you could head straight home, but you know what's waiting there:  a lawn that needs mowing, that broken gate that you were supposed to fix last weekend, that pile of laundry that makes it impossible to walk on the bedroom floor. 

Here's a much better idea -- head instead to the Big Rock Deli, where you'll find beer that needs drinking, barbequed ribs and fish tacos that need eating, friendly folks who need hanging out with and 3 hours of rockin' swampy-tonk music that just begs to be danced to.

OK, maybe you'll want to make a quick stop at the house to pick up the spouse, the kids, the dog and your dancing shoes -- but no more than 5 minutes.  Don't let yourself even make eye-contact with the lawnmower.
 
Big Rock is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  It's your weekend, so y'all come on down and we'll help you kick it off on the right hoof. 

This Friday the Mules are set to stampede into Sausalito and give those Jazz & Blues fans a taste of Swampy-Tonk music they won't soon forget.  We're told to expect a large and "high energy crowd that loves to dance and have fun."  Sounds like our kind of folks.  Sure it's Friday the 13th, but we're not worried -- Mules are too stubborn to be superstitious.

This is a free concert -- our thanks to the Sausalito Cruising Club for sponsoring it.  They will have food for sale as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (though why anyone would want to drink a non-alcoholic beverage we have no idea).  Dogs are welcome (must be on leash) as well as children (leashes optional).  For further details on parking, table rental, lawn seating (low beach chairs only!), etc. Click here.

Jazz & Blues by the Bay concerts are in Gabrielson Park at Anchor St. & Humbolt Ave. in Sausalito.  Y'all come help us show these Sausalito jazz & blues fans what Swampy-Tonkin' is all about.  This is one Friday the 13th that's going to be everyone's lucky day!

To hire Miracle Mule for your backyard barbecue, corporate function or your organization’s event, contact DickBay1@gmail.com.

The 1st Saturday in June we'll be back at our "home base," that friendly oasis on the road to the wilds of west Marin.  Join us for an evening of 99.9% pure Mule music, mouth-watering BBQ and ice cold beer.  I don't know about you, but that sure sounds like the perfect combination to us.

If there's one thing mules like, it's a good beer garden (we'd grow one of our own but we can never find the seeds).  And there's one just up the road that just may be the best in downtown Petaluma.  We don't make it up to Sonoma County nearly often enough, but hey look, Sonoma-ites, we're heading your way!  

We always have a great time at Brewsters. It’s a fun family-friendly open air restaurant and watering hole — children and dogs are welcome, assuming of course that they remember to bring their parents along.  Brewsters describes their cuisine as "southern BBQ meets California produce with a refined touch of explosive flavors."  But fear not, if things get too explosive, they also have 30 local craft beers on tap -- plus spirits and wine -- to help put out the fire.

Brewsters also has a built-in sound system and plenty of room for dancing, if you're so inclined.  And with the Mules there cranking out 3 hours of rompin' stompin' Swampy Tonk music, there's just no way you won't feel so inclined.

Brewsters is at 229 Water Street in Petaluma.  This could very well be our only Sonoma County show this year, so if you live up that way be sure to circle the date on your calendar and plan to join us.  And if you live in Marin, hey, it's just barely past the county line, so you've got no excuse not to join us too!

We're gonna rock around the Rock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock till broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock around Big Rock tonight!
 
OK, maybe not till broad daylight -- unfortunately the neighborhood does have a noise ordinance -- but we will be back at Big Rock on Friday and we're definitely gonna rock, rock, rock.  So definitely you're going to want to come out and, I don't know, dance, dance, dance? 

Big Rock is always a good time -- for us and for all y'all.  It's a fun, friendly, relaxed neighborhood hangout.  Feel free to bring your kids or your pets -- unless you have pet snakes (mules don't like snakes).  Your host, Renee, will be cooking up heaps of barbequed ribs, chicken and brisket, burritos and fish tacos, and he's got an impressive variety of brews all chilled and waiting for you.  
 
Why wait till Saturday to start your weekend?  The good weather is here, so why not come straight from the office or the shop or wherever they keep you cooped up all week?  
 
Big Rock is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  Everyone flock to Big Rock and we'll rock, rock, rock till they make us stop!

It's been exactly 135 days since the last Miracle Mule show.  You don't need to consult the FDA guidelines on Swampy-Tonk frequency to know that that is just waaay too long.  Fortunately, your interminably grim Mule-less winter is about to be over -- with a bang!  This Saturday the Mules will kick off their 16th year right back where we celebrated our 15th anniversary just a few months ago.  Rancho Nicasio is one of our very favorite venues -- a roomy stage, great sound system and awesome food -- and this will be our 11th appearance there.
 
The Mules are fired up and champing at the bit.  We've been practicing some new songs and some songs so old they'll seem new -- to us and to you.  We're raring to go, so you'll definitely want to be there when we rock the house, just like the old days, way back in 2024.
 
In our "save the date" newsletter we promised "no gimmicks this time -- no line dance teachers, no special guest stars, no fireworks, no animal acts."  We didn't exactly lie, but due to popular demand we did change our minds and decide to bring back [sorry, animal act fans] the Cowtown Cowgirls to provide free line dance lessons between our sets.  So for sure you're gonna wanna de-cobweb your dancing shoes cuz by the time the Cowgirls are done with you, your two left feet will know what they're doing and won't want to leave the dancefloor.

Tickets 

OK, you've had a month or so to procrastinate, but that's all over now.  It's time to get serious and buy tickets today! At the same time you'll also want to reserve your table for dinner and the show.  Rancho does feature some seriously fine dining -- just take a peek at their scrumptious dinner show menu! [The Mules give it a 5 carrot rating!]

Rancho Nicasio is at 1 Old Rancheria Road in Nicasio.  Y'all come out and help us celebrate the the kickoff to our 16th year!  This could be the start of something big!

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*Note time change since our last newsletter: Doors open at 6pm. Dinner reservations start at 6pm. Music starts at 7:30pm. 

t’s just not like the Mules to disappear in late summer / early fall.  But sure enough, it’s been a month and a half since the last confirmed Mule-sighting in Marin.  Oh, there have been rumors.  There was something about a golf course in Santa Rosa, but that just turned out to be 2 escaped donkeys found grazing near the 14th tee.  Then there were reports that the Mules had been spotted playing for line dancers at a senior center in Brentwood, but that seems impossible to verify. 
 
The current rumor is that the Mules will be back at the Big Rock Deli this Friday, Oct 11, from 5 to 8pm.  We’re taking this one seriously.  Big Rock’s website appears to corroborate it (though that website also still says “Happy New Year,” so that doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence in its reliability).  But there are signs that the Mules have been practicing, so they could, indeed, be ready to rev up the swampy-tonkin’, kick it back into high gear and rock the house again. 
 
As further evidence, Big Rock employees have been seen unloading trucks, appearing to lay in provisions, as if they were expecting a large crowd.  It was hard to tell, but through our binoculars it appeared to include all the fixings for barbequed ribs, chicken and brisket, plus burritos and fish tacos, not to mention cases of every beer you could think of. 
 
We’re not ones to spread rumors -- so we’ll leave it to you to tell all your friends, neighbors, family members and casual acquaintances. 
 
Big Rock is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  You’re definitely going to want to be there Friday night to see if the rumors are true and hopefully catch the Mules before they disappear again.  See y’all there – let’s party till the cows come home!