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!

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!

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. 

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!

When the Mules were starting out 15 years ago, friends and family members organized a pool for how long the band would last.  Well, let's just say that no one picked 15 years.  Officially, the 15th anniversary isn't until October, but who can wait that long?  So the little band that defied all expectations will be celebrating a month and a half early -- August 24 at Rancho Nicasio -- and we'd love for you to help us celebrate.

The Mules will be all fired up and ready to rock the house with their hoof-stompin' beat and their signature swampy-tonk sound.  The Cowtown Cowgirls will be on hand to provide free line dance lessons, so you'll want to polish up yer dancin' shoes and be all ready to hit the dancefloor.  Plus bandleader Geoff Mack's sons Kenny & Kal and his nephew Conor will be sitting in on a few tunes to give you a sneak peek at the next generation of Mules.  It promises to be a night to remember!

Hopefully you're already convinced that this is one show you can't miss.  So say "no" to procrastination and order your 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 gander at their yummy dinner show menu!

You only turn 15 once, so y'all come and help us celebrate!  Next year we'll be old enough to get our learner's permit, so who knows where we'll be then. 

NOTE: Dinner reservations start at 6pm. Music starts at 8pm.  Rancho Nicasio is at 1 Old Rancheria Road in Nicasio. 

The Rock of Gibraltar, Plymouth Rock, Chimney Rock, Elephant Rock, the Big Rock Deli -- all iconic natural wonders, but only one of them will feature a rockin' Miracle Mule performance this Friday evening.

You clock out of work after a long tough week and what better way to kick off your weekend than to head over to Big Rock for some beer, barbeque and 3 hours of Swampy-Tonk fun!

The Big Rock is the Mules' official favorite San Rafael venue, an oasis of friendly good vibes, yummy food and refreshing beverages.  Kids, dogs and dancing are always welcome, and so are you!

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.   Y'all come and help us celebrate . . . oh, we'll think of something!

Spring is in full swing and the signs are everywhere.  The sunshine is back, the robins are back chirping in the treetops, the bees are back buzzing in the crocuses, and . . . the Mules are back at Big Rock!  No more will you need to plod through your grim wintry existence without a single note of swampy-tonk to lift your spirits.  Remember the fun we all had together at Big Rock the last two summers?  Well, it's time to do it all over again!

Big Rock is that kid-friendly, dog-friendly, fun-friendly oasis on the road to west Marin.  We're so happy to be back we promise to be fired up and ready to rock out on all your favorite Mule-ish tunes.  Come on out and see if you can still pull off your favorite dance moves.  Big Rock will have plenty of scrumptious barbeque, Mexican specialties and cold brews on hand to handle any hunger and/or thirst that those dance moves might induce.

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  Join the Mules -- and the birds, bees & sunshine -- for an afternoon of spring-tacular swampy-tonk fun!

Geoff Mack, the Mules' intrepid leader, will be turning 60 on March 2 (no, we can't believe it either).  There's going to be a huge birthday shindig in his honor at HopMonk in Novato -- and you're invited!  There will be lots of surprises -- so many and so surprising that we don't even know what they'll be yet. 

So take the cellophane off your new Kittens in Pajamas 2024 calendar, dig out your red Magic Marker and circle the date.  Or better yet, go ahead and order tickets now while you're thinking about it.  See y'all there!

If you came to any of our recent shows -- or perhaps even if you haven't -- you may have noticed that things are starting to get pretty chilly out there.  We haven't played an indoor public show all year long, but we're thinking it just may be time for all of us to come in out of the cold.  So this Friday you can leave your parkas and long underwear at home and join us -- indoors! -- at Tam Commons Tap Room & Kitchen in downtown San Rafael.

This will be our debut at Tam Commons, and we're hoping, come next year, it'll turn into a regular Mule stomping ground.  Word has it that it's a happening place where every hour is happy hour.  It's got a spacious interior with plenty of room for dancing.  They've also got 34 taps with a rotating selection of craft beers, the biggest selection of ciders in the area, plus wine, spirits & cocktails.  If you work up an appetite on the aforementioned dance floor and find yourself needing something a little less liquid, their menu features burgers, fried chicken, pulled pork, tacos, salads, etc.

Tam Commons is at 1300 4th Street, at the corner of 4th & C in downtown San Rafael.  Y'all come join us for our Tam Commons debut and our final swampy-tonk-tacular of 2023. 

October is an important month for us Mules.  For starters, the beginning of the month marked the band's 14th anniversary!  Speaking of anniversaries, October is also drummer/plumber Jimbo Lehmann's 10th anniversary with the Mules and keyboardist Dick Bay's 13th.  This month is also washboard-ist extraordinaire Brian Dettor's [??th] birthday.  Of course everyone loves Halloween, but even better is Oktoberfest -- who could not love a month-long festival all about drinking beer?

We've played at the Big Rock Deli nearly every month for the last 2 years and we're already looking forward to getting back to it next spring.  But sadly this Friday will be our final show there for 2023.  We've had a blast there all year long and are going to do it one last time and go out in style.  So we promise 3 hours of high octane swampy tonk music, plus Big Rock will have plenty of scrumptious barbeque, Mexican specialties and cold brews on hand to take care of any hunger and thirst that might strike you on or off the dance floor.

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  With anniversaries, birthdays, Halloween, Oktoberfest and an awesome run in 2023, we've got a lot to celebrate.  So y'all come on out Friday night and help us do it!

The Mules will be back at Big Rock this coming Saturday.  Well, most of the Mules -- our drummer extraordinaire, Jimbo Lehmann, will be taking the day off.  He submitted his time-off request in triplicate and HR has approved it, so what can we do?  Can this show be saved?

Meanwhile, we were recently shocked to discover -- as I'm sure you will be too -- that our very own bandleader, Geoff Mack, has been seeing another band behind our backs!  Indeed, it seems that he has been secretly playing lead guitar for 50s/60s garage classics band, the Road Runners.  [Now that you mention it, I thought their guitar player looked strangely familiar.]  But the good news is that the Road Runners have their own drummer, namely Phil Sollar, and Phil also knows how to play Swampy Tonk (or at least he will by Saturday).  So Phil has agreed to be a Mule-for-a-day.  Hooray, the day is saved, the show will go on, and you can count on hearing the familiar Miracle Mule sound that you love to drink and dance to!

Just because Jimbo is taking the day off, don't get the idea that you can too.  You'll want to be there for our last Big Rock show of the summer (we'll be back Friday Oct 20, but that'll be a whole 'nother season).  You'll want to enjoy the family-friendly vibes, the barbequed ribs, chicken or tri-tip, or tacos or quesadillas, and of course their extensive selection of brews.

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  Y'all come and find out for yourselves the answer to the age-old riddle: what do you get when you cross a Mule with a Road Runner?

The morning after our last Blazers show the Mules gathered online to compare notes.  "Last night was magic," said bandleader Geoff, "a wonderful night."  Our resident Mule-ette, Sandy, chimed in, "What a great time last night!" "Ya, we rocked the house," agreed bass player Mark.  No rabbits were pulled from hats; no audience members were sawed in half, but a little bit of magic does seem to happen every time the Mules and Blazers come together.  "Great time!" exclaimed drummer Jim, "people dancing does it for me."  And there you have the other ingredient.  Usually our newsletter banner is a photo of the band, but this time our percussionist Brian, turned his camera towards the dancers and caught just a little glimpse of that night's magic.

This Friday you can expect more of the same.  Blazer's is our favorite place to play in Novato these days, and we're happy to report that the Blazers' owners say the Mules are their favorite band.  Hopefully you agree with them, but if you haven’t yet checked out Blazers, it’s time you did.  You’ll be in for a treat -- like BBQ brisket or smoked chicken wings or shrimp tacos, not to mention their variety of beers, ciders, wines & cocktails, and plenty of fun, friendly vibes.

Blazers Smokehouse is at 7380 Redwood Blvd (actually on the frontage road on the east side of Redwood, just north of Grant) in downtown Novato.  So y’all come on out and help us make Friday night extra-magical.

For unknown reasons we have trouble keeping our start and end times in sync with Big Rock's web site, which can be problematic for those of you who understandably prefer to avoid arriving too early or too late.  It's like one of us is in a time warp or on Mountain Time (considered by some to be the same thing). As of a week ago, our website showed 4-7pm and Big Rock's showed 5-8pm.  Oops.  But as it turns out we were both wrong.  So the official time now is 3-6pm (no matter what the websites say).  Ok now that we've got that straight . . . 

Your Mules will be bringing our A-game, kicking the afternoon into high gear, with plenty of rockin' sounds and down home fun.  You're invited to bring yourselves, your kids, your dogs, your dancing shoes and your appetites (or work one up on the dance floor once you get there). Your host Rene will have some savory BBQ ribs, chicken, brisket etc. on hand as well as tacos and burritos.  Not to mention a wide assortment of fine brews to handle an August afternoon thirst.

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  OK, y'all synchronize your watches and we'll see you Sunday.  What time was that again? You got it -- 3:00!  Don't be late.

Years ago we were in Monterey, checking the brochure rack for ideas on what to do, and were surprised to spot one entitled "Novato -- The Place to Be!"  Well, nowadays, the place to be in Novato is Blazers Smokehouse.  That's right where the Mules will be this Friday evening -- and so should you!

Face it, you're not going to feel like cooking Friday night, and even if you did, you're not going to be able to pull off BBQ brisket or smoked chicken wings or shrimp tacos like Blazers does.  And you're not going to have on hand the variety of beers, ciders, wines & cocktails that they do.  Sure you could order from DoorDash, but it wouldn't come with live music (hmmm, now there's an idea).  To get the whole family friendly / party positive experience you're just going to have to show up in person.  We promise the Blazers smoker will be all fired up -- and so will the Mules!

Blazers Smokehouse is at 7380 Redwood Blvd (actually on the frontage road on the east side of Redwood, just north of Grant) in downtown Novato.  So come on out and help us blaze a trail to Blazers.  It's the place to be!

This Friday evening the Mules will return to Ounces Outdoors (or for you metric system enthusiasts, 29.57 Milliliters Outdoors) at the Northgate shopping center.  As you may know, they're planning to demolish parts of the mall to put in apartments, an IMAX theater and some trendy new shops and restaurants.  We're pretty confident they won't be starting on that between now and Friday, so you shouldn't need to wear a hardhat (a cowboy hat would be cool, though).  We're also pretty confident you won't need to huddle up next to one of their outdoor heaters Friday evening, as it looks like summer has finally shown up for real.

Ounces Outdoors is a fun dog-friendly hangout, with craft beer, cider, wine, snacks, a variety of hot dogs (including veggie dogs), bocce ball courts and good vibes.  And of course they'll have some great Mule music, so you can dance your hooves off!  The architects would be smart to just design the new Northgate around this little oasis of fun.

Ounces Outdoors is at 5800 Northgate Drive in San Rafael, right next to Kohl's, where the skating rink used to be.  Y'all bring your friends and neighbors and join us for an evening of swampy-tonk fun.  And if it makes you feel better, sure, go ahead and wear the hard hat.

Did you miss us?  Except for those too-cold-to-play-outdoors winter months, we've played at Big Rock every month since October 2021.  Until last month.  We don't even remember now why we skipped June, but we must have had a good reason.  In any case, we'll be back this Saturday -- and hopefully, you will too!

We'll be back with the familiar Swampy Tonk sounds you know and love -- but we promise we'll also have a coupla new tunes that we know you're gonna enjoy.

Big Rock, of course, is still the comfortable neighborhood hangout that's kid-friendly and dog-friendly -- and Mule-friendly!  [Hey, but what about cats?  Why do cats seem to feel so unwelcome there?  Is this a cat-hostile environment and a class action discrimination suit just waiting to happen?  OK, sorry, now back to the newsletter...]  And your host Rene will have some savory BBQ (ribs, chicken, brisket etc.) or Mexican specialties for you when you get hungry, and an assortment of fine brews for when you get thirsty.

We're sorry we didn't make to Big Rock last month, but we're back to our monthly timetable now, so plan on making this a regular thing again.  Here's the schedule:

     Sunday, August 20
     Saturday Sept 16
     Friday Oct 20

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  Hope to see all y'all big rockers there!  And please, just this once, bring the cat.

Blazers is a smokehouse!  No, Blazers is a beer garden!  No, Blazers is a great music venue!  Stop it, you three -- you're all right!  It's also downtown Novato's newest hot spot.  The Mules debuted there at the beginning of the month, gave it our coveted seal of approval and are heading back for round 2 this coming Friday.

Blazers management declared that the Mules were their favorite of all the bands that had played there so far.  Of course they had only been open a week and a half at that point, so we're not sure just how much of a compliment that really was.  But we plan to rock the house all over again and convince them that their first impression was spot on.

The big stage is outdoors, under a spreading redwood tree, on their spacious tented patio.  And it's right next to the smoker, so while you scoot your boots to the Mule music you can keep an eye on that brisket, pork, ribs or chicken you ordered.  And if you're thirsty -- and if you're on the dance floor for long you surely will be -- they offer a rotating selection of beers, ciders and California wines.

Blazers Smokehouse is at 7380 Redwood Blvd (actually on the frontage road on the east side of Redwood, just north of Grant) in downtown Novato.  So whether you're wanting a smokehouse or a beer garden, come on down to Blazers and join the Mules for a night of Swampy-Tonk fun!

They've only been open a week and a half, but the 5-star Yelp reviews are already pouring in.  Blazers is Novato's newest BBQ smokehouse and the Mules are happy to get our hoof in the door early and help them get their music program off the ground.  We'll be there twice in June (the 2nd & the 30th) and twice more later in the summer.

We haven't yet had a chance to sample the food ourselves, but folks are raving about the brisket ("just right"), the ribs ("first rate"), the house bourbon sauce ("not to be missed") and even the potato salad ("one of the best ever").

Blazers is at the old location for Jerry's Downtown BBQ, where we played a few times.  But rest assured that the new owners are two experienced restaurateurs who previously owned Novato's renowned Hilltop 1892 Restaurant for 10 years.  So that explains why the food is so good and should also mean that there will be no more snafus like the double-booking our last time at Jerry's.

Blazers Smokehouse is at 7380 Redwood Blvd (actually on the frontage road on the east side of Redwood, just north of Grant) in downtown Novato.  Come join us for some Swampy-Tonk fun and check out that 5-star cuisine for yourself!

The very next day after Big Rock the merry, merry mules of May will head north to Brewsters Beer Garden.  Little known fact, but beer gardens are the favorite pastures for mules to graze in, and Brewsters is one of our very favorite places in Petaluma.  [Helpful tip:  if you haven’t already planted your beer garden this year you’d better get your seeds in the ground this week.  That is if you want your crop to be ready in time for Oktoberfest.]
 
Brewsters is another super-fun, kid-friendly/dog-friendly spot.  If you work up an appetite they’ve got burgers, brisket, fish & chips, etc.  And as you’d expect from a beer garden, they have a truly extensive array of brews, plus wine & spirits.  The Mules promise to be rockin’ out, and you can rock right along with us.  Like Big Rock, there’s no actual dance floor, but you can find yourself plenty of room to shake a tail-feather.
 
We often get only one shot at playing Brewsters per year, so for all you Petalumans, this could be your only chance to see the Mules in your hometown in 2023.  Better plan now to strike while the iron is hot!

Brewsters is at 229 Water Street in downtown Petaluma. See y’all Sunday.  Be merry or be square-y! [This will be your final opportunity to be merry until December!]

It’s the merry, merry month of May and this Saturday the merriment is coming to Big Rock.  No, not the Big Rock Candy Mountain, but the Big Rock Deli, which is only the funnest, most rockin’ deli in the whole North Bay.

If you've been there, you know what we're talking about.  If you haven’t, you're in for a treat.  Big Rock is a wonderfully comfortable and laid-back place to spend an evening – kid-friendly, dog-friendly and just-plain-friendly.  Your host, Rene, serves up some fine BBQ, tacos, salads and a surprisingly wide variety of brews.  The Mules will be up on the big stage serving up the finest in Swampy-Tonk sounds.  And you (yes, you) – hopefully – will be right up front, dancing your socks off.

Note: This year the Mules are playing nearly every month at Big Rock – except for June for some reason (rumor is that 6 of the Mules refused to work on Fathers Day and Sandy didn’t want to do a solo act).  So our next Big Rock show, after this one, will be Sat., July 15.  Circle that date!

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael, and the day is this Saturday.  Hope to see all you big rockers there!

This Sunday the Mules are headed to Sebastopol (the one in Sonoma County, not Crimea).  We played there once before, 7 years ago, but it didn't really count.  It was our 2nd show of the day, we were running on fumes, and the audience barely outnumbered the band.  So Sunday will be a fresh start, our 2nd Sebastopol debut.  We promise this time we'll be rarin' to go, all fired up and ready to rock the house.

Sebastopol is a pretty special place.  The locals reportedly sum up the town this way: "same county; different planet."  Hey, here's an idea -- why not make a whole day of it?  Spend the afternoon at the Apple Blossom Festival, which is happening Sunday in Ives Park (7400 Willow St.).  And be sure to leave an hour to stroll along Florence Ave. to check out Patrick Amiot's wonderfully whimsical junk art sculptures that adorn front yards up and down the street.  

Then at 5:30 saunter over to the HopMonk for dinner (burgers, tacos, fish & chips, roast chicken, salmon risotto, clam fettuccini etc.), beverages (beer, wine, margaritas, etc.), dancing (boot scooting, Swampy Tonk style) & a general all-around good time! 

Oh, do be aware that Sebastopol has been declared a Nuclear Free Zone, so be sure  you leave all your nuclear weapons at home. 

HopMonk is at 230 Petaluma Ave in Sebastopol.  Y'all come join us Sunday and help us make a better 1st impression the 2nd time around!

The actual big rock that the Big Rock Deli is named for is a few miles further west on Lucas Valley.  It would be fun to play out there sometime, but our extension cords just aren't long enough.  So for now we'll stick to the Deli of the same name, which fortunately is plenty fun enough.

If you joined us there last year you know the Big Rock is a friendly, relaxed spot that's just perfect for sipping a brew, chowing down on some BBQ and kicking up your heels to some kick-ass swampy-tonk sounds.  & if you didn't, well come on out Sunday & find out for yourself.  Bring the kids; bring the pets (well, just the dogs -- the llamas and emus are best left at home).

Last year we played Big Rock the 3rd Saturday of just about every month.  We'll be there most months this year too, but nothing so predictable.  Here's the dates:  

• Sun Apr 16, 4-7pm

• Sat May 20, 5-8pm

• Sat Jul 15, 5-8pm

• Sun Aug 20, 4-7pm

• Sat Sep 16, 5-8pm

• Fri Oct 20, 5-8pm

The Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael.  See y'all on Sunday & let's rock the Rock!