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!

We had a ton of fun last year at the Twin Oaks Roadhouse in Penngrove, and this Friday we're back, with a show in the Grand Ballroom.  So the Grand Canyon is truly grand.  The Grand Canal in Venice?  Oh yes, quite grand.  The Grand Ole Opry?  Goes without saying.  The Twin Oaks Grand Ballroom? Well, we'll let you be the judge.  But even if its grandeur is a mite overstated, it does have a really exceptional wooden dance floor and will have an awesome dance band (if we do say so ourselves).  And it'll definitely be warmer -- and drier -- than their patio.

Twin Oaks is a classic roadhouse, largely unchanged since it opened its doors in 1926. Well, except for the big-screen TVs.  If you're thirsty, the bartender can pour you an extensive variety of beers, wines, margaritas, etc.  If you work up an appetite on the aforementioned dance floor, the kitchen can rustle you up salads, burgers, fish tacos or paninis (and the fries here are especially yummy).

The Twin Oaks Roadhouse is at 5745 Old Redwood Highway in Penngrove, just north of Petaluma. So y'all come and let's have one Grand ole time together!

We had a fun 2023 kickoff in Alameda on Sunday, complete with a busload of fans from Marinwood.  It went so well, we're bringing the show back home to Marin this Friday (for all of you who missed the bus).  We'll be at Ounces Outdoors in Northgate.  As its name suggests, it is an outdoor venue, but the weatherman promises the current atmospheric rivers will have moved on by Friday.  So let's party while we have the chance -- we could all stand a break from ark building! 

We have a couple brand new tunes to try out for you, and some old favorites that you haven't heard us play in a while -- and they're all great dance tunes!  Ounces Outdoors doesn't have an actual dance floor, but when we played there last October a small gaggle of dancers showed up and it didn't slow any of them down. So dust off those dancin' shoes and plan to give 'em a workout.

Ounces Outdoors partners with smaller local breweries to offer a great variety of beers & ciders on tap.  And if you work up an appetite on the non-dance-floor they' can whip you up a savory pie, a grilled sandwich or warm cookies.  Or one of each!

Ounces Outdoors is at 5800 Northgate Drive in San Rafael, right next to Kohl's.  So y'all come and let's party while the weatherman gives us the chance!

The bears have been awake for weeks now.  The raccoons even longer.  The Mules, on the other hand, will hibernate through half of spring if you let them.  But our alarm has finally gone off, we’re on our second trough of coffee, and this coming Sunday we’ll be venturing out of the barn, all ready to rock, for our first public show of 2023.  And the good news is that we hibernated with earphones on, so we actually managed to learn a few great new tunes in our sleep.

First stop on the 2023 tour is the Almanac Beer Company in Alameda.  We played there last year, had a great time and made some good friends who followed us faithfully ever since.  We heard a rumor that there is a literal busload of fans coming from Marin this Sunday to help kick off our 2023 season.  

The Almanac Beer Company is at 651 West Tower Avenue in Alameda.  So hop on the bus or find your own way there and help us get our 2023 off and running with a bang!

According to ancient legend, it is in late afternoon on the day before Halloween, as the pale sunlight begins to fail, that the villagers will begin to hear music -- eerie pedal steel, shrieking guitar, a bone-rattling washboard.  The village folk will begin to gather, cowering together in their public houses to await the dreaded arrival they all fear is nigh.  Then they hear it -- at first distant, then closer, then terrifyingly near -- the unmistakable, terrible and blood-curdling bray of . . . the Ware-Mules!  The gypsy soothsayers have consulted their tea leaves and Tarot decks.  All signs foretell that this year the horrid beasts' appearance will occur in the village of Novato at the inn that bears the sign of "Rickey's."  Do not be seduced by the sensuous swampy tonk sounds, do not be lured into wild dances in the shadowed corners of the crowded inn, for the Ware-Mule's magic is powerful.  Once you are under the spell of their hypnotic voices and throbbing rhythms you will never again be free from . . .  the Curse of the Ware-Mules!

Rickey's is at 250 Entrada Drive in Novato.  Come all -- if ye dare!

Being in a mule train is thirsty work, what with hauling tons of borax through the desert and all.  So we Mules are on a constant lookout for new watering holes.  And guess what, we found one right at the Northgate Mall, and it definitely looks like it's worth checking out. So come help us do just that this Friday evening.  The place is called "Ounces Outdoors." They've got craft beer, wine and hard cider (they had us at "beer") and good eats (grilled sandwiches and savory pies, yummm), as well as bocce courts and fire pits.  Sadly, one thing they don't have is a dance floor (and dancing in the bocce courts is frowned upon).  So you can leave your dancing shoes at home for this one, but do wear your best pair of toe-tapping shoes.  Oh, and as if a new watering hole isn't, itself, something to celebrate, we'll also be celebrating our own washboard / harmonica player extraordinaire Brian Dettor's birthday week (who just celebrates a birth-day anymore?) so all you Brian Dettor fans aren't going to want to miss this one!

Ounces Outdoors is at 5800 Northgate Drive in San Rafael, right next to Kohl's.  See y'all there!

Miracle Mule turns 13 next week so this Friday we'll be celebrating our 13th birthday (OMG, what could be scarier than a teenage Mule!?).  Our 13th year actually turned out to be an exceptionally lucky one, and one of our luckiest things this year was getting to play once a month at the Big Rock Deli.  Who could have guessed that it would turn out to be such a fun and happening place?

We've been playing Big Rock on Saturdays, but this month it's a Friday, and since it's a Friday we're playing an hour later, 5-8pm, to give folks time to wrap up their work week and head on over.  This will probably also be our final Big Rock show for 2022, so you're not going to want to miss this one.

The Mules will be fired up for a special evening of fun and some rompin' stompin' Swampy Tonk.   You may want to bring an extra pair of dancing shoes just in case you wear out your first pair.  And after you've worked up an appetite on the dance floor, Big Rock will have some scrumptious BBQ and tacos waiting for you, along with copious quantities of refreshing brews.

Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael. Bring your friends by the busload and come help us celebrate 13 years of Mulishness and the end of an awesome summer at Big Rock!

So there we were, grazing in the south pasture, minding our own business, and all of the sudden our phone rings (what? of course mules have phones!) and it's Brewsters asking us to play tomorrow night.  Sure, it'll set our binge-watching schedule back a day, but what the heck -- of course we said yes!

So we're just as surprised as you are, but it looks like we'll be back at Brewsters tomorrow evening.  And the good news is that the heat wave should be winding down by then.  Brewsters is a super-fun place, if you've never been there, and if you have then you'll know what we're talking about.  It's family friendly, dog friendly, and of course beer drinker friendly.  We'll be playing through the dinner hour and fortunately for you, they offer delectable choices such as smoked ribs, Texas-style brisket, fried chicken sandwiches and much more.  As for the music, well you know we've got you covered there.  And Brewsters has room to dance for when you just can't stay off your feet for one second longer.

Brewsters is at 229 Water Street in downtown Petaluma. So spread the word and we'll be looking for you tomorrow night.  Yee hah!

Friday evening we'll be returning to Rickey's in Novato.  At most of our shows you get the chance to practice your line dancing moves, but at Rickey's we play poolside, so you'll have the opportunity to work on your Swampy Tonk synchronized swimming routines. 

And Rickey's is another 7-thumbs-up restaurant with a mouthwatering menu.  Two menus, actually. The Happy Hour menu (till 6:30) includes crab cakes, calamari, Angus beef sliders and street tacos.  Then there's the dinner menu, including ricotta gnocchi, angel hair with jumbo shrimp, fried chicken, black angus ribeye and crab-stuffed halibut.  So many delectable choices!  Not to mention martinis, margaritas and a fine selection of wines and beers.

Rickey's is at 250 Entrada Drive in Novato.  Come for Happy Hour, stay for dinner, and plan on an evening of fun!  [Just please don't be doing cannonballs within splashing range of the band.]

Miracle Mule is closing in on its 13th birthday (that's 91 in mule years) and we were starting to feel like we had pretty much seen it all.  But then at last Saturday's show a couple showed up with . . . their own dancefloor!  They carried in a mysterious roll of some sort of flooring, proceeded to unroll it next to their table and spent the evening totally kicking up their heels in style.  Sounds like an idea whose time has come.  It was also the first time we've seen the dancefloor leave before the show was over.

But moving on to this week, the Mules will be back at the Big Rock Deli this Saturday.  We can promise you some great music and a fun afternoon.  And the Big Rock can promise you some scrumptious BBQ or tacos and plenty of refreshing brews.

We've enjoyed a great run at Big Rock this summer on the 3rd Saturday of each month.  We'll be back one more month, on Sept 30 (which isn't the 3rd Saturday or even a Saturday at all) so be sure to circle that date on your calendar.  It could be our final Big Rock show in 2022.

Big Rock Deli is at 1500 Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael. We'll keep an eye out for you.  And you'll definitely want to avoid the embarrassment of being the only one to show up without your own dancefloor.