The skies opened up before the music did at the Xfinity Center on Saturday night. A torrential downpour and crackling lightning threatened to derail what was billed as a co-headline night of Southern soul and rock from Gov’t Mule and Tedeschi Trucks Band. But by the time Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks led their powerhouse ensemble onto the stage, the storm had only primed the crowd for the fire to come.

For Tedeschi, who grew up just down the road in Norwell, the night was more than just another tour stop—it was a homecoming. The nearly sold-out amphitheater erupted when she walked to the mic, and from the first notes of their cover of The Letter, the band proved they weren’t going to let the weather be the evening’s headline.

The setlist stretched across eras and moods, weaving originals with choice covers that let the 12-piece outfit flex its full muscle. “Do I Look Worried” rode a tight groove, with Trucks’ slide guitar singing like a second voice beside Tedeschi’s. The new song “Who Am I” carried a searching intensity, while their take on Dr. John’s “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” simmered with swampy menace.

The night wasn’t without tender moments. Tedeschi’s searing vocal on “Just Won’t Burn” was a reminder of her roots as a solo artist before TTB, while “I Can’t Make You Love Me” hushed the crowd into reverent silence. Each song seemed to build toward the next, “Ain’t That Something” and “Made Up Mind” showcasing the ensemble’s uncanny ability to sound loose yet precise, every horn stab and backing harmony in lockstep.

True to form, Derek and Susan gave their bandmates plenty of space to shine—keyboard flourishes, horn solos, and rhythm section workouts turned songs into collective celebrations rather than spotlights.

The final stretch elevated the evening from great to unforgettable. Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule rejoined his old Allman Brothers family to trade licks with Trucks, and the chemistry was instant. “It Ain’t Fair” became a swirling blues storm, before the band leaned into the Allman Brothers’ “Dreams” and a fiery “Stand Back,” with Tedeschi and Haynes trading vocals like kindred spirits.

The encore was pure catharsis: “Space Captain” flowed seamlessly into “With a Little Help from My Friends,” a communal exhale that felt as much about the storm-tested crowd as the band itself.

By the time the last notes rang out, it was clear the weather had only added to the mythology of the night. A Tedeschi Trucks Band homecoming, a Gov’t Mule reunion, and the enduring spirit of live music—all rolled into one unforgettable evening in Mansfield.