Southern rockers Gov't Mule play Thursday at Century Center in Bend.

After 25 years of playing high-octane Southern rock jams, Gov’t Mule pivoted in 2021 and released its first-ever blues album.

Of course, the blues has always been part of Gov’t Mule’s DNA. It’s a foundational element of Southern rock and an integral component of any good electrified jam. To be clear: Gov’t Mule is no stranger to blues music.

But never had they focused on it as intently as they do on “Heavy Load Blues,” which debuted atop Billboard’s Blues Albums chart when it was released in November 2021. Built from covers of artists like Tom Waits, Junior Wells and Howlin’ Wolf as well as originals written by band founder and guitarist Warren Haynes, “Heavy Load Blues” is the sound of the blues getting the Gov’t Mule treatment: lean and muscular, with an old soul and an unfussy approach.

Whether you want a heavy dose of the blues, some of Haynes’ epic jams or a lot of what’s in between, you’ll want to get over to the Century Center Thursday, where Gov’t Mule will, presumably, deliver all the above.

Gov’t Mule: $40, doors open 6 p.m. Thursday, Century Center, 70 SW Century Drive, Bend, bendticket.com.