Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Dust Off Rollicking Bob Dylan Cover In Chicago

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead broke out a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Shelter From The Storm” for the first time since 2019 on Saturday night. The bust out served as the encore on Saturday at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre to cap the quintet’s final show of 2023.

The band — namesake drummer Joe Russo, bassist Dave Dreiwitz, keyboardist Marco Benevento and guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton — played The Riv on Friday and Saturday after starting the Midwest run in Madison, Wisconsin on Thursday night.

“Shelter From The Storm” was debuted by JRAD on April 29, 2017 in Broomfield, Colorado. The song choice, used as an opener that night, was a fitting one considering the band played indoors at Broomfield’s 1st Bank Center after the show was moved from Red Rocks Amphitheatre in nearby Morrison due to weather issues. JRAD shelved “Shelter From The Storm” following additional performances on October 6, 2017 and June 14, 2019 until Saturday night.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead led off both sets on Saturday with jams. “Stagger Lee” emerged out of the opening improvisation and led into “Althea.” Hamilton handled lead vocals on each song. Benevento provided a keyboard interlude that connected “Althea” with “The Wheel.” JRAD then romped through early GD favorite “Till The Morning Comes” and ended a seamless stretch with “Jack Straw.” Metzger went on to helm “My Brother Esau” before a lengthy “Sugaree” sung by Hamilton closed Saturday’s first set.

A brief jam at the beginning of the second set gave way to “Uncle John’s Band.” Next up was an extended “Let It Grow” that bled into “Black Peter.” The five-piece revved into “The Eleven” and then left “The Music Never Stopped” unfinished before returning to jam on “Black Peter.” JRAD worked from the Hunter/Garcia ballad into The Allman Brothers Band instrumental “Hot ‘Lanta” and concluded “The Music Never Stopped.” Tom Hamilton fronted the group on both the “Morning Dew” that ended the second set and the evening’s “Shelter From The Storm” finale.

Watch fan-shot video of Saturday’s complete JRAD show below:

Setlist

Set One: Jam > Stagger Lee > Althea > Marco Jam > The Wheel > Till The Morning Comes > Jack Straw, My Brother Esau, Sugaree

Set Two: Jam > Uncle John’s Band > Let It Grow > Black Peter > The Eleven > The Music Never Stopped > Black Peter > Hot ‘Lanta > The Music Never Stopped, Morning Dew

Encore: Shelter From The Storm