Watch Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s Tom Hamilton & Marco Benevento Honor Bruce Springsteen In New Jersey

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead went unplugged on Friday for an acoustic concert at The Music Box in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The quintet debuted five covers on the Jersey Shore, including one in tribute to arguably the state’s most famous musician, Bruce Springsteen and just one associated with the Grateful Dead.

Namesake drummer Joe Russo, keyboardist Marco Benevento, bassist Dave Dreiwitz and guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton opened with the oft-paired “Lazy Lightning” and “Supplication.” Hamilton then led his bandmates through their first performance of Tom Petty’s “Time To Move On.” Next up was Metzger singing JRAD’s second-ever “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away,” a song co-written by Robert Hunter and Keith Godchaux. Russo provided harmony vocals on Keith’s lone songwriting contribution to the Grateful Dead canon.

The ensuing “Deal” was a rollicking affair helmed by Hamilton and featuring Benevento on melodica. Scott Metzger then belted out Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” which was played at a slow and throbbing tempo. It was back to Tom Hamilton next to front the JRAD debut of “Restless Hearts” from his American Babies days. From there Benevento had a turn in the spotlight on The Band and Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes gem “Yazoo Street Scandal” before Scott Metzger went solo for Richard Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.” While the latter was a first for JRAD, Metzger often performs the song at solo shows of his own.

After setbreak, Tom Hamilton emerged and sat at the piano for yet another JRAD debut, as he performed the Bruce Springsteen classic “Thunder Road.” Marco Benevento came out towards the end of the tune off The Boss’ 1975 album Born To Run to accompany Hamilton on glockenspiel. Check out footage of Friday’s “Thunder Road” captured by Monica Hampton below:

The rest of JRAD joined in following “Thunder Road” for a lively “Gonesville.” Metzger sang the tune off Bob Weir’s 2016 LP Blue Mountain and then Hamilton was back on lead vocals for “It Must Have Been The Roses.” Joe Russo’s Almost Dead went on to pair “Til The Morning Comes” and “Box Of Rain” with the latter featuring Joe Russo on lead vocals. The quintet closed Friday’s second set with the beloved trifecta of “Help On The Way,” “Slipknot!” and “Franklin’s Tower.” While the Dead often played the three songs together, Friday was the first time in 100 shows JRAD presented “Help”/”Slip”/”Franklin’s” in that sequence.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had one more debut in store to kick off the encore in Atlantic City. Scott Metzger led his bandmates through “Monkey And The Engineer,” a Jesse Fuller song that was a staple of Grateful Dead acoustic sets in 1969, 1970, 1980 and 1981. The five-piece sent fans on their way with a complete “Terrapin Station Suite” spanning over 25 minutes.

Watch more video shot by Monica Hampton of Friday’s show:

Audience Recording (Taped by Jeff Travitz)

Setlist (via Almost-Dead.net)

Set One: Lazy Lightning > Supplication, Time To Move On*, Let Me Sing Your Blues Away, Deal, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Restless Hearts*, Yazoo Street Scandal, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning*

Set Two: Thunder Road*, Gonesville, It Must Have Been The Roses, Til The Morning Comes, Box Of Rain, Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower

Encore: Monkey And The Engineer*, Terrapin Station Suite

* – First Time Played