Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Close Out Two Night Run In Boston With Tons Of Teases & A Bust Out

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead returned to the stage at the House Of Blues Boston to close out not only their two night Boston run, but to put a cap on their 2017 as well. Drummer Joe Russo, guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton, keyboardist Marco Benevento and bassist Dave Dreiwitz final show of the year saw them offer up two sets of their turbo-changed take on the music of the Grateful Dead that was full of teases from a diverse set of musicians and included a bust out.

The snowy night got underway shortly after 8 PM as the band launched into Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land.” An unfinished take on “Shakedown Street” followed with the five-piece act seguing into an open-ended “Jam” that saw them toying with John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” before eventually finding their way into “The Other One.” Last night’s version of the Dead’s psychedelic-era chestnut included a tease on “Playing In The Band.” An adventurous “Viola Lee Blues” followed, that saw JRAD work in elements of both “Throwing Stones” and “China Cat Sunflower,” as well as Drewitz and Benevento teaming up for a duo jam during the old school prison tune.

Their third ever take on Jerry Garcia Band’s “Cats Under The Stars” found them working in teases that ranged from The Bangles 1986 hit “Walk Like An Egyptian” to Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” to jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins’ “St. Thomas,” with the day appropriate “One More Saturday Night” bringing their third frame of the run to a close.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kicked off their final set of 2017 with a Metzger-led take on “Feel Like A Stranger,” that again saw the Grateful Dead tribute act show off their deep musical knowledge as they worked in teases of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner.” A night after playing “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” the traditional trifecta was finished off as “Franklin’s Tower” found its way into the setlist. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas’ “Dancing In The Streets” followed that segued into “Eyes Of The World” that according to Peter Costello’s setlist annotations started with the tune’s original ‘1973 ending’ and saw them play parts of Wake of the Flood track in the key of “Dancing In The Street.” A “Jam” sequence came next, that led into “Let It Grow,” that featured teases of both Rod Stewart’s “If You Think I’m Sexy” and Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” with the audience singing along.

The late-era Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter ballad “Standing On The Moon” was dusted off for the first time since October of 2015 next, with a meaty “Truckin'” > “Music Never Stopped Jam” > “Truckin’ Reprise” > “Born Cross Eyed Jam” bringing their second set to an end. JRAD closed out the night and their year with a pair of traditional folk tunes offering up “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” and an instrumental version of “We Bid You Goodnight.”

Check out fan-shot video and see the full setlist below:

[Shakedown Street | Captured by Jamey Klein]

[Standing On The Moon > Truckin’ | Captured by Monica Hampton]

[Viola Lee Blues > Cats Under The Stars | Captured by Jamey Klein]

[Franklin’s Tower | Captured by Jamey Klein]

Setlist (Compiled by Peter Costello)

Set One (8:09pm – 9:19pm): Promised Land > Shakedown Street @ -> Jam # -> The Other One $ > Viola Lee Blues % > Cats Under The Stars^, One More Saturday Night

Set Two (9:53pm – 12:01am): Feel Like A Stranger & -> Franklin’s Tower > Dancing In The Streets * > Eyes Of The World + -> Jam @@ -> Let It Grow ## > Standing On The Moon $$> Truckin’ -> Music Never Stopped Jam -> Truckin’ Reprise -> Born Cross Eyed Jam

Enc: GDTRFB %% > We Bid You Goodnight (Instrumental)

@ – Unfinished

# – With a “Love Supreme” (John Coltrane)

$ – With a Playin Tease (Band)

% – With a Throwin Stones Tease (Band), a China Cat Tease (TH), a DD/MB Duo Jam, with TH on Drums, & a “Shortnin’ Bread” (James Whitcomb Riley) Tease (MB)

^ – With a “Walk Like An Egyptian” (The Bangles) tease (MB), a China Cat Tease (SM), a “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” (Michael Jackson) Tease (SM) & a “St. Thomas” (Sonny Rollins) Tease (SM)

& – With an Immigrant Song” (Led Zeppelin) Tease, a “Tom’s Diner” (Suzanne Vega) Tease (SM) and a Slipknot! Tease (Band)

* – With a DD Bass Solo, “Tell Me A Bedtime Story” (Herbie Hancock) Jam (MB) & Eyes Teases (Band)

+ – “Flipped” Version – Started with the “’73 Ending” Changes played in the key of Dancin’, and a DD Bass Solo

@@ – With a “Fly Like An Eagle” (Steve Miller) Tease (MB)

## – With an “Amazing Grace” (Traditional) Tease (TH), an “If You Think I’m Sexy” (Rod Stewart) // “My Prerogative” (Bobby Brown) Jam that included audience vocals, and a Slipknot! Tease (Band)

$$ – Not played since Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, 2015-10-2, a gap of 88 shows

%% – With a Not Fade Away Tease (Band)