Watch Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Debut Rollicking Neil Young Cover In New Orleans

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead delivered the second of three concerts at the Fillmore New Orleans on Friday coinciding with the second weekend of Jazz Fest. The show saw the Grateful Dead tribute act unveiling a tune from Neil Young’s catalog near the end of the first set.

JRAD launched the first set with a three-song sequence of “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” just the band’s second rendition of The Beatles’ “Rain” (debuted on September 30, 2022) and “Uncle John’s Band.” “Man Smart Woman Smarter” then flowed into “China Cat Sunflower” ahead of the Neil Young debut.

Bassist Dave Dreiwitz handled lead vocals on a punk rock-tinged rendition of Young’s rollicking “Time Fades Away.” The song is the title track to Neil’s 1973 live album with his Stray Gators band. After Dave sang the first couple verses, keyboardist Marco Benevento rolled through a wild piano solo before guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton delivered wailing runs. The band then jammed their way into another heater, Bob Dylan’s “Tell Me, Momma,” to cap the first frame.

Another three-song seamless segment got the second set underway beginning with “Brown-Eyed Women,” followed by “Deep Elem Blues” and “Feel Like A Stranger.” Drummer Joe Russo then showed off his copious talent on “Drums” before “He’s Gone” and the epic “Terrapin Suite.” JRAD returned to encore with the American Beauty favorite “Sugar Magnolia.”

Watch a clip of the “Time Fades Away” debut below via Moni Hampton:

Setlist (via Almost-Dead.net)

Set One: Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodleloo > Rain > Uncle John’s Band, Man Smart (Woman Smarter) > China Cat Sunflower > Time Fades Away > Tell Me, Momma

Set Two: Brown-Eyed Women > Deep Elem Blues > Feel Like a Stranger, Drums > He’s Gone > Terrapin suite

Encore: Sugar Magnolia