Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Debuts Spacehog & Muddy Waters Covers In Brooklyn

Tribute act Joe Russo’s Almost Dead made their debut at the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn on Thursday night. JRAD fit a few new covers into their usual mix of Grateful Dead classics at what is expected to be the band’s last area appearance of 2018.

Drummer Joe Russo, guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton, bassist Dave Dreiwitz and keyboardist Marco Benevento presented two seamless sets with a liquid light show projected behind the band during the second frame. Hamilton led his mates through “Bertha” to start before Almost Dead delivered a Metzger-sung “Throwing Stones” that spanned nearly 20 minutes. JRAD toyed with the tempo throughout the adventurous “Throwing Stones” jam which featured two high-octane Scott Metzger solos. Almost Dead went on to unleash “Black Peter” complete with bombastic fills from Russo. Hamilton shined on an inspired solo out of “Black Peter” before the band launched into “The Eleven.”

The ferocious take on “The Eleven” bled into “Feel Like A Stranger.” More fretboard fireworks came from Tom Hamilton during a sequence connecting “Feel Like A Stranger” and the “Franklin’s Tower” set closer. “Franklin’s” had a bluesy feel and was propelled by the ace rhythm section of Dreiwitz and Russo.

Last night’s second set began with a jam that eventually gave way to “Truckin’.” After the band took “Truckin'” for a ride, they uncorked “The Other One.” Next up was a “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” sequence. With “Franklin’s” already off the table, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead transitioned from “Slipknot!” into their debut rendition of Spacehog’s “In The Meantime.” Hamilton handled lead vocals on the song from the New York City-birthed Spacehog’s 1995 debut Resident Alien. Marco Benevento followed “In The Meantime” with a gorgeous solo that JRAD used as an introduction to a crowd-pleasing “Terrapin Station Suite.”

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had one more trick up their sleeves to end the evening. The quintet encored with a debut cover of Muddy Waters’ “Walking Through The Park.” Scott Metzger provided lead vocals on the particularly appropriate song considering the show’s location within Prospect Park. Next up for JRAD is a concert in Boston tonight.

Watch a series of videos captured by Monica Hampton:

[Slipknot! > In The Meantime > Terrapin]

[Throwing Stones]

Here’s fan-shot footage captured by Evan Pragliola:

[Walking In The Park]

[Help On The Way > Slipknot!]

Setlist (via JRAD is rad)

Set One: Bertha > Throwing Stones > Black Peter > The Eleven > Feels Like A Stranger > Franklin’s Tower

Set Two: Truckin’ > The Other One > Help On The Way > Slipknot! > In The Meantime > Terrapin Station Suite

Encore: Walking Through The Park