Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Goes Tease Crazy, Covers Led Zeppelin & Plays Bust Out In Brooklyn
By Scott Bernstein Mar 11, 2017 • 11:42 am PST
While Joe Russo’s Almost Dead are known for their unorthodox approach to the music of the Grateful Dead, Friday night’s show at Brooklyn Bowl was adventurous even for them. There were many points they seemed to be performing two Dead songs at once and the quintet threw in one tease after another over the course of the evening. JRAD wound up ending the concert with the biggest bust out in their four-year history.
Almost Dead kicked off the action with a quick romp through “Don’t Ease Me In” and a straight-forward “Women Are Smarter.” It was at the end of “Women Are Smarter” when the craziness started. The five-piece took their time revving into “China Cat Sunflower” and instead of moving into the expected “I Know You Rider” they veered off for “Feel Like A Stranger.” Guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton used every inch of their instrument often picking at the head of their guitars to garner wild tones. Keyboardist Marco Benevento threw in hints of the ’60s instrumental “Apache” for good measure.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has an uncanny knack for dynamics and will often go from zero to 60 faster than the quickest Porsche. An example came within a gorgeous and powerful “Mississippi Half Step” which featured beautiful singing from the gents and a portion in which they went from near silence to uproar within seconds. They then put a stamp on the version by pulling off an impressive segue into “Lost Sailor.” Almost Dead ended the first set with a singalong “Saint Of Circumstance” that saw band and member audience members go for it for sure after hinting at “Terrapin Station.”
“Greatest Story Ever Told” is right in JRAD’s wheelhouse and they powered through the tune on Friday. Tom Hamilton surprised his mates by working teases of “Moby Dick” into the mix and soon the rest of the band followed along on the Led Zeppelin classic which was performed sans drum solo. Almost Dead then reprised the “Music Never Stopped” they had performed the previous evening leading to a rare “Reprise Reprise” since they had broken the song up on Thursday night. At points it sounded like they were performing “Greatest Story Ever Told” and “The Music Never Stopped” at the same time as they brought both tunes to a close.
Hamilton was in fine form both vocally and instrumentally which showed on GD ballads “Candyman” and “So Many Roads” as well as a spot-on “Uncle John’s Band.” Tommy also led a particularly cool “Stella Blue” jam as part of the introduction to a powerful “He’s Gone.” Yet the highlight of the set was “The Wheel,” complete with a “St. Stephen” jam and teases of “Terrapin” and “The Simpsons.” Drummer Joe Russo played a 45-second roll during “The Wheel” that left many jaws on the floor. JRAD brought the second set to a close with an energetic “Sugar Magnolia”/”Sunshine Daydream.” The five-piece had a few bust outs in store for the encore as they dusted off “Ripple” for the first time since December 31, 2015 and “U.S. Blues” for the first time since their first show on January 26, 2013. Almost Dead returns to Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday night.
Setlist (Compiled by Pete Costello)
Set One (9:29PM – 10:32PM): Dont Ease Me In (TH), Women Are Smarter (SM) -> China Cat Sunflower (TH) -> Feel Like A Stranger @ (SM), Mississippi Half Step (TH) -> Lost Sailor (SM) -> Saint Of Circumstance # (SM)
Set Two (11:03PM- 12:30AM): Greatest Story Ever Told $ (SM) -> Moby Dick % -> Music Never Stopped Reprise Reprise ^ (SM) -> Greatest Story Ever Told Reprise &, Candyman (TH) -> Uncle Johns Band (All) -> Stella Blue Jam * -> He’s Gone (TH) + -> The Wheel @@ (ALL) -> St. Stephen Jam -> So Many Roads ## (TH), Sugar Magnolia/Sunshine Daydream (SM)
Encore: Ripple $$ (TH) > US Blues %%
- @ – With an “Apache” (Jerry Lordan) Tease (MB)
- # – With a Terrapin Jam (may become a separate track), Ruben & Cherise Teases (TH) & an “Eleanor Rigby” (The Beatles) Tease (TH)
- $ – With a Black Throated Wind Jam (may become a separate track)
- % – Unfinished (no drum solo). Led Zeppelin Cover, not played since 2015-04-22 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, a gap of 79 shows
- ^ – First Time Played by Almost Dead, included lyrics
- & – Not played since 2015-02-17 State Theater, Portland, ME, a gap of 84 shows
- * – First Time Played by Almost Dead, included a short He’s Gone Jam
- + – With a “Stranger Things” (Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein from the band Survive) tease (MB). Yes, the Netflix series Stranger Things.
- @@ – With “The Simpsons Theme” (Danny Elfman) teases (SM & DD) & Terrapin Teases (TH & MB)
- $$ – Not played since 2015-12-31 The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA, a gap of 42 shows
- %% – Not played since 2013-01-26 Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, a gap of 100 shows. Dave broke a string on the Alembic & played his Gibson SG
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