Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Performs With John Mayer In Los Angeles In 2018

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead unveiled official audio of their November 9, 2018 performance at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The latest installment of the band’s “Taper Wednesdays” series features a second set with special guest John Mayer.

Mayer emerged for a closing stanza chock full of Grateful Dead gems. The second set got underway with an ethereal pairing of “The Wheel” and “Playing In The Band” that spans over a half an hour. Then, the band dug in on “Here Comes Sunshine” and fit a high-speed “They Love Each Other” within. “TLEO” marked Mayer’s lead vocal debut with JRAD. “MayRAD” ended the set with a romp through “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider.”

Earlier in the night, the tribute act kicked off the concert with a pair of jams surrounding “Crazy Fingers.” Then, an expansive “Estimated Prophet” gave way to “Peggy-O” before JRAD charged into “Cats Under The Stars.” Almost Dead closed out the frame with “Feel Like A Stranger.” The evening’s encore contained the debut of Hoyt Axton’s “Never Been To Spain” and a well-jammed “Uncle John’s Band.”

Listen to the audio below thanks to Peter Costello and Eric McRoberts:

Setlist

Set One: Jam -> Crazy Fingers > Jam -> @ Estimated Prophet > Peggy-O -> Cats Under The Stars # > Feel Like A Stranger $

Set Two (10:15PM – 11:52PM) %: The Wheel -> Playing In The Band > Here Comes Sunshine -> They Love Each Other ^ -> Here Come Sunshine Reprise & -> China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider

Encore: Never Been To Spain*, Uncle John’s Band+

• @ – With The Other One and Estimated Prophet Teases / Jams (Band)
• # – With a “Manteca” (Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Gil Fuller) Tease (MB) and a Feel Like A Stranger Tease (TH)
• $ – With an Estimated Prophet Tease (TH)
• % – Entire Second Set with John Mayer on Guitar & Vocals
• ^ – “Fast Version”, JM Lead Vox
• & – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2017-03-18 Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, a gap of 67 shows
• * – First Time Played by Almost Dead, Hoyt Axton Cover, made famous by Three Dog Night, TH Lead Vox
• + – With a short King Solomon’s Marbles Jam