Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Picks Up ‘Lay Down Sally’ In Sacramento

While Joe Russo’s Almost Dead primarily focuses on the music of the Grateful Dead, the group also regularly incorporates songs from other sources. JRAD’s concert on Thursday at Channel 24 in Sacramento, California was punctuated with their first full attempt at Eric Clapton's “Lay Down Sally.”

The band’s namesake drummer Joe Russo, along with Marco Benevento on keyboards, Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger on guitar and Dave Dreiwitz on bass, saved the debut for the encore that followed two sets.

Teased a few times by JRAD prior to Thursday’s fleshed out appearance, “Lay Down Sally” was sung by Hamilton, with others supporting his vocals. The nine-minute version was bolstered by Benevento taking the spotlight before giving way to Hamilton and Metzer’s two-pronged attack, with elements of The Doors’ “L.A. Woman” entering the mix.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead performs tonight in Oakland. Listen to Jeff Travitz’s audience recording of the Channel 24 show below: