Sonic Alchemy: Lee Ranaldo Joins Joe Russo’s Almost Dead At Pier 17

Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo was Joe Russo’s Almost Dead‘s special guest on Saturday. Ranaldo sat in on the first two songs of the second set and the encore of JRAD’s second of two nights at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City.

Lee Ranaldo is a longtime Deadhead who credits the Grateful Dead as a major influence. “Europe ’72 was a super influential record full of fantastic songs and amazing experimental musicianship,” Ranaldo told Pitchfork of the GD live album in 2012. “I always valued both of those aspects in what Sonic Youth has done through the years– being able to get very abstract and very concrete within the same song. This record was very important to me because it massaged both feelers. And it probably had a lot to do with drugs, and stretching teenage consciousness.”

Ranaldo took the stage ahead of the band — namesake drummer Joe Russo, guitarists Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger, bassist Dave Dreiwitz and keyboardist — and was soon joined by Russo to eke out deliciously weird soundscapes. Joe Russo’s bandmates then came aboard as the free improv akin to Seastones music created by GD bassist Phil Lesh and composer Ned Lagin continued.

The ensemble eventually lit into “Dark Star.” An adventurous version of the Grateful Dead’s psychedelic era gem ensued. Lee Ranaldo handled lead vocals and garnered wild tones out of his guitar, at times using a bow ala Jimmy Page. The guest left as JRAD engaged in a jam on Pink Floyd’s “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” before swerving into their first cover of Medeski Martin & Wood’s “Where’s Sly?” since its debut on December 3, 2021.

Almost Dead continued the second set with GD classics “Terrapin Station” and “Greatest Story Ever Told” ahead of a full version of the “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” hinted at earlier. “Jack Straw” punctuated the frame.

Earlier in the night, JRAD started the first set by pairing rarities “My Brother Esau” and “Reuben & Cerise.” The latter gave way to a 20-minute “Let It Grow.” The quintet then linked “Help On The Way” and “Slipknot!” but landed on a cover of Link Wray’s “Fire & Brimstone” instead of completing the “holy triumvirate” with “Franklin’s Tower.” Metzger sang the recently debuted “Fire & Brimstone” cover based on The Bootleggers featuring Mark Lanegan’s version before “Cumberland Blues” brought the set to a close.

Lee Ranaldo returned to accompany Joe Russo’s Almost Dead on the evening’s “Morning Dew” encore. Tom Hamilton channeled Jerry Garcia vocally while all three guitarists let the fretboard fireworks fly as the ensemble built from near silence to a raucous peak.

Watch “Morning Dew” and more video captured on Saturday by Monica Hampton below:

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead next plays on October 3 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Scroll below for a full list of the band’s remaining 2024 tour dates.

Audience Recording (Taped by Bootsy Jacobs)

Setlist (via Almost-Dead.net)

Set One: My Brother Esau > Reuben & Cerise -> Let It Grow, Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Fire & Brimstone > Cumberland Blues

Set Two: Seastones* -> Dark Star* -> Pigs (Three Different Ones) jam -> Where’s Sly -> Terrapin Station Suite > Greatest Story Ever Told, Pigs (Three Different Ones) -> Jack Straw

Encore: Morning Dew*

* – with Lee Renaldo