Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Begins Philadelphia Run With Oteil Burbridge

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kicked off a short Mid-Atlantic weekend run on Thursday with the first of two shows at the Tower Theater in the Philadelphia suburb of Upper Darby. The three-show swing features a slightly different lineup for the Grateful Dead tribute act as Oteil Burbridge is subbing on bass and vocals for Dave Dreiwitz.

“Man Smart (Women Smarter)” got JRAD’s night going in the City of Brotherly Love. The calypso classic worked its way into “Shakedown Street” with Americana rocker “Brown-Eyed Women” bringing the seamless opening run to its conclusion. An unfinished take on “Truckin'” followed as it slammed into a thunderous “The Other One” to bring the first set to a close.

The five-piece pulled from the Grateful Dead’s early days for a Scott Metzger-sung version of “Alligator” to open their second set. The Anthem Of The Sun track melted into an open-ended jam with “Scarlet Begonias” eventually emerging. Last night’s version found JRAD stretching it outside it structure for another distinctive jam. The band looked to the traditional folk song “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” with “Scarlet’s” usual partner “Fire On The Mountain” coming next. Burbridge delivered a bass solo during Martha Reeves & The Vandellas’ Motown classic “Dancing In The Streets” that also saw the quintet work in teases of “Throwing Stones.” A tender Tom Hamilton-led version of “Row Jimmy” closed out the frame. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead covered “Tough Mama” for their encore, dusting off the Bob Dylan tune for the first time since October 7, 2016.

Watch fan-shot video from the Tower Theater below:

Man Smart (Women Smarter) Captured by Richard Stoler Jr.

Fire On The Mountain (partial) Captured by joemissa

The Other One Captured by Richard Stoler Jr.

Row Jimmy Captured by Rachel Molly

Setlist (Compiled by Peter Costello)

Set One: Man Smart (Women Smarter) @ -> Shakedown Street # -> Brown-Eyed Women, Truckin# -> The Other One

Set Two: Alligator -> Jam -> Scarlet Begonias -> Jam -> Going Down The Road Feeling Bad $ -> Fire On The Mountain %, Dancing In The Streets ^ -> Row Jimmy

Encore: Tough Mama&

• @ – With a “Reveille” (Traditional) Tease (SM)
• # – Both unfinished
• $ – Without the usual instrumental WBYGN ending
• % – Proceeded by a WBYGN tease, Oteil sang on the choruses
• ^ – With a “First Call” (Traditional) Tease (SM), an OB Bass Solo, Throwing Stones Teases (JR & TH), Ended with a short WBYGN Jam
• & – Not played since 2016-10-07 Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, a gap of 84 shows