Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Covers Warren Zevon In Savannah

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead once again looked beyond the Grateful Dead’s live repertoire during their concert last night at the Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah, Georgia. The band added a cover of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns & Money” in the first set of Thursday’s show.

Played as the penultimate song of set one, “Lawyers Guns & Money” is the second Zevon original covered by JRAD, joining the previously performed “Werewolves Of London.” Both songs appeared on Zevon’s outstanding third album, 1978’s Excitable Boy. Zevon sadly died from cancer in 2003 at age 56.

Transitioning out of “Here Comes Sunshine,” guitarist Scott Metzger led his bandmates — drummer Joe Russo, guitarist Tom Hamilton, bassist Dave Dreiwitz and keyboardist Marco Benevento — through “Lawyers, Guns & Money.” Metzger altered the lyrics from “Havana” to the name-dropping, location-appropriate “Savannah.”

The Zevon cover was followed by a segue into “Shakedown Street” that wound down the first set. JRAD opened Thursday’s concert with the Dead-adjacent Bob Dylan cover “Maggie’s Farm.” Dead staples “China Cat Sunflower” and “The Music Never Stopped” also landed in the opening half’s setlist.

A fully Grateful Dead-focused second set lay ahead upon the band’s return the stage after set break. JRAD got the second set rolling with “Fire on the Mountain” and continued with “Good Lovin’” and “Passenger.” A massive “Eyes Of The World” incorporated “King Solomon’s Marbles” before the late-era Dead original “Lazy River Road.”

Set two wrapped with “Samson And Delilah” and the show ended after the “Promised Land” encore.

Listen to the full show taped by Jeff Travitz and watch video of the first set shared by TimeZonerTV below: