Grateful Dead tribute act Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kicked off their second weekend in a row of three shows at Brooklyn Bowl in New York City on Thursday night. Bassist Dave Dreiwitz is performing with Ween in Chicago, so JRAD recruited Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company/Allman Brothers Band) for this weekend’s concerts. Oteil wasn’t the only guest to perform all night with Almost Dead on Thursday, as the five-piece was a six-piece for the evening with the inclusion of multi-instrumentalist Stuart Bogie.

Oteil and Stuart emerged at the beginning of the show with drummer Joe Russo, keyboardist Marco Benevento and guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton. The sextet opened with a jam they slickly worked into “The Other One” and then kept the focus on the Live Dead era with “Dark Star” and “St. Stephen.” JRAD segued “St. Stephen” into the soundalike “Cinnamon & Lesbians” off Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ 2014 album Wig Out At Jagbags. Russo handled vocals on the cover debut.

 Photo by Adam McCullough

Stuart Bogie switched between baritone sax, flute, percussion and tenor sax throughout the evening. “The Eleven” followed after the Malkmus cover ahead of a scorching “Shakedown Street” that brought the first set to a close. JRAD & Co. kicked off the second set with the instrumental “King Solomon’s Marbles.” They then began “Black Throated Wind,” though Benevento led a brief detour for a jam on Lorde’s breakthrough hit “Royals.” At one point it seemed “Black Throated Wind” would give way to “Jack Straw,” but instead Almost Dead made a move for “Touch Of Grey” sung by Hamilton.

“Playing In The Band,” featuring Metzger on vocals, came after “Touch Of Grey.” The sextet connected “Playin'” and “Wharf Rat” with a jam that included a handful of teases. “Truckin'” then ended the second set, complete with a jam on “Born Cross-Eyed.” Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had one more treat in store for the encore as they dusted off a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” for the first time since they debuted their take on the tune on New Year’s Eve 2015-2016.

 Photo by Adam McCullough

Tonight, JRAD returns to Brooklyn Bowl with Oteil Burbridge. While tickets sold out quickly after going on sale, a webcast is available via nugs.tv.

Photos by Adam McCullough

Pro-Shot Videos

Fan-Shot Videos (Captured by LazyLightning55)

Setlist (Compiled by Pete Costello)

Set One (8:45PM – 9:57PM): Jam @ -> The Other One @& (SM) -> Dark Star #& (OB) -> St Stephen $ & (ALL) -> Cinnamon & Lesbians %* (JR) -> The Eleven @ (TH/JR) -> Shakedown Street #+ (TH)

Set Two (10:31PM – 11:53PM): King Solomon’s Marbles @, Black Throated Wind Jam % -> Royals Jam % @@ -> Black Throated Wind % (SM) -> Jack Straw Jam -> Touch Of Grey @ (TH) > Playing In The Band @ (SM) -> Wharf Rat ^ & ## (TH) > Truckin # & (SM) -> Born Cross Eyed Jam

Encore: Born To Run @ (TH)

• Dave Dreiwitz is on tour with Ween.
• Entire show with Oteil Burbridge on Bass & Vocals.
• Entire show with Stuart Bogie on horns & percussion.

• @ – With Stuart on Tenor Sax
• # – With Stuart on Percussion & Tenor Sax
• $ – With Stuart on Tenor Sax, Flute & Bari Sax
• % – With Stuart on Bari Sax
• ^ – With Stuart on Tenor Sax & Flute
• & – With Born Cross Eyed Teases (TH) – This may have happened even more.
• * – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Cover, First Time Played By Almost Dead
• + – With a “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” (Michael Jackson) Jam – I think (mostly MB), Dark Star Teases (TH) & Feel Like A Stranger Teases (Band)
• @@ – Lorde Cover, First Time Played By Almost Dead (Mostly Marco & Stuart), crowd sung the lyrics
• ## – Also with Tennessee Jed Teases (TH)
• $$ – Bruce Springsteen Cover, Not Played since 2015-12-31 at The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA, a gap of 44 shows.