Keep It Going: The Case For More Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

Images by: Andrew Blackstein
Words by: Scott Bernstein

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead :: 10.02-04.15 :: Brooklyn Bowl :: Brooklyn, NY

Read the case for more Joe Russo’s Almost Dead after the gallery. [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”22″ gal_title=”20151002 Joe Russos Almost Dead Brooklyn Bowl”]

It was just past midnight on an early fall Saturday night at NYC’s Brooklyn Bowl when Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s version of “Fire On The Mountain” fell apart . Drummer Joe Russo lost track of the beat, guitarist Tom Hamilton couldn’t get the lyrics out of his mouth and keyboardist Marco Benevento was too busy placating the crowd to actually play anything. While for a minute or two the music was a mess, the capacity crowd of 600 was eating up every second of it and was partially to blame as they had just witnessed and responded to one of the most insane keyboard solos to ever fit within a Grateful Dead song.

The Grateful Dead tribute act opened the second set at their second of three nights at Brooklyn Bowl with “Scarlet Begonias” > “Fire On The Mountain.” Benevento stepped up for a solo during “Fire” that saw him string together one brilliant melody after another at lightning speed. For a few magical moments the crowd’s collective jaw was on the floor as Marco dug into his relentless solo. You could hear a pin drop since the audience was so entranced by what the keyboardist was laying down through the solo’s conclusion. The reaction to the performance was just as memorable as the solo itself. The Brooklyn faithful responded as if the home team had just won the World Series: arms were thrust into the air, audience members were screaming approval and clapping as loudly as they could. I’ve been attending concerts for well over 20 years to this point and can only recall a handful of times a crowd became as unhinged as it did following Benevento’s solo. The roar lasted nearly as long as the solo and was so loud and sustained the members of the band couldn’t hear each other, hence the version of “Fire” falling apart for a little while until everyone finally calmed down.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead brings an intensity, sensibility and approach to the Grateful Dead’s music unlike any of the hundreds of GD tribute acts that came before them. The quintet debuted at the same room, Brooklyn Bowl, on January 26, 2013 for what was expected to be a one-off performance. JRAD’s first show was part of the Freaks Ball, an annual concert (sometimes two concerts) put together to celebrate the NYC-Freaks List – an invite-only email list for live music junkies in the New York City area. That first show was so good, I tweeted at Russo “If you leave Almost Dead as a one- time project it will be a crime against humanity.” Thankfully no crime was committed since the band will continue at least through 2016, though the drummer recently warned they will be scaling back after their most active year yet in 2015.

Part of what made that first show so special is that no one had any idea of what to expect. Russo would soon conclude a nearly five-year run behind the kit with Furthur, a band featuring Grateful Dead co-founders Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. Joe recruited his elementary schoolmate and Benevento/Russo Duo partner in crime Marco Benevento to play keys, Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz to handle bass duties and frequent collaborators Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger to provide a two-guitar attack. Outside of Russo none of the band members were known for playing the music of the Grateful Dead, and for some of them it was the first time doing so. However, early on at their debut, it was clear they put in the work to both learn the material and figure out how to add their own twist. The chemistry was palpable from the start and everyone I spoke to both at the concert and in the days that followed were in awe at what they saw. The fact these guys didn’t grow up going to Dead shows meant they didn’t treat the songs with a reverence that sometimes gets in the way of how musicians interpret the Grateful Dead. While there’s no doubt JRAD has respect and love for what Jerry & Co. created, they didn’t let the respect and reverence handcuff them from doing their own thing.

Since that blustery January ’13 night at Brooklyn Bowl, Russo and his troops have played over 40 shows. It’s not often you get to see the birth of a band and follow their growth, but crispy audio is available of nearly all JRAD performances and the group often shares pro-shot video. The chemistry so apparent that first night has reached unimaginable heights as each member further dials in their tone and approach, while the quintet’s telepathic ability to read where each other is about to go is uncanny. Russo recruited four of his best friends for this band and the joy that making music together brings them is all over their faces as they perform and their enthusiasm is infectious.

All weekend long at Brooklyn Bowl Joe Russo’s Almost Dead showed what “their own thing” is all about. When “Looks Like Rain” started on Saturday a number of attendees took the opportunity to head to the bar or bathroom. Mistake! Not only was Metzger’s solo a clinic in dynamics, but the quintet slyly segued into “St. Stephen.” As one Freaks List contributor noted, “once ‘St. Stephen’ unexpectedly began, it was all business in the bathroom. You’ve never seen so many dudes looking so concentrated, all focused on peeing as fast as humanly possible.” Setlists rarely tell the tale for Almost Dead shows since they will throw in open-ended jams where you least expect them and will pull off turn-on-a-dime segues regularly.

There aren’t many weaknesses to Almost Dead’s game, but if absolutely forced, I choose the vocals. Hamilton is a fine singer and Metzger pulls off Weir songs better than I ever would’ve expected coming into the project. That said, as all Dead tributes face, emulating the passion and emotion of Jerry Garcia’s vocals and wily energy of Weir’s Dead days is a difficult task. Vocals are the weakness to every Grateful Dead tribute act since Jerry passed away. On Saturday the quintet was aided by Jersey Shore chanteuse Nicole Atkins for portions of the show, which helped to show off the often pretty and sometimes powerful harmonies JRAD can employ.

If you attend a show featuring Joe Russo, I highly recommend keeping your eyes on the drummer. Joe’s kit was moved towards the front for this weekend’s Brooklyn Bowl shows, instead of at the back of the stage like at previous performances. Some of the fills he comes up with are hard to believe unless you watch them live. He’s a whirl of motion and one of the more melodic drummers in the game. What makes Russo the total package is his ability to both absolutely crush high intensity segments and play with a light and delicate touch when the music calls for it. On “Stella Blue” the drummer displayed each virtue as he started with a subtle hand to keep the volume soft and the tempo slow, but as Hamilton built the intensity in his vocals and eventually unleashed a masterful solo, Joe responded with bombastic yet melodic pounding on the skins.

Dave Dreiwitz is best known for his 15-year tenure as bassist for Ween. While the Grateful Dead have a diverse catalog featuring hundreds of songs, Ween also had a massive repertoire and moved effortlessly between genres – often in the same composition. Dreiwitz is one of the more underrated bassmen in rock and improvisation, as no one this side of Bobby Vega has a better handle on syncopation. Dave, like Billy & The Kids bassist Reed Mathis, doesn’t religiously follow the Phil Lesh guideline of playing lead bass. On Friday’s “Shakedown Street” the Almost Dead bassist focused on the song’s main bass line for nearly the duration of the tune, whereas Lesh would try to avoid playing the same pattern twice over the course of the jam. JRAD has two capable lead guitarists (understatement alert), so the bassist does the music a service by focusing on holding down the elemental bottom end instead of being one of the soloists.

On Friday night I brought one of my oldest friends to Brooklyn Bowl. He saw plenty of Dead shows back in the day, but hadn’t been impressed by nearly any of the post-Jerry outfits both with members of the band and without. He went into the show knowing little about Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and it was thrilling for me to see how quickly he was picking up what they were laying down. He enjoyed Friday night so much he asked me to bring him again on Saturday. On Sunday I received a text message from said friend reading, “I dipped my toes in the water Friday but was doing cannonballs off the high dive last night. ‘Scarlet’ > ‘Fire’ was possibly the best I’ve ever heard. The intensity was mind blowing.” Even the toughest critics can’t deny the power of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.

Each member of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has plenty of originality, they don’t need to make their musical bones playing in a tribute act. Dreiwitz continues to tour with the Dean Ween Group as well as in Benevento’s trio, Hamilton fronts American Babies, Metzger leads Wolf!, Marco has a critically-acclaimed solo career and Russo is an in- demand drummer who performs with a variety of projects. So you can understand where Joe was coming from when he told Chicago Now “the goal is certainly to play less Almost Dead shows in the future so we can all focus on all of our other projects.” Yet the magic that took place at Brooklyn Bowl October 2 – 4 cannot be denied.

In these sometimes dark days when tragedy and misfortune dominates the news, you can’t downplay the happiness Joe Russo’s Almost Dead brings to each audience. There’s still so many live music fans out there that need to experience the mind blowing intensity of JRAD and of course those who have already been initiated who want more. So please Mr. Russo & Co., don’t bring this ride to its conclusion anytime soon.

Setlists (compiled by Pete Costello for Live For Live Music)

Friday

Set One: Born Cross Eyed #* (SM), Shakedown Street $ (TH)-> Feel Like a Stranger (SM), Standing on the Moon # (TH)> The Wheel %(All)-> Lady w/ a Fan (TH)-> Terrapin Station (TH)

Set Two: Built To Last # (TH)> Let It Grow %(SM), Atlantic City (TH)-> I Know You Rider (All), Jam + -> Playing in the Band ^(SM), Brokedown Palace # (TH), Lost Sailor (SM)-> Saint of Circumstance & (SM)

Encore: Sugaree * (TH)

• # First Time Played by Almost Dead
• * With Dave on Trumpet
• $ With a Scarlet Begonias Tease (TH)
• % With Terrapin Station Teases (TH)
• + With a “Norwegian Wood” (The Beatles) Jam among a few different themes
• ^ With an Other One Jam (Band)
• & With Terrapin Station, Reuben & Cerise & Playing in the Band Teases (Band)

Saturday

Set One: The Music Never Stopped # (SM & NA) -> Dancin’ In The Streets #@  (SM & NA), Row Jimmy # (TH & NA) > (The Stranger) Two Souls In Communion # (NA)> The Other One (SM) -> Cryptical Envelopment $% (TH) -> Truckin’ ^ (SM)

Set Two: Scarlet Begonias &(TH) -> Fire on the Mountain (TH), Looks Like Rain $ (SM) -> St. Stephen *(All) -> Tennessee Jed (TH) -> St. Stephen Jam ** -> Tennessee Jed Reprise $ (TH) -> Viola Lee Blues (All) -> Becky ## $ – > Viola Lee Blues Reprise $ (All), Stella Blue (TH), GDTRFB # %% -> We Bid You Good Night # $ &&(All)

Encore: One More Saturday Night (SM)

• # With Nicole Atkins on Vocals
• @ With an “LA Woman” (The Doors) tease (MB) & “Rainy Day Woman 12 & 35” (Bob Dylan) tease (Band)
• $ Almost Dead Debut
• % Cryptical was the 2nd half only, starting with the “And when the day had ended, with rainbow colors blended” line.
• ^ Included a short Cryptical Jam (band)
• & With a “The National Anthem” (Radiohead) Jam (Band) & I think a “Bubblehouse” (Medeski Martin & Wood) tease (MB)
• * First 3? verses only
• ** The Bridge only, but unsung. St. Stephen was unfinished
• ## Benevento Russo Duo Original, not played by Joe & Marco since the since the “Bustle Plays Other Shit” show at Brooklyn Bowl on 8.31.13 . Included lyrics from Viola Lee Blues
• %% Included verses from JR, NA & TH with SM & MB singing on the choruses.
• && Has been played before instrumentally, but this was the first version with lyrics. A cappella, Sung by MB, TH, JR, NA & SM

Sunday

Set One: Promised Land @ (TH)> Uncle John’s Band #(All), Dire Wolf $ (TH), Estimated Prophet (SM)-> Eyes of the World (TH)-> King Solomon’s Marbles %, My Brother Esau (SM)

Set Two: Dark Star (Verse One) * (TH)-> Wharf Rat Jam @ -> Dark Star (Verse Two) (TH)-> The Eleven + (All)-> St. Stephen Reprise @ ## (TH)> Help On The Way (TH)-> Slipknot! $$ -> Throwing Stones %% (SM)-> Superstitious Jam ^^ -> Throwing Stones Reprise (SM), Morning Dew (TH)

Encore: Samson & Delilah (SM)

• @ Almost Dead Debut
• # With an “Abduction Pose” (Benevento Russo Duo) Tease & a short King Solomon’s Marbles Jam
• $ Scott on Pedal Steel
• & With a Duo Jam
• * Dave On Trumpet
• + Terrapin Station Teases (SM)
• ## Finishes the version from 10.3.15 which included the first 3 verses & left off at the bridge, which was not sung last night (The “Lady Finger, dipped in moonlight” part). This version started with the bridge, which tonight included the lyrics, and the bridge was played in 11/8 time (Same time signature as The Eleven). Once they went back into the verses, (beginning with the “ Did he doubt or did he try?” line), the tune reverted to its conventional time signature of 4/4
• $$ Multiple Terrapin Station Teases
• %% Multiple Dark Star Teases. Also included a short Jam based on the cord progression of “The National Anthem” by Radiohead, although it was played in a different key
• ^^ First time played, Stevie Wonder Cover, no lyrics