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10th June 2024On Friday evening at The Music Box at Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead proved once again why their inventive interpretations of Grateful Dead songs continue to attract an impressive following. There were multiple debut performances and successful interpretations, taking audience members’ experience into new areas with each show.
Joe Russo’s Almost Death remains one of the hottest acts on the jam scene after 10 years of success, featuring Marco Benevento on keys, Dave Dreiwitz on bass guitar, guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton, selling out venues such as Stone Pony Summer Stage.
The Band
As The Hawks, The Band first gained fame as Bob Dylan’s backing group at Woodstock Festival – though their performance did not make the film version. Following changing to The Band as their name changed and several albums came out with critical acclaim (such as Music From Big Pink in 1968), critical praise continued for them until their demise in 2018.
The Band became widely-renowned as a group of musicians who took great care in caring for both each other and their audiences. Their chemistry could be seen during performances; band members would take turns singing lead vocals or trading instrumental solos during performances.
JRAD features the musical talents of drummer Joe Russo as well as Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz; Benevento/Russo Duo keyboardist Marco Benevento; Brothers Past, Ghost Light and American Babies guitarist Tom Hamilton; Scott Metzger who has performed alongside Phil Lesh, Anders Osborne, Shooter Jennings and Warren Haynes among many others – together forming an unstoppable force that brings the Grateful Dead spirit alive at every show!
The Setlist
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead completely set Brooklyn Bowl alight Saturday night. Playing two nonstop sets filled with familiar Dead favorites as well as special surprises, the group showed how it could create new music based on Dead classics while remaining true to itself.
After opening with “Foolish Heart”, the band subdued itself into a spacey groove on “St. Stephen.” They then built an uptempo groove which eventually lead to an energetic rendition of “Bertha.”
Next, they stepped it back for a captivating, soulful, and funky rendition of “Row Jimmy.” From there, their set embarked upon an exciting roller coaster ride featuring jam-packed “Hell In A Bucket” as well as an infectious “Brown Eyed Woman.” With plenty left in their tank by the time Brooklyn Bowl closed for their run, NYCTaper is thrilled that we could bring this unforgettable performance directly to you.
The Rehearsal
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead have added two shows in Atlantic City and Pittsburgh to their summer-through-fall tour, playing both The Music Box at Borgata Resort Spa (August 11) and Stage AE in Pittsburgh (September 8).
Fielder helped Kor Skeete prepare to confess a minor lie to his bar trivia friend, assisted a drama school student trying to convince her brother not to play estate inheritance games and guided a single mom in deciding whether she wants children – yet nothing compared with what Fielder created for Angela where he recreated their entire relationship through Adam as part of an elaborate fantasy storyline.
It’s an unnerving and uncomfortable scene that feels more genuine than anything The Rehearsal has presented so far, opening up new lines of interpretation such as Fielder as an outright manipulator trying to use his power for personal gain.
The Performance
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead delivered an explosive performance during their two-night run at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut on November 17 and 18. Led by Furthur drummer Joe Russo and Bustle in Your Hedgerow bassist Dave Dreiwitz of Bustle in Your Hedgerow as well as Brothers Past, Ghost Light and American Babies guitarist Tom Hamilton from Brothers Past, Ghost Light and American Babies fame, their set left audiences impressed and inspired.
JRAD stands out from more generic tribute acts like Dark Star Orchestra and post-Garcia ensembles featuring actual Dead members such as Dead and Company with its distinct brand of Dead celebration, offering something different: JRAD’s rocking approach to their catalogue offers something fresh that will have you dancing right from your seat!
No matter the rain showers, the band had plenty of energy left in their tank to make the second set exceptional. One standout track was “Hell in a Bucket” > “Cream Puff War” > “Catfish John”, featuring Hamilton tearing into his guitar and making every note count.
