Joe Russo’s Almost Dead anchored their Peach Music Festival set on Friday with a 20-minute take on the Grateful Dead’s “Throwing Stones.” The expansive performance at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pennsylvanica saw the band joined by frequent guest saxophonist Stuart Bogie.
JRAD’s Peach set also featured frequent guest bassist Jon Shaw filling for Dave Dreiwitz who was fulfilling his bass duties with Ween in Seattle. Shaw, drummer Joe Russo, keyboardist Marco Benevento and guitarists Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger started off by jamming into the Metzger-led “My Brother Esau.” The obscure Dead tune was followed by “Cats Under The Stars,” from GD guitarist Jerry Garcia’s solo catalog. JRAD then offered their take on Bob Dylan’s “Tell Me, Momma.”
Russo & Co. next opened up “Estimated Prophet,” infusing a reggae feel to the subsequent jam. Hamilton was then put in charge of “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo.” The ensuing “Terrapin Station” was hinted at within “Half-Step,” before being fully launched. JRAD worked efficiently through the “Terrapin” suite, hitting several peaks along the way.
Bogie was summoned to join a brief intro jam that set up the aforementioned “Throwing Stones.” Metzger emphatically sang the song’s anthemic verses, providing an extra dose of intensity the performance. The jam started quiet and patient with Bogie layering in horn lines and Benevento subtly replying.
The improvisation picked up pace and intensity, growing to a heightened frenzied peak before turning back to the main melody. Elements of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” worked their way into the “Throwing Stones” jam, which was enhanced by Bogie’s complementary playing. Some 20 minutes after its start, Metzger helped bring the band back together for the “Throwing Stones” coda and his echoing shouts of “ashes, ashes all fall down.”
The guest sax player stuck around for the ensuing “He’s Gone” that featured a heavy “Bird Song” infusion and a detour into and out of “St. Stephen.” The band continued toying with “Bird Song” throughout “He’s Gone,” which would ultimately bring an end to their Peach set.
The Peach Music Festival continues today with performances by Trey Anastasio Band, Goose, Rayland Baxter and Celisse that are among those being livestreamed via nugs.net. Sign up for a free 7-day nugs.net trial subscription to watch.
Listen to the JRAD’s 20-minute “Throwing Stones” and full Peach Music Festival set via taper Marc Geanoules, along with pro-shot video of the “My Brother Esau” opener below:
Setlist
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at Montage Mountain
- My Brother Esau
- Cats Under the Stars
- Tell Me, Momma
- Estimated Prophet
- Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
- Terrapin Station
- Throwing Stones
- He’s Gone
- St. Stephen
- He’s Gone
