Joe Russo’s Almost Dead went on a brief swing through the Southeast and Midwest over the weekend, culminating with a Saturday show outside St. Louis, MO. The headlining concert at the Saint Louis Music Park (which is actually in Maryland Heights) followed a set at Bonnaroo the previous evening.
After being forced to cram its live experience into a lean 90-minute set at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN on Friday (up against conflicting sets by Khruangbin, Maggie Rogers, and Interpol), JRAD was able to stretch its legs on Saturday in Missouri. The two-set performance got off to a hot start with the bluesy contemplation “New Speedway Boogie” coming out of the traditional opening jam.
Joe Russo, Tom Hamilton, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, and Tom Hamilton used the comfort of a two-set performance to dig deep into the Grateful Dead songbook and beyond. Saturday’s show featured several Joe Russo’s Almost Dead rarities, including the third-ever “Wang Dang Doodle” since its 2022 debut. In the seemingly never-ending world of Grateful Dead tribute bands, JRAD separates itself not only with its ferocious interpretations of Dead classics but also its brazen willingness to perform easily overlooked songs. Few of the more straightforward GD cover bands would ever touch the band’s most commercially successful song, “Touch of Grey“, nor would they take on Bob Weir‘s somewhat polarizing cover of Willie Dixon‘s “Wang Dang Doodle”. Guitarist Scott Metzger, however, does not balk at the resistance to the ’80s stadium Dead regular, instead invigorating the cover with a tenacity that turns it from a bathroom break song into one that requires full, undivided attention and overall respect.
Other rarities followed including the fifth performance of the Don Rollins-penned, George Jones-performed “The Race Is On”. The country classic had not been seen since August 25th, 2022 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) and was, just like “Wang Dang Doodle”, ably handled by Metzger. Lengthy jams punctuated these setlist deep dives, including a patient and at-times wonky “Alligator” that opened the second set and a deeply exploratory “Uncle John’s Band” that closed it. In between, JRAD also performed its second-ever “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” since its 2023 debut at The Eastern in Atlanta. Following a sprint through “Sugar Magnolia” to start the encore, the band bid a fond farewell with the traditional “And We Bid You Goodnight” to close the evening.
Check out a gallery of images from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead in St. Louis courtesy of photographer Tom Shackleford along with full-show audio. The band will return to the stage for a three-night swing through the Northeast including stops in Hampton, NH (6/20–6/21) and Perinton, NY (6/22). Visit JRAD’s website for tickets and a full list of tour dates.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead — Saint Louis Music Park — Maryland Heights, MO — 6/15/24 — Set One Audio
[Video: Cole Rector]
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead — Saint Louis Music Park — Maryland Heights, MO — 6/15/24 — Full Audio
[Audio: DaisyHillPuppyFarm]
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Saint Louis Music Park | Maryland Heights, MO | 6/15/24
Set One: New Speedway Boogie, Wang Dang Doodle (Willie Dixon), Scarlet Begonias, The Race Is On (Don Rollins), I Need A Miracle, Crazy Fingers, Deal
Set Two: Alligator, Cats Under The Stars, Gonesville, Black-Throated Wind, Death Don’t Have No Mercy (Reverend Gary Davis), Uncle John’s Band
Encore: Sugar Magnolia, And We Bid You Goodnight (Traditional)
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