Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had a pair of runs at the Brooklyn Bowl last month where Oteil Burbridge (of Allman Brothers Band and Dead and Company fame) filled in for Dave Dreiwitz who was fulfilling his obligation as lead bassist for Ween. Because of Oteil’s deep knowledge of the Dead catalogue and his uncanny ability to jam with whoever, wherever, there was instant chemistry.

The 3/16 show also featured the welcome addition of Stuart Bogie on horns & percussion. The added horn element gives the electric JRAD show a little something extra. As far as setlists go, this show features some old school Dead jams like “Dark Star,” “St. Stephen,” and “The Eleven.” And as with all JRAD shows, the boys manage to tease tunes like Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” and other out of left field covers like Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ “Cinnamon & Lesbians” and Lorde’s “Royals.”

You want to hear why I love JRAD so much? Check out “Truckin'” towards the end of the second set. After nearly three hours of playing, Joe Russo and the boys give the classic tune everything they got and then some.

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

Set Two (10:31PM – 11:53PM):
01. intro/crowd
02. King Solomon’s Marbles @
03. Black Throated Wind Jam % ->
04. Royals Jam % @@ ->
05. Black Throated Wind % (SM) ->
06. Jack Straw Jam ->
07. Touch Of Grey @ (TH) >
08. Playing In The Band @ (SM) ->
09. Wharf Rat ^ & ## (TH) >
10. Truckin # & (SM) ->
11. Born Cross Eyed Jam

Encore:
12. Born To Run @ (TH)

OB is Oteil Burbridge Lead Vox.
@ – 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.
Numerous “Mountain Jam” (Donovan/Allman Brothers Band) teases through out the show.

Joe Russo – Drums, Vocals
Tom Hamilton – Guitar, Vocals
Scott Metzger – Guitar, Vocals
Marco Benevento – Keyboards, Vocals
Oteil Burbridge – Bass (Dave on Ween tour)

Thanks to Eric McRoberts for the awesome SBD matrix!

Photo credit: mark_dershowitz_photo