As Joe Russo’s Almost Dead prepares for their 100th show in just a couple short months, we have the distinct pleasure of listening to one of their most recent performances – #95, to be exact. That took place at the beautiful Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, where the band finished out their three night New Year’s run with a special, guest-filled affair to ring in 2017. With Joe Russo, Tom Hamilton, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, and Scott Metzger at the helm, this was truly one of the most memorable performances in the band’s archive.
Fortunately, like their predecessors in the Grateful Dead, Almost Dead has been quite generous in taping and sharing their recordings. In that tradition, the band has shared a full soundboard recording of the NYE performance, complete with guest appearances from a full horn section and vocalist Nicole Atkins. Feast your ears on the band’s full recording below, with props to Eric McRoberts for putting it all together.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is set to perform six nights at the Brooklyn Bowl this March, before heading down to Florida for their debut at the second annual Fool’s Paradise destination event in St. Augustine, FL, hosted by funk band Lettuce. More information about Fool’s Paradise can be seen here. The setlist for the New Year’s performance is below.
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY | 12/31/16
Set One (8:30PM – 9:32PM):
01. New Orleans March @ ->
02. Ruben & Cherise (TH) ->
03. Not Fade Away # (All) ->
04. Help On The Way (TH) ->
05. Slipknot! $ ->
06. Life Is A Carnival % (JR)
07. Truckin’ ^ (SM) ->
08. Born Crosseyed Jam
Set Two (10:05PM – 11:12PM):
01. Box Of Rain (JR) >
02. Music Never Stopped & (NA & SM) ->
03. Eyes Of The World * (TH) ->
04. Loose Lucy (TH) ->
05. Dancing In The Streets + (NA & SM)
Set Three (11:46PM – 1:??AM):
01. Drums @@ ->
02. Tzofeh ## ->
03. Midnight Countdown $$ ->
04. Good Lovin’ $$ (SM) ->
05. Drums $$ ->
06. Good Lovin’ $$ (SM)->
07. Terrapin Suite %% (TH)
08. Wharf Rat (Th) ->
09. Sugar Magnolia > Sunshine Daydream (SM)
10. Happy Birthday to Tommy ^^
Encore:
11. Kashmir && (NA)
12. One More Saturday Night ** (SM)
Most of the show, with the exception of Truckin’ featured a 4 piece horn section: Jordan McLean on Trumpet & Bells, Raymond Mason on Trombone & Bells, Stuart Bogie on Mouth Harp, Tenor Sax, Flute, Clarinet & Bells, and Martin Perna on Bari Sax, Flute & Bells. Music & Eyes didn’t have the full section either, but Stuart played Sax on Both.
NA is Nicole Atkins on Vocals.
@ – With horns walking through the crowd to stage
# – With a China->Rider transition Tease (TH) and a “Hush, Little Baby” (traditional) Jam (SM)
$ – With multiple “Myxomatosis” Teases (Band)
% – The Band Cover, first time played by Almost Dead
^ – No Horns, With a Bird Song Tease (Band) and a “Walk The Dinosaur” (Was, Not Was) Tease (MB)
& – With a DD bass Solo, no horn section, Stuart Bogie only
* – No horn section, Stuart Bogie only, With a Marco Solo
+ – With an “I Want You Back” (Jackson 5) Tease (Band); Ended with JR, MB & TH all on Drums on JR’s kit
@@ – With Sunny Jain (Red Baraat) on drums & loops only to start, then Sunny & Joe
## – Masada Cover, First Time Played by Almost Dead. Started with Sunny, JR & the horns. Then Dave & Scott joined in until the Countdown, which had the full band on stage.
$$ – With Sunny Jain on drums & loops, & a balloon drop
%% – With an Unknown Tease (MB)
^^ – Led by Joe, sung by the crowd
&& – Led Zeppelin Cover, First Time Played By Almost Dead, With Special Guests Bustle In Your Hedgerow – J/K, Bustle is 4/5ths of Almost Dead obviously
** – With Confetti Cannons