Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has proven time and time again that they are a force to be reckoned with. The band delivers standout performances on a nightly basis, as Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Dave Dreiwitz, and Scott Metzger are a lights-out, cohesive musical unit. Their prowess was on full display last night at Brooklyn Bowl as the band kicked off their New Year’s run. They displayed a tight musicianship throughout the evening, all while putting together two sets of classic and beloved Grateful Dead material.

The band started things off with “Cream Puff War”, before moving into one of the band’s most reliable tunes, “I Know You Rider”. “Rider” always gets the crowd going with its passionate vocals and lights-out improvisation, and this version was no different, as it featured a pronounced “Morning Dew” tease. Metzger led the band through a cover of “On The Road Again” by Willie Nelson, the first time it has appeared in a JRAD setlist outside of their acoustic sets. The fun cover transitioned beautifully into “Scarlet Begonias”, which featured a tease of “Fat Mama”. Hamilton slowly but surely led the band through a raucous “Bertha”, before Metzger absolutely demolished “Hell In A Bucket”. Bruce Springsteen‘s incredible “Atlantic City” closed out the opening frame, played for the first time since October of 2015 (watch that one here).

Watch “Cream Puff War”, courtesy of nugs.tv.

Set two was all about improvisation. Opening up with a psychedelic “Space” segment, the band jumped into a rare “Lost Sailer”, before running through a version of “Saint Of Circumstance”. The next song, “China Cat Sunflower”, brought the energy up immensely, and it didn’t go down for the rest of the set. The band flowed into a jam based around “Let It Grow” before landing on “Brown Eyed Women”. The band then went into a jam that built up nicely, with the band eventually landing on “Let It Grow” itself. A quick transition into “Morning Dew” gave Hamilton an opportunity to shine, before the band kicked off into another “Let It Grow” jam, which transformed into a Dreiwitz bass solo. A jam emerged out of the solo, before the band reprised “Let It Grow”.

Watch “China Cat Sunflower”, courtesy of nugs.tv.

Just as things seemed to be slowing down, the band kicked into a jam based around “The Wheel”, which eventually morphed into “Tennessee Jed”, which featured a Benevento/Russo duo jam. To the delight of their fans, “Hell in a Bucket” appeared next acting as the filler in a “Tennessee Jed” sandwich, before the band closed things out with an epic “Fire On The Mountain”, which had a “Not Fade Away” jam worked in for good measure. For the encore, the band started things off with a “Drums” segment, giving Russo an opportunity to shine, before the band moved as a unit into a fun version of “Samson & Delilah”.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead move from Brooklyn to Port Chester tonight, as they settle in at The Capitol Theatre for two nights to complete their 2016 New Year’s Eve run.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Brooklyn Bowl | Brooklyn, NY | 12/29/2016

Set 1: Cream Puff War -> I Know You Rider@, On The Road Again# -> Scarlet Begonias$ -> Bertha > Hell In A Bucket, Atlantic City$$

Set 2: Space -> Lost Sailor$$ -> Saint Of Circumstance, China Cat Sunflower -> Let It Grow Jam -> Brown Eyed Woman, Jam -> Let It Grow% -> Morning Dew^ -> Let It Grow Jam& -> Bass Solo -> Jam -> Let It Grow Reprise -> The Wheel Jam -> Tennessee Jed+ -> Hell In A Bucket Jam* -> Tennessee Jed Reprise -> Fire On the Mountain@@

Encore: Drums -> Samson & Delilah

@ – With a Morning Dew Tease (TH)
# – First Almost Dead Electric Version
$ – With an unknown tease & a Fat Mama Tease (MB)
$$ – Not played since Brooklyn Bowl 2015-10-2, a gap of 46 shows
% – With Tennessee Jed Teases/Jam (Band)
^ – Morning Dew was Unfinished
& – With a “Careless Whisper” (George Michael) Tease (MB)
+ – With a “Duo Jam”
* – First Time Played by Almost Dead
@@ – With a Not Fade Away Tease (JR)

[Setlist courtesy of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead manager Peter Costello]