Last Thursday, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead made its highly anticipated headlining debut at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Almost Dead’s Red Rocks performance has been a long time coming. The group composed of Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, and Dave Dreiwitz was initially supposed to make their first headlining appearance at the famed Colorado venue at the end of April, though unfavorable weather forced their show to be moved indoors to the 1st Bank Center and prompted their Red Rocks date to be rescheduled for later in the summer. Unfortunately, bassist Dave Dreiwitz was on tour with Ween and unavailable for the new date, though the Grateful Dead-inspired ensemble found a worthy replacement in Dead & Company bassist Oteil Burbridge. After many months of anticipation, Almost Dead certainly did not disappoint for their headlining Red Rocks show, putting on a truly exemplary performance for the sold-out crowd that also saw the group heavily tease Phish, ahead of the Vermont quartet’s annual three-night run at Dick’s Sporting Good Park that started the following day. It was an exceptional Labor Day long weekend for music fans in Colorado, that is for sure.
The Joe Russo’s Almost Dead set with Oteil Burbridge truly proved the mastery needed to keep up with the founding members, as the band continuously weaved together their reimagined Grateful Dead tunes with out-of-left-field surprises, like James Brown, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick, Michael Jackson, King Curtis, Phish, and Allman Brothers teases throughout. Oteil Burbridge contributed his vocals throughout the night, and took lead on “Box of Rain,” which also featured an “Uncle John’s Band” section. Keeping on the train of untraditional musicianship, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kept the fire alive in their headlining debut performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and it will forever be remembered for such. For a Grateful Dead “cover band”– though we all know Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is so much more than that–to headline and sell out a venue of that size that the Grateful Dead have played countless times, is a very big deal. Read our in-depth review of the performance and see our full gallery here.
Thanks to Todd R for the recording, you can listen to the show via JamBuzz below:
You can also see the full setlist below, courtesy of Peter Costello.
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 8/31/2017
Set One: Jam -> Here Comes Sunshine @ > Ruben & Cherise -> Jam -> Mama Tried, New Speedway Boogie # -> Music Never Stopped Reprise -> New Speedway Jam -> Music Never Stopped Jam -> Dancing In The Streets $ -> New Speedway Reprise % -> Box Of Rain ^ (OB), He’s Gone & -> Truckin’ -> Born Cross Eyed Jam
Set Two: Jack Straw > Feel Like A Stranger * -> Harry Hood Jam + -> China Cat Sunflower -> The Eleven -> The Wheel @@ -> There Is A Mountain ## > I Know You Rider, Greatest Story Ever Told $$, Morning Dew
Encore: We Bid You Goodnight %%
@ – With a “Sex Machine” (James Brown) Tease (MB), a “La Di Da Di” (Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick) Tease (MB)
# – Unfinished
$ – With Music Never Stopped Teases (TH), an unknown Tease (MB), New Speedway Teases & lyrics, a “Memphis Soul Stew” (King Curtis) Tease (OB), “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough (Michael Jackson) Teases (SM & MB).
% – First split New Speedway
^ – With an Uncle John’s Band Tease (Band)
& – With Truckin & Tennessee Jed Teases (TH) & a “Humdinger” (WOLF) tease (SM) – I think
* – Unfinished
+ – Instrumental, incomplete version of a Phish Cover (No lyrics were sung), First Time Played By Almost Dead.
@@ – First verse sung in 11, with an “In With the In Crowd” (Ramsey Lewis) Jam, a “Bathtub Gin” (Phish) Tease (MB)
## – Donovan Cover, Instrumental with 2 choruses only sung, First Time Played By Almost Dead. Basis for the Allman Bros “Mountain Jam” but closer to the original Donovan version.
$$ – With a “Night in Tunisia” (Dizzy Gillespie) Jam, an Estimated Prophet Tease (TH) & a “Stash” (Phish) Tease (SM)
%% – A cappella at their positions with vocal mics, not at the front of the stage
[Photo by Bill McAlaine]