Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will continue a burgeoning tradition next weekend with a three-night run at Montclair, NJ’s Wellmont Theater (September 29th–October 1st).
The beloved Grateful Dead tribute act, which features Joe Russo (drums), Marco Benevento (keys), Scott Metzger (guitar/vocals), Tom Hamilton (guitar/vocals), and Dave Dreiwitz (bass), first played the Northeastern New Jersey theater back during a busy 2019 national touring campaign. The band, comprised of four New Jersey natives and one Philly guy (Hamilton), quickly took to the energy in the 2,500-capacity room. Following an electrifying performance at that one-off debut (3/15/19), JRAD wrapped the evening with a rare encore cover of New Jersey icon Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born To Run”. Click below to view a full video, listen to full audio, and check out the setlist from JRAD’s Wellmont Theater debut in 2019.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead – Full Show – Wellmont Theater – 3/15/19
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead – Full Show – Wellmont Theater – 3/15/19
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Wellmont Theater | Montclair, NJ | 3/15/19
Set One (8:16PM – 9:35PM): Mama Tried, Brown-Eyed Women @ -> Good Lovin # -> The Wheel -> He’s Gone $ -> Jack Straw
Set Two (10:04PM – 11:43PM): Truckin % -> Born Cross Eyed Jam -> Viola Lee Blues ^ > Throwing Stones -> Jam -> Throwing Stones Reprise Row Jimmy &, Estimated Prophet * > Mississippi Half Step +
Encore: Box Of Rain @@, Born To Run ##
@ – With a Tennessee Jed Tease (MB) & a He’s Gone Jam
# – With a “Love Supreme” (John Coltrane) Tease (MB)
$ – With a Tennessee Jed Tease (TH)
% – With a New Speedway Tease (TH)
^ – With a “Good Lovin’” (The Rascals) Tease (SM)
& – With a Terrapin Tease (TH)
* – With Lost Sailor Teases (Band) and a Terrapin Tease (TH)
+ – With a Tennessee Jed Tease (SM) and a Crazy Fingers Tease (Band)
@@ – Dedicated to Phil Lesh by JR on Phil’s Birthday
## – With Stuart Bogie on Sax, with the house lights on, Not Played By Almost Dead since 2017-04-29, 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO, a gap of 79 Shows
View 3/15/19 Full Video, Audio, & Setlist
While the pandemic prompted a relatively light touring year in 2020 and dictated a summer of unusual plays in 2021, JRAD made sure to block off a full weekend for its return to Montclair. The October 2021 run brought fans back to the Wellmont for a true three-night run, something that had already become a relatively rare occurrence for the band. Click below to view the setlists and listen to full-show audio recordings fromlast year’s three-night run.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead – Full Show – Wellmont Theater – 10/7/22
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Wellmont Theater | Montclair, NJ | 10/7/22
Set One (8:21PM – 9:37PM): Jam -> Cosmic Charlie -> Mississippi Half-Step > Queen Jane Approximately @, MB Solo -> The Wheel # -> Hell In A Bucket Jam -> Till The Morning Comes $ > My Brother Esau
Set Two (10:07PM – 11:29PM): They Love Each Other % -> China Cat Sunflower -> Gonesville > Shakedown Street ^ -> Viola Lee Blues &, When I Paint My Masterpiece, U.S. Blues
Encore: Touch Of Grey
@ – Bob Dylan Cover, First Time Played by Almost Dead, SM Vocals
# – With “’73 Changes” / King Solomon’s Marbles Jams
$ – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2019-09-26 The Met Philly, Philadelphia, PA, a gap of 30 shows
% – With a China Cat Sunflower Tease (Band)
^ – With a “Girl From Ipanema” (Antônio Carlos Jobim) Tease (MB), an On The Road Again Tease (MB), a Loose Lucy Tease (TH), a “Hey Bulldog” (The Beatles) Tease (Band) and a Cosmic Charlie Tease (Band)
&- With a DD Solo
View 10/7/21 Setlist & Audio
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead – Full Show – Wellmont Theater – 10/8/22
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Wellmont Theater | Montclair, NJ | 10/8/22
Set One (8:21PM – 9:28PM): Jam -> Doin’ That Rag @ -> Dark Hollow #, Playing In The Band $ -> Wharf Rat % Ramble On Rose ^
Set Two (10:00PM – 11:25PM): Jam -> Dire Wolf &, Althea * -> Truckin’ -> Born Cross-Eyed, Foolish Heart + > Werewolves Of London @@ -> Marco Solo
Encore: Bertha ##
@ – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2018-02-15, War Memorial Auditorium, Nashville, TN, a gap of 100 shows. That version was sung by Nicole Atkins. Last TH Vocals on Doin’ That Rag 2016-01-01 Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, a gap of 179 shows.
# – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2017-12-08 House Of Blues, Boston, MA, a gap of 105 shows
$ – With a “Bad Love” (Eric Clapton) Tease (TH) and a “9×9” (Benevento Russo Duo Tease (TH)
% – With a Mississippi Half Step Tease (TH) and a “Come Sail Away” (Styx) Tease (MB)
^ – With a Tennessee Jed Tease (SM)
& – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2019-03-03 State Theatre, Portland, ME, a gap of 55 shows
* – With King Solomon’s Marbles Teases (Band) in the transition to Truckin’
+ – With “China>Rider Transition” Teases (TH)
@@ – With “Sweet Home Alabama” (Lynyrd Skynyrd) Teases (MB) and “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting (Elton John) Teases (MB)
## – With a “Jessica” (The Allman Brothers Band) Tease (SM)
View 10/8/21 Setlist & Audio
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead – Full Show – Wellmont Theater – 10/7/22
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Wellmont Theater | Montclair, NJ | 10/9/22
Set One (8:15PM – 9:28PM): Jam -> Catfish John -> Jack Straw > Black Throated Wind @ > Alice D Millionaire #, Scarlet Begonias -> Marco Solo -> Fire On The Mountain $
Set Two (10:00PM – 11:15PM): Jam -> Row Jimmy % > Jam ^ -> Let It Grow $, Echoes * > Lady With A Fan -> Terrapin Station +, Looks Like Rain @@, Deal ##
Encore: Brokedown Palace $$
@ – With a St. Stephen Tease (SM), a Scarlet Begonias Tease (TH) and a Jessica (ABB) Tease (SM)
# – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2016.12.16 Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO, a gap of 150 shows, SM Vocals
$ – With a Black Throated Wind Tease (SM)
% – With a Terrapin Tease (SM)
^ – With a Terrapin Tease (SM)
& – With an “Echoes” (Pink Floyd) Tease (TH)
* – With Terrapin Teases (MB & TH)
+ – With an “Echoes” (Pink Floyd) Tease (TH), a At A Siding Tease (TH) and a King Solomon’s Marbles Tease (TH)
@@ – Not Played By Almost Dead since 2019-09-27 The Met Philly, Philadelphia, PA, a gap of 31 shows, with a Stella Blue Tease (TH), an “Echoes” (Pink Floyd) Tease (TH)
## – With a Might As Well Tease in the intro (TH)
$$ – Not Played By Almost Dead since 2019-08-29 Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, a gap of 36 shows
View 10/9/22 Setlist & Audio
In the time since, three-night JRAD stands have become even more of a rarity. Other than a February 2022 weekend in Philadelphia featuring two shows at The Fillmore and one at Brooklyn Bowl, the 2022 Wellmont Theater stand will mark the first true three-night run for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead since last year’s trip to Montclair, NJ.
Get in on a growing history of good New Jersey lovin’ with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead when the band returns to the Wellmont Theater in Montclair on September 29th, September 30th, and October 1st. For limited remaining tickets, head here. For a complete list of upcoming JRAD tour dates, click here.