Hear Almost Dead Play Flipped “Eyes Of The World” & “Standing On The Moon” Bust Out From Boston

Yesterday, for the 61st installment of Taper Tuesdays, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead released the soundboard audio from the final night of their two-night run at Boston’s House Of Blues in December. The Boston run closer on December 9th, 2017 served as the band’s final performance of the year, and the Grateful Dead-inspired act offered up their characteristically energetic and innovative mix of Dead tunes and other choice covers for the occasion. The set also featured numerous teases of other artists, including Michael Jackson (“Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”), Herbie Hancock (“Tell Me A Bedtime Story”), Steve Miller (“Fly Like An Eagle”), Rod Stewart (“Do You Think I’m Sexy”), Suzanne Vega (“Tom’s Diner”), John Coltrane (“Love Supreme”), Bobby Brown (“My Prerogative”), and more.

Mindful of the show’s significance as the band’s last of the year, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead managed to add a number of special songs to the setlist interspersed among tunes that appear more frequently in their performances. After a show-opening cover of Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land”, the group hit a rousing rendition of “Shakedown Street” ahead of a jam built around John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”. During this first set, the band also performed Jerry Garcia’s “Cats Under The Stars” for the third time ever and allowed Marco Benevento and Dave Dreiwitz to team up for an extended duo section during “Viola Lee Blues”.

During the second set of the night, the band offered up the majority of its higher-profile and often hilarious teases. From the set-opening slinky rendition of “Feel Like A Stranger”, the band worked in tastes of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and Suzanne Vega’s “Tom Diner” as well as a more traditional “Slipknot!” tease.  The second set also saw the band deliver a “flipped” version of “Eyes of the World”, beginning with the song’s ’73 ending played in the key of the preceding song, “Dancing In The Streets”. In addition, the set featured a beautiful “Standing On The Moon”, marking the first time Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had played the Built To Last ballad since October 2nd, 2015 at Brooklyn Bowl in New York City.

You can listen to the full audio of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s final 2017 show at the House of Blues Boston below, courtesy of Peter Costello and Eric McRoberts.

Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | House Of Blues | Boston, MA | 12/9/2017