For the latest edition of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s Rad Tracks Friday, the Grateful Dead-inspired group threw it back to last year’s LOCKN’ Festival ahead of their two performances at this year’s festival, which is currently underway this weekend. LOCKN’ certainly seems to bring out the best in the group headed by drummer Joe Russo. Almost Dead’s set at LOCKN’ last night saw the group collaborate with Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and fans are eagerly awaiting their second set tonight. However, last year saw similarly hyped performances by the group, as illustrated with this new video from last year.
MMJ’s Jim James Joins Joe Russo’s Almost Dead For Jane’s Addiction Cover & More At LOCKN’
The 101st edition of Rad Tracks contains almost forty-five minutes of pro-shot video from Almost Dead’s set last year, capturing a good portion of their non-stop set on August 25th, 2016 (or really, the wee hours of August 26th). In this new video, the band kicks things off with the triumphant “St. Stephen”, featuring tastes of Led Zeppelin as the crew works “We’re Gonna Groove” into the jam portion of their second song of the night. The jam section comes to a frenetic peak, with its improvisational segment eventually giving Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz his time to shine with his own propulsive and jazzy solo. The group eventually lands in “The Eleven” led by Tom Hamilton and Joe Russo, with the energy from the “St. Stephen” jam carrying over and not letting up. As the jam mediates a huge range of tones, coming out of a particularly lyric section, the band picks things up into “Brown Eyed Women.”
You can watch the full video shot and edited by Sean Smith of Foggy Notions Productions for yourself below, courtesy of the band. You can also take a listen to the full show, courtesy of McRoberts, and check out notes from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s first of two performances at LOCKN’ last year, courtesy of Peter Costello.
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | LOCKN’ Festival at Oak Ridge Farm | Arrington, VA | 8/26/2016
Set: Space -> Jam -> Truckin (SM) -> St Stephen # (All) -> The Eleven (TH & JR) -> Brown Eyed Women (TH) > The Wheel $ (All) -> Estimated Prophet (SM) -> Tennessee Jed (TH) > Viola Lee Blues % (All) > He’s Gone (TH) > Terrapin Suite ^ (TH)
Notes: # – With a “We’re Gonna Groove” (Led Zeppelin) Jam (Band) & a Dave Dreiwitz Bass Solo | $ – With a “Duo Jam”, “Fat Mama” (Herbie Hancock) Teases (MB), a Hell in A Bucket Tease (SM) & probably a bunch more from MB | % – With unknown tease (Band) & a “Heartbreaker” (Led Zeppelin) Tease (SM) | ^ – With “He’s Gone” lyrics sang over the intro, another “Fat Mama” Tease (MB), & another Duo Jam
[Photo: Emily Butler]