After spending two nights in Brooklyn – one scheduled, and the other impromptu – Joe Russo’s Almost Dead made their way out to Port Chester, NY for the first of two nights at The Capitol Theatre. Almost Dead continues to impress fans with their one-of-a-kind take on the Grateful Dead. While the Brooklyn Bowl show on 12/29 focused more on the Dead’s material, the band took more liberties with the catalog and worked outside the box for a great performance.
Opening up with a jam on “King Bee,” Almost Dead ran through a number of Dead classics like “The Eleven”, “Beat It On Down The Line”, “Feel Like A Stranger”, “Cumberland Blues” and more! Watch a video of the opening jam into “The Eleven,” streaming below.
The set continued with “The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion)” with special guest Alecia Chakour, before going into the Bob Weir penned classic, “Estimated Prophet”. After some “Space” jamming, the band slid into a “Bird Song” jam that segued into The Beatles’ “Day Tripper.” They returned to play “Bird Song” proper, before going into “King Solomon’s Marbles.” Finally, they closed the set with a reprise of “Bird Song”, putting a cap on a great set of music at The Cap.
Set two continued with an opening “Til The Morning Comes”, with Alecia Chakour, who stayed on for “Passenger” as well. The band called on Cochemea Gastelum, of the Dap-Kings, to accompany on a great version of “Viola Lee Blues,” which erupted into a great improvisational jam before settling into “Uncle John’s Band.” They segued “UJB” into the Benevento Russo Duo song “Becky,” leaving Marco Benevento and Joe Russo to showcase their original tune before returning to “Uncle John’s Band.”
Watch “Viola Lee Blues” below, courtesy of the band.
They then reprised “Viola Lee Blues” before going into a debut cover of “Hood Doo Voo Doo” by Wilco/Billy Bragg/Woody Guthrie, before turning things up with an excellent “Turn On Your Lovelight” > “Shakedown Street” combination. They ultimately closed the set with “Throwing Stones”, and would return for one more song, an encore rendition of The Band’s “The Weight” with Alecia Chakour once more.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will ring in the New Year at The Capitol Theatre, tonight, December 31st. You can check out the full audio from last night’s show below, as well as the full setlist.
Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY | 12/30/16
Set 1 (8:45PM – 10:12PM)
King Bee Jam + ->
The Eleven @ (All) >
BIODTL # (SM) >
Feel Like A Stranger (SM) >
Cumberland Blues $ (All) ->
The Stranger (Two Souls In Communion) (AC)
Estimated Prophet (SM) ->
Space ->
Bird Song Jam + ->
Day Tripper % (TH) ->
Bird Song ^ (TH) ->
King Solomon’s Marbles & ->
Bird Song Reprise + (TH)
Set 2 (10:49PM – 12:??AM)
Til The Morning Comes + (All + AC) ->
Passenger + (SM & AC) ->
Viola Lee Blues * (All) ->
Jam ->
Uncle John’s Band (All) ->
Becky @@ ->
Uncle John’s Band Reprise (All) ->
Viola Lee Blues Reprise (All) ->
Hoo Doo Voo Doo ++ (SM) ->
Lovelight * (AC) ->
Shakedown Street ## (TH) >
Throwing Stones $$ (SM)
ENC: The Weight (All + AC)
AC is Alecia Chakour (Tedeschi Trucks Band) on Vocals
+ – First Time Played by Almost Dead
@ – With at Throwin’ Stones Tease (TH)
# – 30 Beat BIODTL for Dec 30th
$ – With Feel Like A Stranger & Hoedown (Aaron Copeland) Teases (MB) & a Lovelight Jam (Band)
% – First Time Played by Almost Dead, Beatles Cover, Unfinished, 2 verses were sung
^ – With a Day Tripper (The Beatles) Tease (MB)
& – Unfinished
* – With Cochemea Gastelum (Dap Kings) on Bari Sax
@@ – Benevento Russo Duo Cover, not played since 2015-10-03, a gap of 46 shows. Basically only Joe & Marco played on this song.
++ – Wilco/Billy Bragg/Woody Guthrie Cover, First Time Played by Almost Dead.
## – With a MB Piano Solo, an On The Road Again Tease (Band), a “That’s All” (Phil Collins) Tease – I think, it might be something else (Band) & an unknown jam (Band) that I may be able to figure out.
$$ – With an Unknown Tease (TH)
[Setlist via Peter Costello // Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Facebook]