Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kicked off its final run of 2024 with a show in Milwaukee on Thursday, embracing the holiday season with an opening “Stagger Lee”. The one-off show at the Riverside Theater began a tri-state swing through the Midwest continuing tonight, December 6th, in Chicago and concluding on Sunday in St. Paul, MN.

Out of a slow-building ethereal jam, JRAD found its way to cult favorite Jerry Garcia ballad “Stagger Lee” to start the show. While the song is not overtly Christmas-themed—and chronicles activity that would land its protagonist on Santa’s naughty list—the opening line of “Nineteen-forty, Xmas eve, with the full moon over town,” surely put some in the holiday spirit. One such person may have been keyboardist Marco Benevento, who snuck a tease of A Charlie Brown Christmas favorite “Linus and Lucy” into the first set-closing “Fire on the Mountain”.

That walk-off “Fire on the Mountain” was one of several standout jams that night, which included lengthy takes on “Good Lovin'” and “Shakedown Street” in set one. The pent-up momentum that erupted in “Fire on the Mountain” made it a highlight in an evening full of them, as Tom Hamilton‘s frenetic runs on the fretboard juxtaposed with the relaxed reggae bob. Before digging into mind-bending, free-jazz explorations on staple vehicles “Playing in the Band” and “Eyes of the World”, the second set got started with a “My Brother Esau” that exemplified what puts JRAD in a league of its own.

In a world where Grateful Dead tributes can be found everywhere from saloons to the Sphere, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead dares to break the mold of predictability. From the group’s dynamic interpretations of the hallowed catalog to its willingness to explore the back pages of the songbook, JRAD continues the musical conversation that the Dead started 60 years ago, rather than just repeating what has already been said.

Watch a free preview of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead from Milwaukee below, and stream taper audio on Internet Archive. Tune into livestreams of JRAD’s final shows of the year on nugs. Not a nugs subscriber yet? Sign up for a seven-day free trial here. [Editor’s Note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your nugs subscription or purchasing a download via the links on this page helps support our coverage of the world of live music. Thank you for reading!]

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead — “Stagger Lee” [Pro-Shot] — 12/5/24

Setlist: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead | Riverside Theater | Milwaukee, WI | 12/5/24

Set One (8:16PM – 9:40PM): Jam -> Stagger Lee -> Good Lovin’ (The Rascals) @ > Shakedown Street # -> Born Cross Eyed Jam -> Truckin’ $ -> Fire On The Mountain %
Set Two (10:11PM – 11:51PM): Jam -> My Brother Esau ^, The Wheel & -> Loose Lucy > Playing In The Band, Eyes Of The World + -> Franklin’s Tower +
Encore: When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan)

Show #358
@ – With a Scarlet Begonias Tease (MB)
# – With a Terrapin Station Tease (TH)
$ – With a Good Lovin’ Tease (S) & Tennessee Jed Teases (SM & Band)
% – With a “Linus & Lucy” (Vince Guaraldi) Tease (MB) and a Hell In A Bucket Tease (Band)
^ – With a Let It Grow Tease (TH)
& – With a DD Solo & “Layla” (Derek and the Dominos) Teases/Jam (Band)
* – With a Ruben & Cerise Tease (MB)
+ – With a Loose Lucy Tease (SM)

Pre Show Music & Set Break Music: New Motown Playlist
Walk Out Music: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey