Joe Russo’s Almost Dead have turned their Jazz Fest runs into a bit of a tradition over the past few years. This time around the group offered three sold out nights of Grateful Dead-inspired improvisational wizardry, delivering high-energy renditions of the beloved American band’s most cherished tunes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With an all-star lineup of drummer Joe Russo, keyboardist Marco Benevento, guitarist Scott Metzger, guitarist Tom Hamilton and bassist Dave Dreiwitz, the group makes reinterpreting the Dead canon in the most exciting way possible look like a walk in the park.
Fred Salinas was on hand to capture some photos of Saturday and Sunday night. You can check them out below each night’s setlist.
Photo by Fred Salinas.
Friday, May 5, 2017
Set One: Jam -> The Wheel @ -> Hoodoo Voodoo -> Uncle John’s Band # -> Bird Song Jam -> He’s Gone $ -> Estimated Prophet -> Crazy Fingers Jam %-> The Other One
Set Two: Such A Night -> Viola Lee Blues ^ -> Cumberland Blues & > Shakedown Street * -> Drums -> Good Lovin -> Sugar Magnolia/Sunshine Daydream
E: Tonight, I’ll Be Staying Here With You
@ – With Bird Song Teases (MB)
# – with a “Duo Jam”
$ – Contained a Bird Song Jam that may become its own track.
% – First Time Played by Almost Dead
^ – With a “Look A Py Py” (The Meters) Tease (Band), a Not Fade Away Tease (Band) & an Unknown Tease (MB)
& – With Katie Jacoby on Violin, a “Hoedown” (Aaron Copeland) Tease (MB), an Unknown Tease (TH) and a “When The Saints Go Marching In” (Traditional) Tease (SM)
* – With Katie Jacoby on Violin
Saturday, May 6, 2017
Set One: Greatest Story > Scarlet Begonias -> Help On The Way -> Slipknot! -> Fire On The Mountain, Gonesville -> Not Fade Away
Set Two: Lost Sailor @ -> Saint Of Circumstance #, Althea -> Jam -> Truckin $ -> Tennessee Jed %
E: Bertha
@ – With a Tease from TH that I missed, but Sean thinks it was The Beatles, maybe Day Tripper?
# – With “Head Over Heels” (Tears for Fears) Teases (MB & TH)
$ – With Born Cross Eyed Teases (TH)
% – With a “Chop Sticks” (Euphemia Allen under the pseudonym Arthur de Lulli) Tease (MB)
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Set One: Samson & Delilah -> Jack Straw > Loser -> Vampire Blues -> Throwing Stones @ > Stella Blue # -> Music Never Stopped $
Set Two: Ruben & Cherise % -> I Know You Rider ^ -> Let It Grow -> Tico Tico & -> Let It Grow Reprise -> Eyes Of The World $ > Dancing In The Streets * -> Franklin’s Tower
E: Brokedown Palace
@ – With “Ticket To Ride” (The Beatles) Tease (TH), a Duo Jam, an Unknown Tease (TH & MB) & a China>Rider Transition Tease (Band)
# – With a Throwin Stones Tease (SM)
$ – With a Stella Blue Tease (TH)
% – With a “Who Are You” (The Who) Tease (Band)
^ – With a “Midnight Rider” (The Allman Brothers Band) Tease (TH)
& – Zequinha de Abreu Cover (Full Title is “Tico-Tico no Fubá”), First Time Played by Almost Dead
* – With a “Fame” (David Bowie) Tease (DD) & a “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” (Michael Jackson) Tease (MB)
All photos by Fred Salinas.
