On May 30, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead closed out their three-night run at New Haven, CT’s Westville Music Bowl. Auxiliary JRAD saxophonist/flute player Stuart Bogie – who is a longtime member of the Antibalas family and currently tours with Arcade Fire – augmented the core five members throughout the night. The evening kicked off with “Eyes of the World” – a Dead song that has long enjoyed some extra brass work, particularly the contributions of Branford Marsalis. After “Estimated Prophet,” Almost Dead moved from “Cassidy”  into “Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad,” offered a standalone   “Candyman” and then segued from “The Eleven” into “Franklin’s Tower.”

JRAD’s second set opened with the traditional pairing of “Scarlet Begonias” and “Fire on the Mountain.” From there, the musicians moved into a the meat of the set, with “Beat It on Down the Line,” “He’s Gone” and “Playing in the Band,” before closing with the Dead’s traditional Sunday tune, “Samson and Delilah.” Making good use of Bogie’s saxophone work, JRAD then returned for the lone encore of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” a number the group has covered on occasion since 2015. 

JRAD will return to New Haven on June 18. Bogie will perform with The Spencer Zahn Quartet at New York’s Nublu 151 on June 25.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Setlist.fm

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
May 30
Westville Music Bowl, New Haven, CT

Set I: Eyes of the World> Estimated Prophet, Cassidy > Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad > Candyman, The Eleven, Franklin’s Tower

Set II: Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain, Beat It on Down the Line, He’s Gone >Playing in the Band, Samson and Delilah

E: Born to Run

Stuart Bogie sat in on saxophone and flute throughout the night