Photo by Dino Perrucci

On Friday, Jan. 27, following a firey evening kicking off their 10th anniversary at the Brooklyn Bowl in New York–where it all began– Joe Russo’s Almost Dead continued the celebration of their music and longevity with the first of three evenings under the beautiful cupola of The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y.

The world’s premier Grateful Dead cover band, comprised of drummer Joe Russo, his friend and musical collaborator for over two decades Marco Benevento, Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz, and expert guitarists Scott Metzger and Tom Hamilton, began their three-night stay at The Capitol Theatre with a jam familiarizing themselves with the acoustics of the venue which Jerry Garcia famously adored. After allowing their sound to bounce overhead and locking into their individual roles, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead flowed into the first indefinable Grateful Dead classic of the evening, “Scarlet Begonias.”

With a single song, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead set the bar for the evening high, and they continued to showcase their ability to tap into the soul of Grateful Dead while seamlessly adding their own by flowing into “Six Days On The Road”: The cover of Grateful Deads ’70s take of the Dave Dudley rockabilly classic had Metzger and Hamilton’s chemistry on full display before they tilted towards the psychedelic on “Hell In A Bucket.” Following the three-song opening jam, the band continued with a pairing of “Black Peter” with the ever-complex “The Eleven.” After concluding the song, which would require a great deal of practice from any outfit, they jammed over “I Know You Rider,” which served as the perfect end to the first frame of their run at The Capitol Theatre.

The audience could tell the set was through by the sheer volume of their applause, over which a galvanized Russo introduced his friends and compatriots, which elicited even louder admiration. The inheritors of the spirit of the Grateful Dead took a short interlude but were quick to return to the stage and recapture the energy that has captivated and continues to captivate for generations.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead opened the second set with the calypso Harry Belafonte song, which was a staple in the Grateful Dead’s live repertoire from 1981 to 1995, “Man Smart, Woman Smarter.” Without pause, they melded the song with Jerry Garcia Band’s “Cats Under the Stars” into “Feel Like a Stranger.” Next came faithful performances of “Fraklin’s Tower” and “Throwing Stones.” Once again, separating the 10th-anniversary performances from those that had come before Joe Russo’s Almost Dead’s Hamilton, took on vocal responsibilities for their debut cover of “Days Between,” which served as the closing song of the second set.

After another short repose, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead returned to the stage for their encore, which was comprised of “Not Fade Away” before they closed with a fun and rapid take on Spacehog’s “In The Meantime” to close the show. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will continue their 10th-anniversary celebrations tonight.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, N.Y.
Jan 27, 2023

Set I: Jam, Scarlet Begonias > Six Days On The Road > Hell in a Bucket, Black Peter > The Eleven, I Know You Rider

Set II: Man Smart, Woman Smarter > Cats Under the Stars > Feel Like a Stranger, Franklin’s Tower, Throwing Stones, Days Between

Enc.: Not Fade Away The Crickets, In the Meantime (Spacehog cover)