Joe Russo's Almost Dead at The Fillmore [review]
JRAD are more than just a Grateful Dead cover band
By Matt Bryant
December 22, 2015
SHOW DATE: December 19, 2015
For the past 2 years, all I’ve heard from Deadheads and jam fans alike was how excellent a show Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is to watch in concert. The band received hype and praise from fans and critics alike while headlining major summer festivals including Colorado’s own Arise Music Festival.
Meanwhile, I completely ignored them. After all, they are just another Dead cover band, right? Why should I spend my limited show budget on a cover band when there are so many other shows to choose from on a Friday night in Denver? This question was answered the moment the lights dropped at the Fillmore Auditorium on Saturday night.
Right out of the gate, it was very clear — these guys do not mess around.
They take their craft very seriously and in turn, took the responsibility of recreating highly cherished music while adding their own interpretations head on. Each member of the band is not only an expert on their individual instruments, but also well-versed in a wide variety of styles and come from very different musical backgrounds. This combination has the potential to create amazing things when improvisational music comes into play.
The depth that this band finds in their jams is unusual to see in a standard cover band. At times, it could be almost synchronistic, seeming to separate far apart but then coming together in beautiful culmination. There wasn’t a single moment that I can recall the entire evening that was lacking. The jams were complex and full with smooth transitions that flowed in and out of a very well-engineered setlist. The songs were well-constructed with obvious care and precision.
Highlights of the evening, of which there were many, included an early 1st set and rippin’ version of “Help Is On The Way” into a very cool, built up "Slipknot" which suddenly dropped into a deep, funky version of “Feel Like A Stranger”.
My personal favorite of the evening was a smooth rendition of the Donny Hathaway original, "Magnificent Sanctuary Band," a favorite of Jerry’s during the Jerry Garcia Band years and certainly not something heard played often.
Marco Benevento brought the absolute heat during crowd favorite “Althea” and Tommy Hamilton’s (American Babies) mysterious guitar jam in the middle of “Morning Dew” would have satisfied even the most serious of fans.
Joe Russo however, I feel is the most impressive piece of this band. He is a solid force on the drums who throws it down with a highly complex style that enhances anything he plays. I especially enjoyed his performance during "Eyes of The World".
The only complaint I have about the music on Saturday was the abrupt end to the second set, with no encore. But, this was no fault of the band who were obviously as upset about the unforeseen ending to the show at the end of a monstrous “Morning Dew” as the crowd was.
Perhaps even more special than the music that evening was the overall feel and vibe of the crowd itself. There are very few places in the music community where you can feel the obvious sense of belonging the way you can amongst the Grateful Dead family or at a Grateful Dead-related event of any kind, for that matter. It’s something that cannot be fully described and is impossible to simulate. It’s what makes the community tick and is the original source of the fire for so many improvisational musicians who both emulate the music and also take some sort of inspiration from it for their own original creations.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is a treat for any music lover. Yes, it’s a Grateful Dead cover band. It's also so much more than that. It’s a quality salute of respect from one group of highly talented musicians to both the original musicians & their fans. They take the music to a level that shines through like a love-light with every last note and truly makes you hope that the music never stops.