Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

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I wasn’t familiar with Joe Russo, or Almost Dead until a few weeks ago. I ran across this video on YT and stopped to listen because it’s a cover of the Allman Brothers classic instrumental, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.

It was pretty easy to figure out from the band name that they are a Grateful Dead cover band. Russo formed the band in 2013, and their first gig was at the Brooklyn Bowl, in New York City. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Russo has been the drummer for Further and Benevento/Russo Duo. Further was a band founded by former Dead bandmates Phil Lesh and Bob Weir.

The Benevento/Russo Duo is Russo and fellow member of Almost Dead, Marco Benevento. The Duo’s style is more alternative jazz/rock.

Almost Dead, or JRAD as they are also known, breaks out of their Dead cover tunes to put their take on this Dickey Betts classic. The performance is from Nov, 2022 at the Metropolitan Opera House in Pennsylvania.

Enjoy

Having been a musician most of my life, in local bands playing in little bars, to national touring acts, I find it interesting when a band or artist just kind of appears. Not much in the way of history or former bands, just put the band together and start playing major venues and festivals.

And they’re a cover band. I wish I would have known how in the hell to do that.

One of my main objectives on this website is to promote the bands and artists that I find and feature. I encourage readers to purchase the band’s music in all of its forms, and grab some of their merchandise.

JARD doesn’t really have that. There are a few MP3’s of Almost Dead live shows on Amazon. But I couldn’t find that they have  released any albums.

Visit the Joe Russo’s Almost Dead website for tour dates, social media links, and merchandise.