Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) made its triumphant return to The Stone Pony Summerstage on Friday, May 22, although this time it felt more like a winter stage.
After a short heatwave with temperatures reaching almost 100 degrees, this day with temperatures around 50 degrees and gloomy skies felt like everyone really did step into the freezer. The bright side is it didn’t pour rain and that the best thing to happen to the Grateful Dead music since the Grateful Dead was playing two electric sets, in hometown territory for most of the band members.
The band walked on stage and so did Teddy, who walked to the front of the stage like a true rock star to greet his audience. He is undeniably the cutest and everyone’s favorite member of the band, sorry boys.
It was cold on this day so the band had to get it hot, “Fire on The Mountain” got everyone grooving to a familiar tune, a real Deadhead favorite. “Bertha” followed with more energy and kept the crowd dancing. “Dark Hollow” was played next which displayed a slower, nostalgic, bluesy feeling with the great Scott Metzger shining on vocals, followed by “I Need a Miracle”, a personal favorite of the set where again Metzger shined on vocals and the bands synchronicity was made obvious. The rest of the set included a nod to the late, great Bob Weir with “Cassidy”, followed by “The Eleven” > “Hot’Lanta”.
The crowd was warmed up and ready to rock. Opening the second set was one of my favorite JRAD renditions that had me singing and swaying in the photo pit, “The Wheel”. Followed was a classic Grateful Dead banger “Playing in The Band” followed by “They Love Each Other,” some real crowd favorites played to start the second set strong.
The second set also included a touching, don’t give up kind of song, “Touch of Grey” followed by the peaceful anthem, “Jack Straw”. The band invited their friend Matt Townbridge up to sing on “Caravan” with them. They concluded with a belting “Sugar Magnolia” featuring Metzger again really blowing the crowd away on vocals, “Sunshine Daydream!”.
JRAD encored with “Summertime Blues” and absolutely played until the very last second of the hard curfew, putting it all out on the line for this hometown crowd.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead continues to push the envelope on what is possible with the Grateful Dead catalog, transforming it into something very much their own, and solidifying their place at the very top of the bands playing this beloved, almost sacred catalog of music, while simultaneously proving that they are very much more than just another Grateful Dead tribute band.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) – The Stone Pony Summerstage – Friday, May 22, 2026
Set 1: Fire on the Mountain > Bertha, Dark Hollow > I Need a Miracle > Cassidy > The Eleven > Hot ’Lanta
Set 2: The Wheel, Playing in the Band >They Love Each Other > Touch of Grey > Jack Straw, Caravan (with Matt Trowbridge), Sugar Magnolia, Summertime Blues
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