Here Comes Sunshine- JRAD Brings the Heat to Westville 7/31

Photos and words by Filip Zalewski of Essence Photography

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead played an explosive 2 day run at Westville Music Bowl, which is quickly gaining the reputation of hottest new venue for jam bands. This is the third run of an 8 show residency at the Westville Music Bowl, which the band played with no repeats.

**Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Joe Ruso, Dave Dreiwitz, & Scott Metzger** of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

JRAD ofcourse has already gained a high reputation as a very unique, top tier Grateful Dead cover band. But truthfully they’re not like any GD cover band and it feels almost wrong to classify them as that. Yes they play the music of the Dead, but do it in a rocking, electrifying, completely unique way.

Saturday featured perfect weather for an outdoors show. It started off with “Stagger Lee” with Tom Hamilton on vocals followed by “Stuck Inside a Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again” sang by Scott Metzger. This led into a dynamic “West LA Fadeaway” with Tom on vocals. This featured a blazing solo by Tom Hamilton, an incredible display of skill from Marco Benevento, and a jam that went into “I Need a Miracle”. This featured Scott Metzger on vocals, who’s guitar playing was especially impressive during the first set.

**Scott Scott Scott Metzger Metzger Metzger**

This led way to the band closing the first set up with a peaceful “Bird Song”. As the band started to play the opening licks of the song, one singular bird flew over the venue from behind the stage over the crowd. A good sign for a promising second set.

**Tommy Hamilton** hits a high note, **Joe Russo** grooving hard.

They opened up with “Broken Arrow” with their own bassist Dave Dreiwitz on vocals. This gave way to one of my personal favorites JRAD renditions, “Throwing Stones”, which Scott does much justice with on vocals. “Ship of Fools” followed as everyone sang along before heading into a rarity, “Darkstar”. The band closed up the second set with an electrifying, explosive rendition of the masterpiece, “Terrapin Station”.

A fine evening at the **Westville Music Bowl**.

The sunshine daydream was brought to an end with a “Sugar Magnolia” encore, solidifying the no repeat 8 show run from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at The Westville Music Bowl.