Oteil Burbridge and Branford Marsalis Join Joe Russo’s Almost Dead in Sin City
Photo Credit: Chad Anderson
On Wednesday, April 23, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead turned up at Las Vegas’ Brooklyn Bowl location for the first of three nights on the Sin City stage. The evening was billed to feature accompaniment from special guest saxophonist Branford Marsalis, a former collaborator with the Grateful Dead, who assisted in extemporizing specific numbers and leaning into jazz tendencies while on stage. Dead & Company bassist, Oteil Burbridge, also showed up, assisting on a choice cover during the concert’s initial half.
Tracking Marsalis’ history with the Dead, he first joined the San Francisco jam giants on March 29, 1990, at the Nassau Coliseum. Subsequently, the celebrated jazz artist continued to join the ensemble, appearing during their New Year’s Eve concert in Oakland, followed by one-offs that further solidified his status as a 90s-era musical ally. Thus, his understanding of the Grateful Dead’s archive facilitated the arrival of sage material during the mid-week concert.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead commenced the concert with “Candyman,” which merged into a section of instrumentation before the onset of the night’s second number, “Catfish John.” They positioned party-starter, “The Music Never Stopped,” ahead of “Playing in the Band,” which marked the arrival of Burbridge, who, ahead of this weekend’s Sphere commitment, joined the other Dead-related ensemble to perform the fan favorite.
“Uncle John’s Band” represented the final song of the concert’s first half. After a set break, the group returned, cutting into the Jerry Garcia Band’s “Cat Under the Stars,” before flowing into Johnny Cash’s “Big River.” “Estimated Prophet” emerged ahead of “Dancing in the Streets” and the percussive push issued on “Eyes of the World” and “King Solomon’s Marbles.” Traditionally, “I Know You Rider” served as the final number of the frame, before the group returned for their encore, “Big Railroad Blues.”
The band returned to the Las Vegas concert venue last night, with Marsalis in tow. Meanwhile, Burbridge was busy at Sphere, where Dead & Company performed night one of their weekend-specific run. During last night’s D&C performance, they revived Reverend Gary Davis’ “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” for the first time since June 6, 2024, in addition to a range of favorites that celebrated the Dead’s historic tenure and ongoing impact.
Like night one at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, last night’s JRAD return featured adaptations of deep cuts and fan favorites that showcased the band’s ability to improvise and achieve sonic synchronicity.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead returns to the concert location tonight, Friday, April 2,5 for their third and final concert during this Sin City run.
Tickets remain on sale. For those unable to attend, nugs.net will stream tonight’s concert.
View this post on Instagram
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas
April 23, 2025
Set I: Candyman, Jam, Catfish John, The Music Never Stopped, Playing in the Band+, Uncle John’s Band
Set II: Cats Under the Stars, Big River, Estimated Prophet, Dancing in the Street, Eyes of the World, King Solomon’s Marbles, I Know You Rider
Enc.: Big Railroad Blues
Notes:
+ With Oteil Burbridge
Entire show with Branford Marsalis on sax
