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Listen to JRAD debut “Badge” and take on “Mountain Jam.”
By Nate Todd Oct 5, 2026 • 1:54 pm PDT
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead rolled into Chicago on Friday during a three-show, multi-city Midwest swing. The Grateful Dead tribute act turned to the catalogs of Cream and The Allman Brothers Band during the concert at The Salt Shed.
JRAD launched the show with a pair of the Dead tunes “Cassidy” and “Touch Of Grey.” The ensuing “I Need A Miracle” saw the band playing with elements of Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.”
The quintet then linked up “They Love Each Other” and “Uncle John’s Band” ahead of a cover from The Band catalog, “Ophelia.” The first set came to a close with an expansive “Jack Straw.”
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead continueed to explore with the psychedelic-era Dead classic “St Stephen” to kick off the second frame. “St. Stephen” bled into the JRAD premiere of “Badge.”
The song originally appears on Cream’s aptly named final album Goodbye, released in 1969. Eric Clapton co-wrote the song with George Harrison. JRAD guitarist Tom Hamilton sang lead on the number in Chicago.
Emerging from the jam out of “Badge,” JRAD surged into The Allman Brothers Band’s instrumental adaptation of Donovan’s “There Is A Mountain.” Dubbed “Mountain Jam,” ABB included a live version on their 1972 album Eat A Peach. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead offered a partial rendering of “Mountain Jam” earlier this year with Warren Haynes at The Capitol Theatre.
JRAD’s Chicago “MJ” came complete with the song’s signature guitar harmonies from Hamilton and Scott Metzger along with a B3 organ rave up from Marco Benevento. Following “Mountain Jam,” the band got into Traffic‘s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” which they tagged with the iconic “Hey Jude” outro, a favorite 80s juxtaposition of the Grateful Dead.
“Estimated Prophet,” “Bird Song” and a take on Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money” followed. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead sealed the Chicago show with “Morning Dew.”
Listen to full-show audio below via taper Jeff Travitz:
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Cassidy
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Touch of Grey
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I Need a Miracle
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They Love Each Other
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Uncle John’s Band
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Ophelia
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Jack Straw
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Jam
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St. Stephen
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Badge
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Mountain Jam
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Dear Mr. Fantasy
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Hey Jude
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Estimated Prophet
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Bird Song
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Lawyers, Guns and Money
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Morning Dew
Setlist data setlist.fm.
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