Joe Russo's Almost Dead
It was a summer New England weekend at the site of the Marshfield Fairgrounds in Marshfield, MA. The 7th Levitate Music & Arts Festival was underway with some big names in rock, reggae, blues, and jam music. Not only does it bring great music, but it also brings great philanthropy and a homegrown vibe.
What is fair to say and what is hyperbole? Is it overstating things to say the Grateful Dead have become so much more than just their music? They define pieces of us. Times with friends. Discovery. They have become an institution reaching further than just recordings of their shows. But no matter what, for all of us, it still starts there; with the music. The music was and is a driving force in us. But since it has ended, and it has ended, what we are left with are new branches growing from roots sewn in the 60’s.
On Sunday be sure to wake up early to catch the barefooted, Keller Williams lead LOCKN in some Grateful Dead tunes with his “Grateful Gospel” group. If you’re looking for some soul, then St. Paul & The Broken Bones are the ticket at the 5:30 PM slot on The Main Stage. Closing out the seventh annual LOCKN Festival will be Bob Weir & The Wolf Bros. (Jay Lane & Don Was) featuring Susan Tedeschi & Mikaela Davis.
If you’re trying to solidify your plans for the summer music festival season, look no further. Levitate Music Festival at the Marshfield Fair Grounds in Marshfield MA has you covered, and it’s almost sold out! The surf shop and apparel line, Levitate, based out of Marshfield, started the festival back in 2013. it's grown to what it is today and will bring a healthy dose of soul, funk, jam, and reggae to the south east section of Massachusetts all weekend. Grateful Web will be there to cover the action!
“Tennessee Jed” was a raucous riot, as it indubitably should be. The instrumental breaks showcased JRAD’s proclivity for shaking fresh ideas out of well-worn material. Benevento dropped a stanky, Dr. John crossed with Dave Brubeck piano piece. Metzger and Dreiwitz slipped into a parallel, Bizarro “Jed.” The entire unit tilted and started to spin ecstatically. It was like putting a Ferris wheel on top of a roller coaster. JRAD increasingly infused the Dead’s material with their own creative energy. They weren’t out to simply play these cherished songs; they sought to possess them and make them their own.
The third day of Bonnaroo 2019 dawned bright and beautiful with a near perfect climate. Some young bleary-eyed EDM music fans were wearily returning to their campsites after an all-night dance party. Meanwhile, other festival goers were waking up to sunrise yoga sessions and organized runs. The smell of coffee and doughnuts baking lingered in Centeroo.
The ever-evolving and highly-anticipated Levitate Music & Arts Festival is proud to highlight local performing and visual artists for its seventh annual event to take place on July 12-14, 2019 at the historic Marshfield Fairgrounds.
Jam scene visionaries Joe Russo’s Almost Dead are underway on their current 2019 winter tour, and this past week performed at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA, the following night at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT, and last night at The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ.
A live act virtuoso and seemingly always sparked by his curiosity and musical adventurism, Marco Benevento, is developing another instrument – his voice, which is featured in his 5th and latest record Swift. Just coming off his performance and celebration at the Gathering of the Vibes 20th anniversary, Marco graciously talks to Grateful Web in the late hours, just after midnight. Marco talks vocals, piano, Swift…goats, royal potato & Bob Dylan.
After having the greatest musical experience of my life for three shows in Chicago at the Dead’s last shows together less than a week before, I did not think it was so possible for that music high to continue, but the lineup and energy of the 2015 All Good Music Festival kept my music fix alive and well. Rolling deep with one of the best crews I have had in a while and an RV led to three days of uninterrupted music from one stage to another.
