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Dark Star Orchestra Tickets

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Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 1377 reviews

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Concerts in United States

About

Dark Star Orchestra on Tour

More than just a tribute band, the seven members of the Dark Star Orchestra are dedicated to the Grateful Dead live experience, best known for playing full setlists picked from their 2,000+ concerts. The Grateful Dead's live show is legendary, a catalog of improvisation traded and celebrated across decades. The Dark Star Orchestra re-creates the Dead's intra-band interplay and pastoral guitar soloing. Remarkably devoted and true to the source material, DSO tailors their arrangements, gear and tempos to the era of the evening. Some nights find the DSO creating original setlists, playing sets from the Jerry Garcia Band or even jamming with members of the Dead themselves.

Dark Star Orchestra in Concert

Formed in Chicago in 1997, Dark Star Orchestra provides generations of fans with the chance to experience entire Grateful Dead sets, song by song. Named after "Dark Star," a part of the Dead's set known for exploratory jams, DSO rose to national prominence in 1998 when Mike Gordon and John Fishman of Phish joined them for a performance of the Dead's 1983 Halloween show. DSO promptly became a touring sensation: At 2,800 shows and counting, DSO have played more shows than the Grateful Dead themselves. They ultimately enlisted keyboardist Rob Barraco of Phil Lesh and Friends, the Other Ones and the 2003 touring version of the Dead. The DSO have played Bonnaroo and Milwaukee's SummerFest, and they've been hosting their own annual fests for years - the Dark Star Jubilee in Ohio and the Jam in the Sand in Jamaica. Perhaps the most important honor for DSO, though, is enlisting actual members of the Grateful Dead, having performed on stage accompanied by Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Donna Jean Godchaux, Vince Welnick and Tom Constanten. A 2018 show even found guitarist Jeff Mattson playing Jerry Garcia's custom-made guitar, "Wolf," which the Dead founder used for two decades.

Setlists

  1. Set 1:

    1. 1.Ramble On Rose (Grateful Dead cover)
    2. 2.Black-Throated Wind (Bob Weir cover)
    3. 3.Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo (Grateful Dead cover)
    4. 4.Beat It on Down the Line (Jesse Fuller cover)
    5. 5.Row Jimmy (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 6.Jack Straw (Grateful Dead cover)
    7. 7.Let It Rock (Chuck Berry cover)
    8. 8.Cumberland Blues (Grateful Dead cover)
    9. 9.El Paso (Marty Robbins cover)
    10. 10.To Lay Me Down (Jerry Garcia cover)
    11. 11.Weather Report Suite (Grateful Dead cover)
    12. 12.China Doll (Grateful Dead cover)

  2. Set 2:

    1. 13.Ship of Fools (Grateful Dead cover)
    2. 14.Big River (Johnny Cash cover)
    3. 15.Black Peter (Grateful Dead cover)
    4. 16.Around and Around (Chuck Berry cover)
    5. 17.Dark Star Jam (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 18.Spanish Jam (Grateful Dead cover)
    7. 19.U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 20.Uncle John's Band (Grateful Dead cover)
    9. 21.One More Saturday Night (Bob Weir cover)

  3. Encore

    1. 22.Casey Jones (Grateful Dead cover)

  1. Set 1:

    1. 1.Sugaree (Jerry Garcia cover)
    2. 2.Run for the Roses (Jerry Garcia cover)
    3. 3.Box of Rain (Grateful Dead cover)
    4. 4.Next Time You See Me (Junior Parker cover)
    5. 5.Mission in the Rain (Jerry Garcia cover)
    6. 6.I'll Be With Thee ([traditional] cover)
    7. 7.That's What Love Will Make You Do (Little Milton cover)
    8. 8.From the Heart of Me (Grateful Dead cover)
    9. 9.Midnight Moonlight (Old & In the Way cover)
    10. 10.Like a Road Leading Home (Albert King cover)
    11. 11.Deal (Jerry Garcia cover)

  2. Set 2:

    1. 12.The Harder They Come (Jimmy Cliff cover)
    2. 13.The Strange Man (Dorothy Love Coates cover)
    3. 14.They Love Each Other (Jerry Garcia cover)
    4. 15.Easy Wind (Grateful Dead cover)
    5. 16.Lonesome and a Long Way From Home (Delaney & Bonnie cover)
    6. 17.Drums > (Grateful Dead cover)
    7. 18.Space > (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 19.The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic cover)
    9. 20.Love the One You're With (Stephen Stills cover)
    10. 21.Tangled Up in Blue (Bob Dylan cover)

  3. Encore

    1. 22.Ripple (Grateful Dead cover)

  1. Set 1:

    1. 1.Alabama Getaway > (Grateful Dead cover)
    2. 2.Promised Land (Chuck Berry cover)
    3. 3.They Love Each Other > (Jerry Garcia cover)
    4. 4.El Paso (Marty Robbins cover)
    5. 5.Tennessee Jed (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 6.Cassidy (Bob Weir cover)
    7. 7.Althea > (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 8.Looks Like Rain (Bob Weir cover)
    9. 9.Far From Me (Grateful Dead cover)
    10. 10.The Music Never Stopped (Grateful Dead cover)

  2. Set 2:

    1. 11.China Cat Sunflower > (Grateful Dead cover)
    2. 12.I Know You Rider > ([traditional] cover)
    3. 13.C.C. Rider (Elvis Presley cover)
    4. 14.Peggy-O ([traditional] cover)
    5. 15.Lost Sailor > (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 16.Saint of Circumstance > (Grateful Dead cover)
    7. 17.Drums > (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 18.Space > (Grateful Dead cover)
    9. 19.Wharf Rat > (Grateful Dead cover)
    10. 20.I Need a Miracle > (Grateful Dead cover)
    11. 21.Bertha > (Grateful Dead cover)
    12. 22.Good Lovin' (The Olympics cover)

  3. Encore

    1. 23.U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead cover)
    2. 24.Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (Sly & the Family Stone cover)
    1. 1.Day Tripper (The Beatles cover)
    2. 2.West L.A. Fadeaway (Grateful Dead cover)
    3. 3.Beat It on Down the Line (Jesse Fuller cover)
    4. 4.Loose Lucy (Grateful Dead cover)
    5. 5.My Brother Esau (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 6.Keep On Growing (Derek and the Dominos cover)
    7. 7.Candyman (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 8.Passenger (Grateful Dead cover)
    9. 9.The Harder They Come (Jimmy Cliff cover)
    10. 10.Greatest Story Ever Told (Bob Weir cover)

  2. Set 2:

    1. 11.Man Smart, Woman Smarter (King Radio cover)
    2. 12.Mr. Charlie (Grateful Dead cover)
    3. 13.He's Gone (Grateful Dead cover)
    4. 14.New Speedway Boogie (Grateful Dead cover)
    5. 15.Drums > (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 16.Space > (Grateful Dead cover)
    7. 17.Unbroken Chain (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 18.Going Down the Road Feeling Bad ([traditional] cover)
    9. 19.I'll Take a Melody (Frankie Miller cover)
    10. 20.The Golden Road (to Unlimited Devotion) (Grateful Dead cover)

  3. Encore

    1. 21.Volunteers (Jefferson Airplane cover)
    1. 1.China Cat Sunflower (Grateful Dead cover)
    2. 2.I Know You Rider ([traditional] cover)
    3. 3.Greatest Story Ever Told (Bob Weir cover)
    4. 4.Piece of My Heart (Erma Franklin cover)
    5. 5.Box of Rain (Grateful Dead cover)
    6. 6.Bird Song (Jerry Garcia cover)
    7. 7.Feel Like a Stranger (Grateful Dead cover)
    8. 8.Help on the Way (Grateful Dead cover)
    9. 9.Slipknot! (Grateful Dead cover)
    10. 10.Franklin's Tower (Grateful Dead cover)
    11. 11.Estimated Prophet (Grateful Dead cover)
    12. 12.Eyes of the World (Grateful Dead cover)
    13. 13.Going Down the Road Feeling Bad ([traditional] cover)

  2. Encore

    1. 14.Woodstock (Joni Mitchell cover)

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Reviews

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 1377 reviews
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  • DSO at Penn's Peak, Nov. 26

    by Peter C., New Jersey on 12/2/25Penn's Peak - Jim ThorpeRating: 5 out of 5

    I've been going to Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) shows all over (many states, but especially the PA and New Jersey area) for 20+ years, and the annual pre-Thanksgiving show at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA has become quite a tradition over the past 10-11 years. It kinda marks the beginning of the holiday season and "sets the table"for a great Thanksgiving. I drive in from New Jersey and Jim Thorpe, PA is such a cool, funky little town. Sometimes I'm with friends, sometimes it's just me. My buddy came in from Las Vegas to visit family in PA and NJ, so the two of us attended last week, Nov. 26. We really enjoy Penn's Peak as it's easy to get to and a great and very comfortable mid-size venue, with excellent sound. The DSO show was sold out and the band was "ON FIRE"... played a fantastic 3-plus hours show. We had a blast. BIG FAN of Dark Star Orchestra and Penn's Peak!! Cheers. Peter C., West Trenton, NJ

  • Dark star lit up the joint!

    by Margut01 on 12/2/25The Paramount in concert with Northwell - HuntingtonRating: 5 out of 5

    Excellent show as usual and Tom who filled in for Rob was seamless!

  • Obstructed view not indicated at point of sale

    by Jeff on 12/2/25The Paramount in concert with Northwell - HuntingtonRating: 2 out of 5

    When I bought the ticket, it did not say obstructed view. The guitarist, stage right was obstructed by a wall protruding out in front of my left stage view. Never would have bought obstructed view. People around me were not happy either. MAKE SURE YOU CLEARLY INTICATE OBSTRUCTED VIEW.

  • Doesn’t get better…

    by RCA on 12/2/25The Paramount in concert with Northwell - HuntingtonRating: 5 out of 5

    DSO did not disappoint., but they never do. They rocked the entire show. Could have stayed for another three hours!!

  • Paramount 11/28 . The show must go on! So improvise.

    by Huntington Haniac on 12/1/25The Paramount in concert with Northwell - HuntingtonRating: 3 out of 5

    Went with my son and some long time Heads . It was one of the weaker DSO shows I ve seen but since the Rythm guitarist and “ Bobby Ace” of the band called in sick , they had to improvise. I will give them a lot of CRED for having a really deep tracks set. Selfishly , since it was my son’s first DSO show I wanted more of what was played the next night 11/29. Although very good, I m having trouble with the idea of paying over a Hundo a tick for Cover Bands . Taking a 50 minute break and then going into Space/Drums 3 songs into 2nd set annoyed me but at least that semi cleared out the oversold GA Floor area. There were some good moments but the sets lacked a flow. Really a 3.5.

  • Spontaneous Cover Gig

    by Chappy on 12/1/25The Paramount in concert with Northwell - HuntingtonRating: 4 out of 5

    D.S.O., reeling from a last minute & unexpected card being dealt to them, a medical emergency, the shows going to be without Rob Eaton (the "Bobby"part of the band). From the way the band was acting, right from the beginning, you could tell that their thoughts and concerns were with their bandmate, which is to be expected and admired (my opinion). The outcome of not having the rhythm guitar portion of the D.S.O. band made for a "DIFFERENT"show. D.S.O. paid tribute to their missing comrade by playing us a spontaneous mix of Jerry songs, along with covers from Traffic, Junior Parker, Little Milton, Jimmy Cliff (tribute to), Dylan, Stills and a couple of Dead classics with a couple songs focused on Donna Jean's contributions to the Grateful Dead. Gotta say, not the show that I wanted to see but I can say that this group of musicians are an extremely talented group. The show was still a evening filled with beloved music to entertain this fan of classic JGB & The Grateful Dead classic covers. Can't wait for the next time this band is in a venue that's within striking distance for my attendance.

  • Interesting set list but not what we expected.

    by Mdp on 12/1/25The Paramount in concert with Northwell - HuntingtonRating: 4 out of 5

    Missing Rob, I’m guessing that they changed the set list. It was quite unusual.

  • Great show not enough seats

    by Sissyjanet on 11/29/25Penn's Peak - Jim ThorpeRating: 5 out of 5

    Show was good venue was really nice my first time there. Parking was easy as was getting in and out of the parking lot. The only complaint was not enough seats for us geezers I'm 65 and a lot of the people at these shows are older than me its a long time to stand up.

  • Thank You for a real good time

    by BigDog on 11/24/25The Wellmont Theater - MontclairRating: 5 out of 5

    I almost like seeing a good cover band rather than shell out a couple hundred bucks for Dead and Co. DSO is the real deal.

  • really enjoyed the venue and music

    by jmf on 11/24/25The Wellmont Theater - MontclairRating: 5 out of 5

    love the intimacy of the venue and the music was great enjoyable evening