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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.
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Long time Head, 163 GD shows! Crowd and electricity in the air was perfect. Took my wife, never saw GD. Wanted her to see a close 2nd to the GD. Well, she loved the show and now understands my 45 year relationship. To DSO many thanks!!!😎👍
The sound was on point and the musicianship was Excellent. Crowd was very kind. If you never got to experience a Grateful Dead show before Jerry died this is the closest thing you will find. HIGHLY Recommended!
Everything you could want in a Grateful Dead cover band!!!
Best Dead tribute band in the country. Always a great performance and better in your hometown with all your deadhead friends!
Show was awesome...not a bad seat in the house...along with refreshments ;-)
Saw First dead show in 76, about 250 later, still loving Dead and all bands playing that groove. Dark Star is unbelievable. A kicking sets with sweet encore of Broke down palace, Playing reprise and ended with the Weight. Went with my 26 year old son, that is special.
Really enjoyed the Friday show. The Thanksgiving DSO shows have become traditional for my son and me.
DSO way to go! I’ll never miss these guys again! What a flippin BLAST! First time at this Venue and I hope to see more shows in the future.
I had the Best time at the DSO show, easily the best show by them yet, I never felt more like family with the band and the crowd. Did some wicked shrooms and saw god. I intend to go and see them again at this location, made my entire year of music, just incredible. Thank you.
The Madrid theater (Kansas City) house sound tech was located behind the band back stage. Sound was pretty bad. That being said....... The band was on point! Superb 2nd set bird song, and a Viola Lee blues to boot!!
Nice little venue to enjoy a band you want to see. Seats were elevated well to be able to see. However, charging $10 a beer and not accepting cash is ridiculous.
It was excellent! Close your eyes and it sounds like it did before August 9, 1995. There are many Dead cover bands, but DSO are “the only ones who do what they do”
Wow. My 1st Grateful Dead tribute band. Not disappointed, either! I saw the Dead 100x. I could have closed my eyes and I'd be listening to Jerry and Bobby. I'm looking forward to seeing them again!
Great show from a great band! The anthem is a really cool venue. Hope DSO comes back to it. We toured from Pittsburgh to Erie and ended up in DC
Hadn't seen Sunrise in a long time, nice treat! Met lots of fun, cool people. Wonderful show!
We played a lot of awesome songs and some were surprises to say at least!
DSO Rocked an Amazing show from the '70's that blew the roof off. Plus 3 tasty tunes at the end from different era's.
I've seen DSO at The Anthem several times. This time was the best. I felt the sound system was much improved in terms of sound quality...Finally!!!
Unbelievable. I was at the actual show they did (May 1977, Fox ATL). It was the night prior to the double CD Dick's Pick Fox, next night Pembroke Pines, FL. The more stellar night as I always recalled when listening to the Dick's pick. Then again, it was only my 3rd show and first that I dosed (paper we called green dragon that looked exactly like the stamp print on the Dick's Pick CD. Yikes!). Great seats at one of the greatest venues. Any way at the Tabbie it was during the Minglewood 1st set that I started to think. Man this just seems familiar. By the time the Lazy Lightening>Supplication were in full swing I knew it was that long ago Fox show. Let's just say a portal opened and I was back with Jerry and the boys at the Fox in 77 for the entire second set. In 77 it was my first ever Estimated Eyes it was almost too emotionally overwhelming but knowing the setlist now I had to stay for the Stella to hear those rusty strings shine just one more time. For the encore in 77 my soon to be and still wife and I, instead of leaving, walked down to the front of the stage right in front of Garcia, on our hands and knees leaving the old broke down palace of the Fox. My Good Old Dead I had a good time. Hope to see DSO back at the Tabbie again soon.
This was my first time, and the show was great. I really enjoyed the show that they played as well. Can't wait to do it again.
