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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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If I would close my eyes, I would thinking I would be listening to the Grateful Dead. The Dead should have hired their lead singer instead of John M. Let’s face it, he is great on guitar and hired for that but he can’t sing. For the group and fans this was wishful thinking. I am sorry, but true.
DSO always seems to put on a great show & this one was no different. They played a Dead show from 5/18/1977 at the Fox Theatre in ATL & did two encores which was a really nice surprise! In total they played 21 songs & I felt as though we really got more than our moneys worth. I’m already looking fwd to seeing them again bc after all there in nothing quite like a Dead show!☮️💟🎶🎸🔥💃🕺🏻💃
As always Darkstar was great. See you at Jubilee. If not before.
If you have not experienced DSO, and you love the Grateful Dead, then you are missing out! What grabbed my attention the most was their Recreation of Europe 72 on the 50th Anniversary! Who does that? DSO! In my opinion they are far better than D&CO, (who I’ve seen 4 times)! I follow DSO! This Fall Tour has been nothing short of SPECTACULAR!
Love seeing DSO when ever I can, they always pull off a solid show regardless of era. Their elective set lists can pack a solid punch of favorites. Go... you will be thoroughly pleased!
So much better than Dead and Co. Best China/Rider I’ve ever seen/heard live. Avondale was a perfect venue for DSO.
This group can play and is very talented. I liked the music best when they played like the Grateful Dead and not a variation in tempo which happened in a few songs. They did a great job on long spacey jams. Would have liked a few more songs from the older Dead albums liked Sugar Magnolia and Casey Jones. They ended with Ripple which was well done.
I have seen DSO quite a few times. They do such a great job of recreating what the dead shows were, the music and the vibe. Everytime I go I'm transported in time to back when I was 16 with not a care in the world just worried about getting to the next show. Definitely worth your time and money to see them.
DSO is always amazing and true to the music. They always put on a stellar show, whether it be recreating a set list or a free form show. You can close your eyes and feel like you're at a Grateful Dead show, from days gone by. The Rose Pavilion, in Huber Heights OH, is a wonderful place for a show. Easy parking. Not a bad seat in the pavilion.
Dark Star Orchestra never disappoints! Very true to the "Dead's"original sets, style ,virtuosity,and sense of family. The Dark Star concerts bring Dead Heads of ALL ages and diversity together.This environment is so unique that it has to be experienced to understand the life,vitality,and happiness it brings. Rose Music Center is awesome in every way: sound system,lighting,seating,(but,who sits?),beautiful patio area,great vendors,(and the misting tents were a blessing! ),and plenty of convenient parking. Great environment for two old D.H.'s and their 8-year-old Grandson. First time at Rose hopefully won't be the last.
Absolutely wonderful!! If you closed your eyes you would be hard pressed to tell it wasn’t the Dead! Gave me goosebumps!! First time at the Rose, very nice venue, a very memorable evening!!!
DSO is always phenomenal and my first experience at Rose Music Center was great. Friendly staff, very clean venue and all good seats. Do yourself a favor and stay steps away at the Tru by Hilton and visit Warped Wing Smokehouse and Brewery next door!
Not a bad seat in the house. Going to see this band is as close to the genuine greatful Dead experience as you can get.
Wow, what a great show!! DSO always exceeds my expectations!! Loved the music and seeing friends from Jam In The Sand again!! 💜🎶✌️
i loved the band, they were great. however the venue booked too many tickets to this and it was so crowded we couldnt enjoy ourselves with all the pushing and shoving, i thought i was at a punk show. terrible! this was my first time seeing them and i wish i had had more room to dance and let loose instead of feeling like a sardine. next time i hope to see them somewhere with more room and never stone pony summer stage again.
As a younger fan of the Dead I've only really been on the scene the last 5 years. When it comes to the Dead & Co vs. Dark Star Orchestra its not even a competition. Dark Star is the end all be all of all of the dead cover bands and incarnations. Not only do they sound just like the dead but they play with the same intensity the Grateful Dead did on their best live recordings. This was my 5th show and I will be going to many, many more. Highly recommend!
My boyfriend and I had so so much fun. He is a true dead head and has seen other tribute grateful dead bands and said they were the best he has seen and we go in again in a heartbeat to see them play. Great venue., great crowd, great night.
It was a super show with an awesome crowd, very smooth venue, overall a grateful experience!
Every song was better than the last. Great time hanging out with some old friends.
Capture the sound better then Dead & Co. Have seen the Dead since 1975 and it was one of the BEST I have ever sean. GOOD JOB GUY'S
