Three sets, over 3 1/2 hours of music, He's Gone-->The Other One-->Space-->Stella Blue, nuff said

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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.Feel Like a Stranger (Grateful Dead cover)
- 2.They Love Each Other > (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 3.The Little Red Rooster (Willie Dixon cover)
- 4.Dire Wolf (Grateful Dead cover)
- 5.Cassidy (Bob Weir cover)
- 6.Big Railroad Blues (Cannon’s Jug Stompers cover)
- 7.The Music Never Stopped (Grateful Dead cover)
- 8.Don't Ease Me In (Henry Thomas cover)
Set 1:
- 1.Ramble On Rose (Grateful Dead cover)
- 2.Black-Throated Wind (Bob Weir cover)
- 3.Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo (Grateful Dead cover)
- 4.Beat It on Down the Line (Jesse Fuller cover)
- 5.Row Jimmy (Grateful Dead cover)
- 6.Jack Straw (Grateful Dead cover)
- 7.Let It Rock (Chuck Berry cover)
- 8.Cumberland Blues (Grateful Dead cover)
- 9.El Paso (Marty Robbins cover)
- 10.To Lay Me Down (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 11.Weather Report Suite (Grateful Dead cover)
- 12.China Doll (Grateful Dead cover)
Set 2:
- 13.Ship of Fools (Grateful Dead cover)
- 14.Big River (Johnny Cash cover)
- 15.Black Peter (Grateful Dead cover)
- 16.Around and Around (Chuck Berry cover)
- 17.Dark Star Jam (Grateful Dead cover)
- 18.Spanish Jam (Grateful Dead cover)
- 19.U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead cover)
- 20.Uncle John's Band (Grateful Dead cover)
- 21.One More Saturday Night (Bob Weir cover)
Encore
- 22.Casey Jones (Grateful Dead cover)
Set 1:
- 1.Sugaree (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 2.Run for the Roses (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 3.Box of Rain (Grateful Dead cover)
- 4.Next Time You See Me (Junior Parker cover)
- 5.Mission in the Rain (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 6.I'll Be With Thee ([traditional] cover)
- 7.That's What Love Will Make You Do (Little Milton cover)
- 8.From the Heart of Me (Grateful Dead cover)
- 9.Midnight Moonlight (Old & In the Way cover)
- 10.Like a Road Leading Home (Albert King cover)
- 11.Deal (Jerry Garcia cover)
Set 2:
- 12.The Harder They Come (Jimmy Cliff cover)
- 13.The Strange Man (Dorothy Love Coates cover)
- 14.They Love Each Other (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 15.Easy Wind (Grateful Dead cover)
- 16.Lonesome and a Long Way From Home (Delaney & Bonnie cover)
- 17.Drums > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 18.Space > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 19.The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic cover)
- 20.Love the One You're With (Stephen Stills cover)
- 21.Tangled Up in Blue (Bob Dylan cover)
Encore
- 22.Ripple (Grateful Dead cover)
Set 1:
- 1.Alabama Getaway > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 2.Promised Land (Chuck Berry cover)
- 3.They Love Each Other > (Jerry Garcia cover)
- 4.El Paso (Marty Robbins cover)
- 5.Tennessee Jed (Grateful Dead cover)
- 6.Cassidy (Bob Weir cover)
- 7.Althea > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 8.Looks Like Rain (Bob Weir cover)
- 9.Far From Me (Grateful Dead cover)
- 10.The Music Never Stopped (Grateful Dead cover)
Set 2:
- 11.China Cat Sunflower > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 12.I Know You Rider > ([traditional] cover)
- 13.C.C. Rider (Elvis Presley cover)
- 14.Peggy-O ([traditional] cover)
- 15.Lost Sailor > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 16.Saint of Circumstance > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 17.Drums > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 18.Space > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 19.Wharf Rat > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 20.I Need a Miracle > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 21.Bertha > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 22.Good Lovin' (The Olympics cover)
Encore
- 23.U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead cover)
- 24.Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (Sly & the Family Stone cover)
- 1.Day Tripper (The Beatles cover)
- 2.West L.A. Fadeaway (Grateful Dead cover)
- 3.Beat It on Down the Line (Jesse Fuller cover)
- 4.Loose Lucy (Grateful Dead cover)
- 5.My Brother Esau (Grateful Dead cover)
- 6.Keep On Growing (Derek and the Dominos cover)
- 7.Candyman (Grateful Dead cover)
- 8.Passenger (Grateful Dead cover)
- 9.The Harder They Come (Jimmy Cliff cover)
- 10.Greatest Story Ever Told (Bob Weir cover)
Set 2:
- 11.Man Smart, Woman Smarter (King Radio cover)
- 12.Mr. Charlie (Grateful Dead cover)
- 13.He's Gone (Grateful Dead cover)
- 14.New Speedway Boogie (Grateful Dead cover)
- 15.Drums > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 16.Space > (Grateful Dead cover)
- 17.Unbroken Chain (Grateful Dead cover)
- 18.Going Down the Road Feeling Bad ([traditional] cover)
- 19.I'll Take a Melody (Frankie Miller cover)
- 20.The Golden Road (to Unlimited Devotion) (Grateful Dead cover)
Encore
- 21.Volunteers (Jefferson Airplane cover)
- by Anonymous on 1/4/12The Electric Factory - PhiladelphiaRating: 5 out of 5
DSO Rocked the Electric Factory w/ 3 amazin sets!
by deeleenyc on 1/3/12The Electric Factory - PhiladelphiaRating: 5 out of 5Well it was another grate night and grooving all around. The venue was awesome like always and DSO started things with a nice Acoustic Set and led into a grate Electric set. We got to hear many good ol dead songs and they lit the place up. Friends abound and dancing everywhere made for a night to remember.
- by Anonymous on 1/2/12The Electric Factory - PhiladelphiaRating: 5 out of 5
Great show...added a surprise 3rd set after opening with an acoustic first set. Best one I have ever seen and great vibe again at the Electric Factory.
DSO! Hell Ya!
by smk7bwls on 1/1/12The Electric Factory - PhiladelphiaRating: 5 out of 5Dark Star Orchestra played an incredible show Thursday. This was my first Dark Star show and it was far better than I anticipated. The way they play is uncanny, not for a second do you feel like you are watching a tribute band. I was also very impressed with the venue. The Electric Factory really doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside exceeds expectations. Plenty of room in the General Admission area. There were tons of people, but all the people at jam band shows are unique so it's a great experience to be there and dance with them. My only complaint is that we got scammed into parking like 3 blocks away for 10 bucks. We could have parked right outside the theater for 5. But oh well.
Incredible
by gr8whtbuffalo on 12/31/11The Electric Factory - PhiladelphiaRating: 5 out of 5This band is the greatest rock and roll band touring today.
DSO plays another amazing show!!
by Spong on 12/30/11Rams Head Live! - BaltimoreRating: 5 out of 5The venue is great with friendly security, and plenty of bars to get your drink on. Darkstar was increadable playing two epic sets with plenty of energy to go around! Can't wait for the next time they come to town!! Be Grateful
Awesome!!
by athomas78 on 12/26/11The Palace Theatre Albany - AlbanyRating: 5 out of 5What a great show! These guys are great, I drove almost two hours to see them and it was well worth it!
intense show
by sudds94 on 12/16/11The Palace Theatre Albany - AlbanyRating: 5 out of 5That was such an unbelievably intense show!!! Every song gave my husband and me the WOW factor! Great sound and light show... thanks to all. We were at a sweet spot on the balcony in an isolated spot near the fire exit with nothing but music and room to dance our hearts out, they are at the top of their game right now ,I don t see how they can get any better and I m sure they will ,Lisa s vocals were weak last night and she had a sore throat ,didn t come out during around and around but played harp on easy wind ,good time to end the tour
- by Anonymous on 12/15/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5
Darkstar was AMAZING! They kept us dancing all night long. I am eagerly awaiting their next show at the State!
DSO State Theatre Portland, Me
by Boceltic33 on 12/13/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5The Band had several moments where they played with incredibly intense energy! They are truly doing justice to Grateful Dead Music!
Dark Star Orchestra was Amazing
by BuddyNSRI on 12/13/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5Saw the Dead over 100 times and this band brought back some grest memories, from the first to last note really sounded like it was the GD.
DSO great show
by bpinet on 12/12/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5This was their last stop on the current tour. Played their own show, this is the second time we have seen them when they did not recreate a Dead show and we enjoyed both shows very much. The second set was incredible, danced the whole time!!
DSO 12-10-11
by Gthom on 12/12/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5Great show to end their tour. exceeded expectations - super energy and sound - awesome crowd. Good fun
MichaelD
by Anonymous on 12/12/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5I make a point of it to see this band several time each year. Dark Star never disappoints. They execute what was brilliant about the GD flawlessly. This show was terrific and it was great to have them back in Maine at the State (which is nice now also).
dark star is the next best scene to a dead show
by deadheadhuggy on 12/12/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5I have been to 40 years of dead shows and I really dont dig inside shows but if you could have seen the freaky chick I went with you would have changed your waYS TOO!! But seriously folks.Just for a second though,they were fantastic I was hoping for Ripple for the oncore but ALL IN ALL IT JAMMED!!!!
DSO... fond memories, and creating new!
by julesvw on 12/12/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 5 out of 5Excellent show! An opportunity to remember the good old days, and a chance to make new memories!! Loved it!
DSO
by SweetMellyD on 12/12/11State Theatre - PortlandRating: 4 out of 5Dark Star put on a great show. Was disappointed they didn't pick a particular Dead set to play (instead playing an original set). Also wish they incorporated their girl singers in a few more of their songs. Overall, performance was good and I would see them again.
Fantastic
by Babylovesotis on 12/12/11The Palace Theatre Albany - AlbanyRating: 5 out of 5This show was absolutely amazing. The band played superb, venue was great aas well.
Great Performance despite 1 bad apple
by AHappyDad on 12/11/11The Palace Theatre Albany - AlbanyRating: 4 out of 5I took my son to see DSO with low expectations. I figured, how can a modern band replicate the greatness of the Dead? They didn't. Instead, we were floored by the incredibly refined musical performance. The superbly balanced accousics of Albany's beautiful Palace Theater and the spirited friendly audience made for a wonderful experience. There was one unfortunate negative when one particularly aggressive security person leaned over me to reach a young lady sitting behind me and addressed her in an abusive manner. I'm puzzled why that happened for no apparent reason. If it was remotely necessary why was it done in a manner that scared the daylights out of me and certainly was unprofessional.
The DSO Bring the Grateful Dead Back to Life!
by nycmusicluver on 12/3/11Best Buy Theater - New YorkRating: 4 out of 5If never experienced the Grateful Dead in concert after seeing the Dark Star Orchestra you'll have a very good idea of how the Dead were live & better understand why Deadheads often saw them hundreds of times. The Deadheads in the audience make the show; getting into the music & grooving to it all the way through. I also developed an understanding of why it would be impossible for the Dead to go on after Jerrys' passing. He was the spiritual leader of the band & played a hypnotic guitar. My highlights from the restaging of the 9/16/90 show at Madison Square Garden (which, BTW, were the first shows with Bruce Hornsby on keyboards): Hell In A Bucket, Little Red Rooster, Tennessee Jed, Deal, Iko Iko, Morning Dew & Baby Blue. If you've never experienced the Dead in concert, go see the DSO. You'll get a full understanding of what it was like to see the Grateful Dead live.