Dark Star Orchestra Goes Acoustic In Washington D.C.

Grateful Dead tribute act Dark Star Orchestra kicked off their latest tour in Charlottesville this past Friday night. On Tuesday, the band brought the run to The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. for a rare acoustic show.

DSO has been without guitarist Rob Eaton for this tour. Eaton returns to the fold on April 13 in Charlotte. Tuesday’s unplugged performance featured an elective setlist with the group tackling songs from various eras of the Grateful Dead’s career as well as rare covers the Dead and JGB were known to play.

The traditional “I’ve Been All Around This World” served as opener. Dark Star then dusted off Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s “Operator” ahead of a run of “Friend Of The Devil,” “Stir It Up” and “Jack-A-Roe.” Bassist Skip Vangelas led “What A Wonderful World,” while later Lisa Mackey fronted DSO’s rendition of “Masters Of War” by Bob Dylan. Both were DSO debuts. The first set concluded with Dylan’s “It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry” and the Dead’s “Bird Song.”

Tuesday’s second set saw DSO kick off the frame with late ’60s Dead favorites “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” and “Mountains Of The Moon.” Next up was a rare take on Robert Hunter & Keith Godchaux’s “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away” ahead of a “Dire Wolf” and “Box Of Rain” pairing. The rarities continued with Dolly Parton’s “Tomorrow Is Forever.” After “Reuben & Cerise” and “Russian Lullaby,” Dark Star played “Viola Lee Blues” jugband style and then ended the closing stanza with “Ripple.” The band ended the night with an encore of “Uncle John’s Band” and “Goodnight Irene.”

Setlist

Set One: I’ve Been All Around This World, Operator, Friend Of The Devil, Stir It Up, Jack-A-Roe, What A Wonderful World, Big Boss Man, Sitting In Limbo, Masters Of War, It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry, Bird Song

Set Two: Dupree’s Diamond Blues, Mountains Of The Moon, Let Me Sing Your Blues Away, Dire Wolf, Box Of Rain, Tomorrow Is Forever, Reuben & Cerise, Russian Lullaby, Viola Lee Blues, Ripple

Encore: Uncle John’s Band, Goodnight Irene