Review & Photos | Dark Star Orchestra | California

Words and Images by: Brennan Lagasse

Dark Star Orchestra :: 10.10.14 -10.11.14 :: Grass Valley Center for the Arts & City Winery in Napa :: Northern California

Read Brennan’s review of these two unforgettable shows after the gallery.

Precise, passionate and dead to the core. Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) defies the traditional understanding of what it means to cover the music of another band. The Grateful Dead as a touring act ceased to exist after the passing of lead guitarist/vocalist Jerry Garcia back in 1995. However, in honoring the work of one of the greatest bands in the history of live music, DSO does more than recreate the sounds of the pioneers of psychedelic rock and roll. They continue a legacy, and they perpetuate a culture.

This past weekend, DSO wrapped up their West Coast fall tour with two sold out shows. The first offering came by way of the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, California. Recreating a Grateful Dead show from 9/24/76, DSO performed a concert completely in tune with how the band sounded during that particular era. An upbeat first set flowed seamlessly with tight takes on “Sugaree,” and “Row Jimmy,” highlighted by a set closing cosmic run of “Playing In The Band” > “Supplication” > “Playing In The Band Reprise.”

Set two built on the energy started during their first set, especially with “Loser” and “New Minglewood Blues.” Those familiar with the style of DSO love playing the guessing game of whether or not the band is performing an original setlist, or recreating a past Grateful Dead show. With the latter, it’s the little things that often signal what period the band might be drawing inspiration from on any given night. While indicators can take the form of how many drummers are on the stage, the band’s general stage arrangement, or if Lisa Mackey is singing with the guys on a given night, sometimes the style of the actual songs played are what seasoned listeners grab hold of most. The trio of “Help On The Way” > ”Slipknot!” > ”Franklin’s Tower” has been a fan favorite since it first burst onto the Dead scene in the mid 1970’s. On this night in Grass Valley, the build up into “Help On The Way” was reminiscent of the song’s early days. The “Drums” segment was something out of the ordinary and had all band members leave the stage except for drummers Dino English and Rob Koritz. By the end of “Franklin’s Tower” the venue was ablaze with an high level of energy that remained through the end of the show, accentuated by a brilliant filler to cap the night in “Mission in the Rain.”

The final show of DSO’s West Coast fall tour took place at the City Winery in Napa, California. Set in the heart of wine country, this intimate venue attached to a fabulous (must visit) restaurant and wine bar created an idyllic setting for what would end up being an unforgettable performance.

The evening kicked off with an acoustic first set filled with rarities such as “Rain,” originally written by Donna Jean Godchaux -a song DSO had never performed live, and “California Earthquake” dedicated to the local Napa residents who had recently endured a seismic event in their community. The show’s location, and spot as tour closer had already set the mood for a special night. After the set ran through classics such as “Rosa Lee McFall,” “Wake Up Little Susie” and a heart-felt “Ripple,” it was time for the electric second set that this show will forever be known for.

While the band as a whole are nothing short of a cohesive, well-refined Grateful Dead machine, the drivers of this offering would be rhythm guitar/vocalist Rob Eaton and lead guitar/vocalist Jeff Mattson. While both traded lead roles throughout the set, Jeff Mattson was channeling something on an intergalactic level from that era that so many romanticize. Every note had feeling, improvisational jams out of “Dancing In The Street” and “It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” locked in the crowd, and then for the following hour+ attendees were lucky to experience perfection as defined by a Deadhead in 2014.

The offering looks incredible on paper. In person it was infinitely better. Intense, fluid, perhaps the closest one may get to modern psychedelic rock and roll created in the now, entrenched in a spirit that could only have been born in the 1960’s. It was something new fans and old can appreciate, from the thunderous bass of Skip Vangelas dropping into “Other One” to Rob Barraco’s relentless smile and swift keystrokes on “St. Stephen” > ”The “Eleven,” this set will be something the band, its fans and those still unaware that DSO does what they do so well will be able to reference indefinitely. The “Dark Star,” and specifically Jeff Mattson’s playing during the song was worth the price of admission alone. If you don’t believe me, do yourself a favor and have a listen for yourself.

Whether you’re a lifelong Deadhead, a lover of live music in general, or someone quasi-interested in the music of the Grateful Dead, you owe it to yourself to catch a DSO show. They’re off the road for a well-deserved break until November when they’ll be back on the East Coast through December, building towards a tropical adventure slated for this February in Negril, Jamaica.

Night One, Grass Valley, CA, Center for the Arts, Originally Performed by the Grateful Dead on 09-24-1976

Set One: The Promised Land ; Cassidy ; Sugaree ; Looks Like Rain ; Row Jimmy ; Big River ; Tennessee Jed ;

Set Two: Might As Well ; Samson And Delilah ; Loser ; New Minglewood Blues ; Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Drums > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower > The Music Never Stopped > Stella Blue ; Around And Around

Encore: U.S. Blues

Filler: Mission In The Rain

Night Two, Napa, CA, City Winery, Acoustic Set 1, Electric Set 2, Original Setlist

Set One: Deep Elem Blues ; Dark Hollow ; Operator ; Box Of Rain ; California Earthquake ; On The Road Again ; Rosa Lee McFall ; Rain ; It Makes No Difference ; Friend Of The Devil ; Wake Up Little Susie ; I’ve Been All Around This World ; Big Iron ; Ripple

Set Two: Till The Morning Comes ; Sittin’ On Top Of The World ; Dancing In The Street ; It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World ; Cryptical Envelopment > drums > The Other One > Dark Star > Saint Stephen > The Eleven > The Other One > Cryptical Envelopment > Viola Lee Blues

Encore: Alligator > And We Bid You Goodnight

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