Words by Sandy Friedman

Photos by John Wisdom

On October 25, 2024, the Grateful Dead world was devastated upon the death of musical pioneer and bassist, Phil Lesh. Without Lesh’s wild contributions to the bass guitar and the psychedelic world of the Dead’s music, the entire jam scene would cease to be. Being the first Grateful Dead shows at The Cap since his death, Dark Star Orchestra, the amed Dead tribute band, had a job to do: play two shows that pay homage and respect to Phil Lesh’s mastery. With one elective show and one real Dead setlist, DSO made it their duty to remind the city of Port Chester just what a legend Phil Lesh was.

 

 

NIGHT 1: ELECTIVE NIGHT
As the lights went down on Friday night, the crowd roared some of the loudest I’ve ever heard at a Dead show, fans hungry to keep the music alive. Before starting Lesh’s Box of Rain as a perfect show opener, bassist, Skip Vangelas, came up to the microphone and dedicated the show to Phil Lesh, even sporting the signature red and white armband as a subtle homage. From that moment on, it was a special night to remember. After Box of Rain, the band opted to lift spirits with a rousing take on Passenger, replete with distorted slide guitar leads from Jerry-disciple, Jeff Mattson and spot-on vocals from Lisa Mackey. After that brief detour, we continue on the Phil train with Broken Arrow, a tight version with a soaring jam. Here Comes Sunshine continues the heavenly jam motif, with loads of jazzy interplay. Bob Dylan’s When I Paint My Masterpiece is next, and after a beautiful guitar solo from Mattson, we move into Spencer Davis Group’s Gimme Some Lovin’! Typically a second set, post-Drums/Space song, this was a welcome placement, and a fun departure from the high-flying psychedelia that made up most of the set. Then we got three 70’s Dead classics to close out the set, a rocking Greatest Story Ever Told, and a hot China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, punctuated by driving grooves from drummers Rob Koritz and Dino English. All in all, a wonderful first set, especially for anyone who loves uplifting improv!

 

After a very long set break, the band comes out with a nicely-placed, high-energy, rock-the-house Jack Straw (with “Phil bombs” abound). After waking up the crowd, we jump back into the Phil zone, with the famed Unbroken Chain. There’s nothing quite like hearing this unique song live, and DSO truly did it justice with a fantastic rendition, especially from veteran keyboardist, Rob Barraco. We segue into an aptly-placed He’s Gone, another strong, emotional moment for the crowd. Audience members were crying left and right, as a true moment of acceptance for Lesh’s passing. “There’s nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile…” The band collectively decides it’s time to blow off some steam, and on Skip’s cue, they launch into The Other One, a sign that it’s time to jam. Rob Eaton leads them through the first verse, and the jam becomes abstract, before melting away into Drums > Space. Rob and Dino bring out THE BEAM during this Drums, creating a massive wall-of-noise, and as Mattson, Eaton, Barraco, and Vangelas step out for Space, The Cap turns into an abstract mosaic of odd shapes and sizes. Suddenly, that familiar riff comes in and the namesake Dark Star begins, signaling a continued quest to take the audience through a trippy wonderland. Unique interplay abound, this version segues back into The Other One to finish this suite of deep jamming, which turns into the Traffic classic, The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys. Often played by Phil Lesh & Friends, this was a true tribute to the legendary Phil & Friends runs at the Capitol Theatre, in which this song was played six times. A long, drawn-out rendition, the band reaches several mountainous peaks before bringing the audience out of the jam zone and into the party zone, closing out the set with the classic One More Saturday Night. After a touching take on Black Muddy River in the encore slot, the band said their goodnight, and we were left feeling musically satisfied and ready for Saturday.

 

NIGHT 2: 10/24/79 – Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA
As per usual with any two night Dark Star run, night 1 was the elective night, and night 2 was a recreation of a legitimate Grateful Dead setlist. This time around, we got an offering from the Dead’s storied Fall 1979 tour, 10/24/79 at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, MA. This tour marked the beginning of Jerry Garcia and Brent Mydland’s deep musical connection, and was highlighted by lots of deep, exploratory jamming. With Jerry truly getting accustomed to the brand-new “Tiger” guitar, the band was in a new era, and they were truly excited about the possibilities of their new sound! And as Dark Star Orchestra does, they played a fantastic “rendition” of this concert. While Friday featured all seven members of DSO, this show, being from the “Brent Mydland” era of the Grateful Dead, only featured six members, with Lisa Mackey sitting out (until a surprise in the encore).

The night opened up with Chuck Berry’s Promised Land, a classic opener in all eras of the Grateful Dead, getting the crowd dancing, and letting Barraco rip an awesome solo. Loser is up next, Mattson’s time to shine, and both vocally and instrumentally, he rocks the house with a highly-spirited rendition. Up next, we have the staple Bob Weir cowboy tune showcase, with Mama Tried > Mexicali Blues, led by the talented Rob Eaton. Mexicali gets a high-speed rendition, with dextrous finger-work from Mattson. They Love Each Other is next, a heartfelt, beauteous rendition, with graceful soloing from both Barraco and Mattson. We get some killer playing on New Minglewood Blues. A well-placed Dire Wolf ensues, and then we get the rare Brent tune, Easy to Love You. Barraco gets to show off his strong vocal chops on this one, and this is followed up by the epic Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance. You could feel the crowd thinking, “This must be heaven!” as they jammed through a truly larger-than-life rendition! After this unique choice for the set 1 closer, the band headed backstage to prepare for a jam-heavy set 2.

As the band played the opening notes of Scarlet Begonias, the crowd knew they were in for a killer second set. Given that Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain had a slew of incredible versions in Fall 1979, we wondered how Dark Star Orchestra would live up to these iconic renditions. Yet, once the kaleidoscopic solo section began, we all knew we were in for a special treat. High-peaking, the band played the final verse before launching into the transition jam to Fire on the Mountain. This jam went to all kinds of psychedelic places, exploring every nook and cranny of the musical universe, with especially inspired contributions from Barraco and Vangelas. Finally, the drop into Fire on the Mountain was absolutely perfect. Each time in between verses, they seemed to peak higher and higher, taking the audience with them, and closing out with that iconic riff. A true homage to Fall ’79 Dead. Samson is up next, and the band does indeed tear the whole building down! We continue the stretch of pure classics with Terrapin Station, and its high-energy closing section makes way for a flawless transition into Playing in the Band, cueing an entrance into the space realm. And to space they go, with a slew of musical threads mellifluously weaving in and out with one another. After each member leaves the stage, we get a classic ‘70s pre-beam Drums, no bells or whistles: just tribal grooves. Space is mostly led by Mattson, augmenting his guitar tone to explore a number of distinct musical ideas. Space swiftly segues into Wharf Rat, a highly emotionally charged rendition at that, with the audience really singing along. A short, but energetic guitar solo turns into an entrance back into the openness of Playing in the Band, and as Dark Star Orchestra closes out the set, we’re reminded of the true power of the Grateful Dead. 

The band couldn’t have picked a more fun encore than Johnny B. Goode! After thanking the audience, announcing the show as 10/24/79, and thanking Peter Shapiro, we got a little extra treat, and they brought Lisa out to do a couple of extra tunes. First up was a rendition of Stephen Stills’ Love the One You’re With, with fantastic vocal performances all around, followed by a rocking cover of Janis Joplin’s version of Piece of My Heart, with rocking grooves, plus impressive belting from Lisa.

With lots of pressure to pay a heartfelt homage to Phil Lesh, Dark Star Orchestra delivered the goods for this two night run. Running through the must-play Phil songs on night one, plus paying tribute to the Dead at their peak on night two, those who attended either night of this Dark Star run were treated to more-than-satisfying takes on the Grateful Dead’s music. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for their Cosmic New Year’s residency! Join us at The Capitol Theatre on December 30 + 31, and January 3 + 4 to catch four more nights of pure Grateful Dead!