NYS Music 20​16

Tag: dark star orchestra

  • All You Really Need: DSO at the Palace Theatre

    On Saturday night at the Palace Theatre in Albany, Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) brought the good ol’ Grateful Dead back to life in a stellar fashion.  Excitement filled the room before the first note was played as word had spread that Jeff Chimenti would be on keys for the entire show as he did the night before in New Haven, CT.  Normally holding down the boards, Rob Barraco replaced Skip Vangelas on bass creating a music chairs scenario that we were all ready to embrace.  

    DSO Palace TheatreOpening the set with a heartfelt “Sugaree,” the Capital Region crowd began to “shake it” on low gear while blissfully enjoying Jeff Mattson’s passionate vocals.  After the silky first set introduction, rhythm guitarist Rob Eaton wasted no time channeling the cowboy in Bob Weir with a wild west “Me and My Uncle> Big River” one-two punch.  While “Me and My Uncle” is by far the most played song in the Dead’s expansive repertoire, I never get tired of the rockabilly energy release after a soul searching Jerry Garcia tune.  Chimenti gave the fans a symbolic “YEEHAW” on the keys during “Big River” and reminded the room why he was invited by the remaining Dead members to join them on the “Fare Thee Well” run.  

    Slowing things down with an exceptional threesome of “Peggy-O,” “Cassidy” and “Friend of the Devil,” this show was starting to feel like a classic late-70’s gathering.  Barraco displayed his nasty bass playing abilities during “Peggy-O” before Lisa Mackey floated her way on stage during “Cassidy,” playing the role of Donna Godchaux. She would return two songs later for “From the Heart of Me” which would turn out to be one of the last times this tune was ever played on stage.  It was after “Ramble On Rose” that a wide-eyed seasoned tour-veteran giddily informed me of the Grateful Dead show the Orchestra was recreating:  January 11th, 1979 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.  

    My original hunch of a late-70’s show turned out to be true, but I did not realize the importance of the date until hearing the tear-the-roof-off “Jack Straw.”  Cowboy Bob was back for this desperado masterpiece as Mattson threw in some rawer than usual jamming.  Deadheads young and old call this one of the best versions of all time for the blistering Jerry solo and, nearly 38 years later, DSO honored their heroes to the fullest extent.  Also noteworthy in the original performance was Bobby’s comical word-swap as he sang, “We used to play for acid, now we play for Clive.” But from what I heard on Saturday, Eaton left those lyrics in 1979.  Out of all the stand-out moments of the first set, the vocal belting of “Jack Straw from Wichita” hit the crowd with a sonic uppercut that we didn’t recover from until after set break.  The always rockin’ “Deal” closed out a set filled with Jerry’s greatest hits and some colossal Bobby moments in between.  

    Picking up right where the first set left off, “I Need a Miracle” carried the tidal wave of momentum that was felt over the intermission.  “Ship of Fools” calmly sailed into the number two slot of the second set before kicking off another Weir-inspired highlight in “Estimated Prophet.”  Chimenti, Barraco and Mattson provided the foundation for the psychedelic reggae and while we were in Upstate NY, the California lyrics were shown a lot of love.  “My time’s comin’ any day” eerily stood out to me as the original 1979 show would be Keith Godchaux‘ last appearance at the famed Grateful Dead stomping grounds of the Nassau Coliseum.  An even more fitting tune for the final night of Keith in Long Island, “He’s Gone” allowed my over-thinking self to read even further into the lyrics, symbolism and song placement of my favorite band.  Fortunately, we were given a temporary vocal time-out and the spinners in the audience were treated to a short and sweet “Drums” by Dino English and Rob Koritz on kits and percussion.  

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    New Yorkers from Long Island to Albany were able to enjoy the home state lyrics delivered in the straightforward version of “Truckin’” before the second major highlight of the set, “Stella Blue.”  Mattson made his guitar strings shine one more time during this bluesy crowd pleaser.  “Stella” may have a somber tone, but Jerry’s fiery guitar solo always brings the boil to high during this signature ballad and the Orchestra perfected the nucleus of the original.  Closing the second set with a reminder of all we really need, “Good Lovin’” pleasantly drifted off into DSO show history.  

    The boys encored with “Casey Jones,” which serves as a rarity in late-70’s era.  The “upper” drug reference in one of the band’s most radio-played tunes gave the crowd the extra pep in their step before pouring out into the street of Albany for a night cap.  Similar to the good ol’ Grateful Dead, Dark Star Orchestra seems to have a particular affinity for the Empire State.  While I have not done the research, I would suggest that New York may have more Deadheads per capita than any other state from sea to shining sea.  Saturday night’s recreation of a legendary 1979 Nassau show performed in front of an Albany crowd furthered my love for New York State, the Grateful Dead and the incredibly talented Orchestra that pays tribute to them tour after tour.   DSO returns to the state with “the ways and means” for two shows on November 25th and 26th at The Paramount in Huntington.  

    01/11/79
    Nassau Coliseum – Uniondale, NY

    Set 1: Sugaree, Me And My Uncle, Big River, Peggy-O, Cassidy, Friend Of The Devil, New Minglewood Blues, From The Heart Of Me, Ramble On Rose, Jack Straw, Deal

    Set 2: I Need A Miracle, Ship Of Fools, Estimated Prophet, He’s Gone, Drums, Truckin’, The Other One, Stella Blue, Good Lovin’

    Encore: Casey Jones

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  • Peach Music Fest Returns to Montage Mountain, Gregg Allman Cancels

    In just one week, The Peach Music Festival will return to Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA for their fifth annual four-day celebration. The festival is slated for August 11 – 14. Jamband fans from all over the country will head up the mountain for headliners Trey Anastasio Band and The String Cheese Incident. Due to illness, Gregg Allman canceled his tour including his headlining performances at Peach Fest. Allman was scheduled to play his own set  as well as one with SCI known as “The Gregg Allman Incident. At this time it is unclear what the festival plans to do for a replacement.

    Originally an Allman Brother’s Band festival, the spirit of ABB  will live on with Warren Haynes’ appearance in Gov’t Mule as well as “Wake Up with Warren Haynes.” In addition, Les Brers is scheduled to perform at Peach Festival, created by Butch Trucks, founding member of the ABB.

    Festival goers can take advantage of the mountain for camping as well as the on-site waterpark to cool off. The site features three stages including The Pavillion at Montage Mountain, a unique and beautiful venue.

    In addition to the headlining acts, other anticipated performances include The Claypool Lennon Delirium, two sets of moe., Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Railroad Earth, two sets of Dark Star Orchestra, Anders Osborne and more.

    Late night sets will sprawl across three stages including a special Pink Floyd set from moe. and a two-hour set with Umphrey’s McGee. The Floozies, Cabinet, Flux Capacitor and a Pink Floyd set by Electron will all tear up the after midnight scene.

    New this year, and in line what Front Gate Tickets did for Camp Bisco hosted at Montage Mountain in July, ticket holders were sent chipped wrist bands over the traditional cloth bracelets.

    Tickets for the Peach Music Festival are available at www.thepeachmusicfestival.com

  • (Board) Walk Me Out, Dark Star Orchestra at Ford Amphitheatre Coney Island

    On Sunday July 31, Dark Star Orchestra tested the waters of the newly opened Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk. They got the crowd moving right away with a rocking “Passenger” as fans young and old exchanged high fives. As per usual, there were several setlist detectives in the audience trying to determine what classic show the band was recreating before our eyes and ears. I discovered an early Easter egg as only one drummer appeared on the stage, hinting at the fact that Mickey Hart was not present for this gig.

    dark star orchestra coneyLead guitarist Jeff Mattson did an exceptional job filling Jerry’s shoes for “Sugaree,” before Rob Barraco tackled Pigpen’s “Mr. Charlie.” The “Black Throated Wind” that followed had a particularly hot ending as Rob Eaton embodied the role of Bob Weir. Always searching for a Grateful Dead setlist motif, I instantly became fascinated with the gambling aspect of “Loser” that was presented in the fifth spot. At every DSO show, us setlist detectives are attempting to discover the recreation by playing the hand we are dealt by the band members, and we had no chance of losing this time. Another ace was drawn once Barraco jumped back on the lead vocals for “Next Time You See Me,” channeling Pigpen in what was sure to be an early 70’s performance. Lisa Mackey, normally filling in as Donna, covered the harmonica for the tune during her first appearance of the night. A standard “El Paso” gave way to another song referencing a card game, “Dire Wolf.”

    dark star orchestra coneyThe spirit of Pigpen returned for “Two Souls in Communion,” relaxing the audience before a spaced-out “Playing In The Band.” After the 15-minute-plus version, I had enough set list evidence to predict the band’s recreation. I knew it was something from Europe ’72 as classic Pigpen tunes were frequent, yet they jumped in the deep end for “Playin’.” With assistance from a quick Google search, I discovered that they were recreating the iconic final show of their European run, May 26, 1972 from London. The show would be Pigpen’s second to last performance with the band, and symbolically the next song after my setlist discovery was “He’s Gone.”

    dark star orchestra coneyA familiar “Cumberland Blues” and “Jack Straw” led to “Chinatown Shuffle,” which is the last tune Pigpen ever sang on stage. In fact, the four songs sang by Pigpen in the first set would follow him to his grave after that hallowed evening. My lyrical deck of cards theory returned with the “diamond-eye Jack” during “China> Rider.” On the eve of Jerry’s birthday, a wave of euphoria came over the crowd during the “Not Fade Away> Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad> Not Fade Away” sandwich that closed out the mesmerizing and particularly long first set.

    An extended “Truckin’” reminded the New York audience of the ways and means as the second set caught fire early. The band treated us to the night’s second sandwich with “The Other One > Morning Dew > The Other One.” It isn’t clear if Jerry is singing directly to Pigpen during one of his final nights, but this version is one of the best in Dead history and DSO did an excellent job recapturing the emotion from over 44 years ago. Not only was the “Dew” sang with such emotion, but the jam that ensued showcased bassist Skip Vangelas dropping some serious Phil-bombs to test the foundation of the newly built venue.

    dark star orchestra coney“Sing Me Back Home” gave us a moment to catch our breath before the “high-lo jack and the winner takes the hand” lyrics brought a smile to my face during “Me and My Uncle.” “Ramble On Rose” brought the casino-night motif to a close and presented the “aces back to back” before a high-energy two-pack of “Sugar Magnolia” and “Casey Jones” closed the second set. As the 11PM curfew rounded the corner, DSO remained on stage and quickly wished Captain Trips a happy birthday. A fellow setlist detective gave me a pat on the back as the May 1972 discovery was confirmed. Closing out the Sunday, the band gave us one more reason to enjoy the weekend with “One More Saturday Night.” Outside the venue, dozens of fans roamed the beach holding balloons with smiles on their faces (I can only assume for Mr. Garcia’s birthday). The first ever Grateful Dead recreation at the Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island was a massive success and I predict the energy to return during two nights of Phil & Friends in mid-September. Decades after that magical night on the other side of the Atlantic, Deadheads were once again treated to the peace, tranquility and curiosity of a beautiful experience, just like waves upon the sand.

  • A Jammin’ Dark Star and an IPA, Please

    They high-stepped into the Saranac Brewery and bid us all a fond goodnight, but in the middle, Dark Star Orchestra took the near capacity crowd on a mind bending, psychedelic journey through the middle 1970s.

    dark starOne of the most fun aspects of attending a DSO is trying to figure out what Grateful Dead setlist they are recreating. Opening the show with a fast “Bertha” made it immediately feel like a 1970s show to me, but because the band has played it for their entire career, it didn’t help much in determining a year. “Me and My Uncle,” “Loser” and “Black Throated Wind” confirmed that it was a show somewhere between 1970 and 1979, which, again, doesn’t do much in helping me decide.

    It was the following, stand alone “Scarlet Begonias,” complete with a harmonious and ferocious solo by Jeff Mattson, that gave away the show either being an original Dark Star Orchestra setlist, or coming from a show prior to March 18, 1977, when the first ever “Scarlet Begonias”>”Fire on the Mountain” was performed at the Winterland Arena.

    A song mainly performed by Jerry Garcia Band, “It Must Have Been the Roses” preceded “Jack Straw,” “Tennessee Jed” and “Mexicali Blues.” “Deal” then featured fun interplay between keyboardist Rob Barraco and Mattson, and really gave the show a 1973/74 feel. Rhythm guitarist Rob Eaton was visibly impressed with how the band was performing, smiling often and seeming more animated than usual.

    “Big River” and “Brown Eyed Women” were short and succinct, before the highlight of the show, “Playin’ in the Band” kicked into another realm. During the lengthy jam, I mentioned how I was confident this was a 1974 show, when an older gentleman informed me that DSO was recreating a Dead show from May 14, 1974 in Montana.

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    “US Blues,” “El Paso” and “Row Jimmy” were executed impeccably to open the second frame. “Weather Report Suite” then bled seamlessly into “Let it Grow,” before the opening lines to the 1960s psychedelic masterpiece “Dark Star” were played. Being the band’s namesake, DSO brought us on a journey from 1967 up until 1974, with elements of the grungy, late 1960s Dead feel, up to the mid-1970s, more mild tempo style and everything in between. It was the highlight of the entire show.

    Garcia ballad “China Doll” gave the crowd a breather before “Promised Land,” “Not Fade Away” and “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad” literally rocked the set to a close. If there was a single person not dancing like a maniac, I surely did not witness that, and the set concluded with the utmost energy.

    Already prepared for the “One More Saturday Night” encore, I snagged one last $5 Saranac Legacy IPA (seriously, though, where else can you get a beer that delicious at a concert these days for $5? Most Bud Lights at other places cost more than $10 …) and took my space back for one final boogie.

    DSO, almost 20 years into a pretty successful career, is showing no signs of slowing down whatsoever. In a recent interview with NYSMusic, Barraco said the band plans to cut back on the number of shows per year to focus on new family members, and put the emphasis on bigger events. A stop at the Saranac Brewery seems to be an annual thing for the band, and I can’t think of a better place to spend a summer night grooving to my favorite music ever made.

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  • Dark Star Orchestra Treats Buffalo Crowd to Three Sets

    Back in 1972 the cost of a gallon of gas was 55 cents. Richard Nixon was our nation’s president, soon to experience a fall from grace.  The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.  “American Pie” by Don McLean was #1 on the music charts. March 25, 1972 was the date in Grateful Dead history that Dark Star Orchestra helped us relive in Buffalo. That original show took place at the Academy of Music in New York City.j

    DSO took the stage at the sold out Town Ballroom in Buffalo NY right after 8:00 p.m. They started the night off with the classic “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).”  They would close the first set with “Bertha.” Throughout the night they teased the crowd saying they might play three sets.

    By the start of the second set, DSO seemed to be feeding off the enormous amount of energy that the crowd was providing. “Mr. Charlie” got things started with set two. They would close this energetic second set with the sing a long classic “Casey Jones.”

    The third set did not directly correlate with this date in Grateful Dead history. It was a filler set but you couldn’t ask for a better way to close out four hours of beautiful music. Songs like “Black Throated Wind” and “Tangled Up In Blue” really seemed to hit the sweet spot with the crowd. All in all it was a beautiful night of music. The crowd consisted of old school and new school Dead Heads. No matter what their age, every last one of them left the Town Ballroom with a huge smile on their face.

    Set One: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Are You Lonely For Me Baby, Next Time You See Me, Brown Eyed Women, Smokestack Lightnin’, Sitting On Top Of The World, Sugaree, Looks Like Rain, Bertha

    Set Two: Mr Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Deal, Playing In The Band, Turn On Your Lovelight, Casey Jones

    Set Three (Filler): Chinatown Shuffle, Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, Black-Throated Wind, Positively 4th Street, Tangled Up In Blue

  • Dark Star Orchestra Returning To Buffalo At The Town Ballroom May 24

    Dark Star Orchestra (DSO), the Grateful Dead tribute band hailing out of Chicago Illinois, will return to the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Since forming, DSO has played 2,200-plus shows, recreating Grateful Dead concerts in their entirety.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomTo any Dead Heads that need their fix, this show is not to be missed. It’s been more than 20 years since Jerry Garcia has passed, but the Grateful Dead’s music lives on with the passion and extensive touring DSO has displayed over the years.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomDark Star Orchestera has had a slightly changing line up throughout its existence; the current band members include Rob Barraco (keys/vocals), Rob Eaton (guitar/vocals), Dino English (drums/percussion), Rob Koritz (drums/percussion), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Jeff Mattson (guitar/vocals) and Skip Vangelas (bass/vocals), and look forward to their return to Town Ballroom.

    Tickets for the May 24 show are still available and can be purchased from Ticket Fly or through the Town Ballroom box office; door open at 7 p.m.

  • Tonight, Dark Star Orchestra is my Grateful Dead

    I love the Grateful Dead.

    American Beauty changed my life when I was 14. I have a multi-colored 13-point lightning bolt encompassing a New York Yankees logo tattooed on my left shoulder. I have spent, now, more than half my life chasing “Don’t Ease Me In” with any of the countless bands featuring Grateful Dead band members since 2000. Sometimes I joke that I put one of Phil Lesh’s kids through college with the amount of money I have spent seeing him.

    dark star orchestra grateful deadThe number of complaints I have with the amount and quality of Dead music I have been lucky enough to catch is the same number of championships the Boston Red Sox won between 1919 and 2003: 0. I’ve witnessed the living members reunite for a show billed as Deadheads for Obama in 2008; I followed almost the entire 2009 tour; Furthur was one of the best jammy treats of the modern era; lastly, seeing Lesh and Anastasio, by far my two favorite musicians currently on this Earth, perform together nearly 20 times has been beyond elating.

    All of this is wonderful, as the spirit of the Grateful Dead has carried on in so many ways — as I’ve bragged about above — but there’s something missing that just about any head in my 2003 high school graduating class will admit: None of us were lucky enough to experience the band with its leader and commander, Jerry Garcia. Sure, some can say they saw the man himself, but being 5 doesn’t allow much to the memory of the full band. Garcia, who died in 1995, was such a force and leader of the band, that no one in my age group can really say they have seen the Grateful Dead.

    Enter Dark Star Orchestra, a group of highly talented and devoted musicians who have made a nice living out being THE Dead tribute band.

    Tribute band. A lot of people might write it off simply because it’s not the real thing.

    Except in this case, DSO is the best Dead band going. Their sound is spot on. If they’re recreating February 22, 1974, they capture the hazy, lazy sound of that era. If it’s a mid-1980s show, Dark Star nails down the speedy, more up-tempo sound the Dead had.

    Simply put, you cannot get the true sound and essence of the Grateful Dead today anywhere more than a Dark Star Orchestra show.

    On November 22, 2009, I was standing at a urinal in Syracuse, N.Y., at a Phish concert. I looked to my right and did a double take.

    “No f—— way! Fake Jerry!” I said, getting a completely genuine grin in return. Peeing next to me was John Kadlecik, original DSO lead guitarist who had recently left the band to play with Lesh and Bob Weir in Furthur. The journalist in me immediately came out, as I asked him blunt questions about leaving to go play with Dead members. He was incredibly nice and said something that has stuck with me ever since.

    “I have never played with a more dedicated group of musicians than [the DSO] guys,” he said, adding that they do not skip even a minute detail in bringing, what appears effortlessly, the highest quality show to everyone in attendance.

    I have vivid memories of ringing in 2009 with the band at the Ram’s Head in Baltimore. Noodling my way through the crowd, I kept my eyes closed and did not have to pretend any further than that, that I was at a Grateful Dead show. I was 9 when Garcia died, and I oftentimes say that I would give up every single concert experience I have ever had simply to see the Dead with their leader just one time. The phrase, “there’s nothing like a Grateful Dead show” might be the most pure musical statement ever made, according to the numerous people I have interviewed on the topic who have seen the band.

    Let’s not get confused here — I am not telling you that DSO today is the equivalent of the Grateful Dead from 1965-1995.

    I’m telling you that, in a Garcia-free world, the members of DSO are keeping alive something that so many people hold so close: The Grateful Dead experience. With my eyes closed, I feel like I am hearing what I missed out on.

    It’s why I continue to see DSO upward of 10 times per year. Tonight, at the Egg in Albany, Dark Star Orchestra is performing. I get to be anxious at work all day, debating with myself if they’re going to possibly play one of my favorite concerts, or if they will concoct their own setlist.

    I get to text my friends in anticipation. I get to see friends I don’t get to see very often these days.

    Tonight, I get the Grateful Dead experience.

    Tonight, I love Dark Star Orchestra.