DSO plays Dead in Utica

On Thursday March 14, Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) kicked off their Spring 2024 Tour at Utica’s Stanley Theatre. DSO has been performing continuously for 26 years paying tribute to The Grateful Dead. Known for playing The Dead’s actual concert setlists DSO treated the Utica Deadhead faithful to their own uniquely crafted setlist. 

The show opened with classic Grateful Dead opening song “Cold Rain and Snow” which featured all seven DSO musicians on stage. Vocalist Lisa Mackey left the stage for the Bob Weir classic “Black Throated Wind”. Balloons and some varying scents began to fill the air when the band broke into the standard “Deep Ellum Blues”, a song covered by Jerry Garcia’s solo projects as well as The Grateful Dead. Part of the fun of DSO shows is to guess what Grateful Dead concert they may be playing.

DSO Utica

Discover Grateful Dead shows from over the years across New York State with our interactive map below

DSO Utica

After “Deep Ellum Blues” there was a lot of chatter in the crowd about what show this could possibly be. Keyboardist Rob Barraco switched from piano to organ and the band kicked into the opening riffs of The Dead’s 80’s rarity “My Brother Esau”. It seemed as if there was a collective epiphany from the crowd that We were in the midst of an original DSO setlist. “I like how they did their own set list and how they have the low energy and then bring in the high energy.” Said Debbie Rathbun. The band next slowed things down with the Hunter/Garcia ballad “So Many Roads” featuring Jeff Mattson on lead guitar and vocals. This was one of those “close your eyes moments” in which Mattson’s guitar tone and phrasing was beautiful and so spot on to Garcia’s. DSO kept it mellow following up with the Brent Mydland song “We Can Run”, sung by Rob Barraco. Earlier in March Barraco performed two shows with original Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh celebrating Lesh’s 84th birthday at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY. 

DSO continued to mix Grateful Dead favorites, rarities and Jerry Garcia Band staples in set 2. The first deep jam of the night came shortly after the opening song, “Help on The Way”. The instrumental “Slipknot!” showed off DSO’s prowess, tightness and put on display live in Utica why they are the world’s premiere Dead tribute. “Franklin’s Tower” seemed to have the entire crowd inside the beautiful Stanley Theatre on their feet. The band sounded fresh and really seemed to be having fun with smiles abound. Rob Eaton delivered Bob Weir’s “Corrina” with ferocity and passion. The band continued to groove and segway from song to song eventually turning over the stage to Dino English and Rob Koritz for a lengthy, trance-like  “Drums”; a staple of The Grateful Dead experience. Set 2 concluded with “One More Saturday Night”, appropriate after a night of weekend energy on a Thursday Night. 

The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women” was the lone encore, capping off a night of fun, song surprises, reminiscing and originality in Utica from the world’s number one Grateful Dead tribute. 

DSO Utica

Dark Star Orchestra – The Stanley Theatre, Utica, NY – March 14, 2024

Set 1: Cold Rain and Snow, Black Throated Wind, Deep Elem Blues, My Brother Esau, So Many Roads, We Can Run, Midnight Moonlight, Box of Rain, Greatest Story Ever Told, Shakedown Street

Set 2: Help on the way > Slipknot > Franklin’s tower> Corrina > Crazy Fingers > Uncle John’s Band > Drums and Space >  UJB reprise >  Lonesome and a Long Way From Home > Saint of Circumstance > China Doll > One More Saturday Night

Encore: Honky Tonk Women

DSO Utica

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