Dark Star Orchestra Employee Directory

The Dark Star Orchestra performs its critically-acclaimed live performance of Grateful Dead show recreations to audiences venues all over the United States. Giving homage in a continually evolving artistic outlet, the band recreates historic Grateful Dead set lists with compelling accuracy. DSO is drawing national attention with their true-to-life... performances. Rolling Stone recently praised "Dark Star Orchestra's fanatical attention to detail." USA Today says DSO is "channeling the Dead" and the Washington Post declared them "the hottest Grateful Dead tribute act going." Dallas Morning News affirmed DSO was "the next best thing to being there" and the Associated Press did a feature story on the group in 2003. Each night, the Chicago-based band decides on performing one show from the 2,500 that the Grateful Dead performed during their 30 year tenure as fathers of improvisational rock. As a chamber orchestra interprets Bach or Mozart, Dark Star Orchestra presents the complete original set list, song by song, and in order, with uncanny faithful interpretation. The band recently performed their 1000th performance during the 2004 fall tour. The group has its craft so well-refined that even members of the Grateful Dead themselves, rhythm guitarist/singer Bob Weir, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux, and keyboardists Vince Welnick and Tom Constanten, have appeared on stage and performed with these live music interpreters. Donna Godchaux and her band performed with DSO on a ten date West Coast tour in May 2004. Precision is king with this group that position the stage plot based on the year of Grateful Dead show they are performing. Dark Star Orchestra adapts their phrasing, voice arrangements, and even arranges specific musical equipment for the various eras in which they perform. At the end of every performance, the band announces the date and venue where the original show just covered took place. Dark Star Orchestra dips into every incarnation of the Dead, so most fans can "see" shows that ...Read More