Dark Star Orchestra History

Dark Star Orchestra memorializes the Grateful Dead, replicating Grateful Dead songs and adding their own personal flair. The Dark Star Orchestra takes Grateful Dead tribute bands to the next level.

Dark Star Orchestra: History
In 1997 the Dark Star Orchestra started performing live after guitarist John Kadlecik and keyboardist Scott Larned came up with the idea for a concept jam band which would replicate the Grateful Dead music experience. The idea was for Dark Star Orchestra to play historic Grateful Dead shows in their entirety for live audiences. Dark Star Orchestra secured four gigs in a row in a local Chicago club and, while the first few shows saw only a few people in attendance, by the end of the fourth week Dark Star Orchestra had sold out the room.

Dark Star Orchestra: Like the Dead
All of the members of Dark Star Orchestra each represent a piece of the old Grateful Dead. John Kadlecik, on lead vocals and guitar, sounds strikingly similar to Jerry Garcia while using effects and riffs exactly like Garcia. When performing Grateful Dead shows from the ‘70s, Dark Star Orchestra uses the vocal talents of Lisa Mackey to provide Donna Godchaux’s female melodies with pitch-perfect precision. Dino English and Rob Koritz are skilled in jazz and rock percussion and have been in other Grateful Dead tribute bands. Dark Star Orchestra bassist Kevin Rosen modeled his playing from a young age after that of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh while Bob Weir is replicated by the rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rob Eaton.

Dark Star Orchestra: Big Break
On the eve of their first anniversary, Dark Star Orchestra Phish members Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman joined Dark Star Orchestra on stage. This collaboration created national interest in Dark Star Orchestra soon every stop on their Colorado tour had sold out and millions of Dark Star Orchestra MP3s were being downloaded. Dark Star Orchestra was receiving rave reviews from publishers like the Washington Post and USA Today who were calling the Dark Star Orchestra one of the “hottest Grateful Dead tribute bands around”.

Dark Star Orchestra: Still Going
Dark Star Orchestra not only became famous for their extreme musical likeness to the Grateful Dead but more for recreating entire set lists in the style they were originally performed in. Soon Dark Star Orchestra was playing 200 gigs a year and former Grateful Dead members like Bob Weir, Donna Jean Godchaux-Mackay, Bill Kreutzmann, Vince Welnick and Tom Constanten joined the Dark Star Orchestra on stage. In October 2004 Dark Star Orchestra performed their 1,000th show.

Dark Star Orchestra: Sample Setlist

• “Minglewood” from the View from the Vault album
• “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away” from the Wake of the Flood album
• “Birdsong” from the Ladies and Gentleman…The Grateful Dead album
• “All Over Now” from the View from the Vault 2 album
• “Jack a Roe” from the Reckoning album
• “Me and My Uncle” from the Grateful Dead album
• “Mexicali Blues” from the Ace Album
• “Music Never Stopped” from the Fallout from the Phil Zone album
• “Chinacat” from the Without a Net album
• “Rider” from the Hundred Year Hall album
• “Truckin'” from the American Beauty album
• “Terrapin” from the Terrapin Station album
• “Alligator” from the Anthem of the Sun album
• “Drumz” from the One From the Vault album
• “Space” from the Dead Set album
• “I Need a Miracle” from the Shakedown Street album
• “One More Sat. Night” from the Europe ’72 album