The old saying goes, “There’s nothing like a Grateful Dead concert,” but Dark Star Orchestra came pretty close to replicating the memories of my last Dead concert in their recent appearance at Bellingham’s Mt. Baker Theatre. This night, just as in 1982, I was surrounded by twirling dancers, tie-dyed hippies, and that strange, slightly altered atmosphere, and those same feelings and sensations came flooding back.

Arriving to the theatre, I was greeted by throngs of fans (personally, I eschew the term “Deadhead”) dressed in the aforementioned tie-dye, streaming into the venue, the air of anticipation high (yes, pun obviously intended), and the sense that nobody would actually be seated for the show. As things turned out, there’s nothing like a Dark Star Orchestra concert, either.

Dark Star Orchestra (or DSO), founded in 1997 after The Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995 following Jerry Garcia’s death, has preserved the Dead’s music and live concert experience for millions of fans, old and new alike. The current line-up is Jeff Mattson (lead guitar/vocals), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Dino English (drums), Rob Koritz (drums), Skip Vangelas (bass), Rob Eaton (rhythm guitar/vocals), and Rob Barraco (keyboards).

On Feb. 8 at Mt. Baker Theatre, DSO not only performed complete classic Dead shows but also explored masterworks from the American rock songbook. The selections this night ranged from Dylan to Stills, Feat to Robbins, all the while performing Dead classics like “New Speedway Boogie,” “Black Throated Wind,” and “Uncle John’s Band.”

Just as Grateful Dead performances, in addition to the actual music, emphasized the fan experience so too does DSO. This night was no exception. With the opening notes of “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo,” 99.9% of the crowd were on their feet, dancing in the aisles, singing along, and crowding the front of the stage. The Mt. Baker Theatre security folks tried mightily to keep the aisles open to avoid any fire code violations but alas, the Bellingham Fire Department responded to a fire alarm midway through the first set. Turns out smoking in the bathroom will result in the theatre getting evacuated, though not dampen the vibe or energy of a DSO show!

As “Mississippi…” segued into “Greatest Story Ever Told” and then “West L.A. Fadeaway,” I found myself closing my eyes and slipping back decades into memories of Bobby Weir’s barked singing and his stutter-stop rhythm guitar, gently replicated by Rob Eaton. And then, there it was: Jeff Mattson’s fluttering, dulcet lead runs and wistful, sweet vocals wafted into the atmosphere just as I remembered Jerry Garcia’s. Bassist Vangelas took lead vocals for “Just Like Tom Thumb Blues” followed by “Blow Away” (with lead vocals by keyboardist Rob Barraco) from the Dead’s last studio album, Built to Last (1989). Veering back to the traditional Weir country and western portion of the setlist, the band started the Marty Robbins classic, “Big Iron,” as the flashing lights and muffled announcements of a fire alarm came on throughout the building.

After a few confused minutes, venue staff began patiently herding everyone outside as the fire department pulled up in front. 1,500 DSO fans, ages 17-70, seemed to recreate the parking lot scene of countless Dead concerts from years past, as we wandered about the street joking, laughing, and singing. Within minutes, however, we were back inside (minus, presumably, the two bathroom smokers).

Toward the end of the first set, I began to suspect that this might be an “elective” show when the band broke into Little Feat’s “Easy to Slip.” Famous for reconstructing specific Grateful Dead shows, DSO also curates set lists of their own choosing, known as “electives.” Finishing the first set with Iko Iko brought us back to Dead territory. After a short intermission, the second set began by covering the same ground: “New Speedway Boogie > Black Throated Wind > Uncle John’s Band > The Wheel” (from Garcia’s first solo album that became a regular G.D. setlist fixture). The “Space > Drums” section furthered the sense of psychedelia but just as soon as we’d settled into that familiar Dead zone, we veered into greatest covers territory once again: Mattson’s lilting guitar underscoring the optimistic melody of Lennon’s “Imagine,” Rob Eaton’s urgent vocals on Dylan’s “Watchtower…” “Believe it or Not,” a Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia composition recorded for Built to Last, but not included on the album, and played live a mere seven times, brought the extended set to a close with the “Uncle John’s Band” reprise.

Watch a recap of the 2023 Dark Star Jubilee Festival on YouTube:

To finish out the sold-out show, DSO took us on a tour through a selection of classic rock staples: Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” slowed things down without sacrificing any of the evening’s psychedelia vibes. Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour” got our feet moving again and demonstrated the band’s R&B sensibilities. For the encore, Stephen Stills’s “Love the One You’re With” followed by The Band’s “The Weight” brought the house, and curtain, down on a crazy and immensely fun evening.

Setlist for Dark Star Orchestra, Mt. Baker Theatre, Feb. 8, 2024

Set 1
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo >
Greatest Story Ever Told
West L.A. Fadeaway
Just Like Tom Thumb Blues (Bob Dylan)
Blow Away
Big Iron (Marty Robbins)
I’ll Take a Melody
Easy to Slip (Little Feat)
Iko Iko

Set 2
New Speedway Boogie
Black Throated Wind
Uncle John’s Band >
The Wheel >
drums > space >
Imagine (John Lennon) >
All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan) >
Believe It or Not >
Uncle John’s Band reprise
Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic)
In the Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett)

Encore:
Love the One You’re With (Stephen Stills)
The Weight (The Band)

DSO is a “taper -friendly” band with nearly a thousand shows available on the Internet Archive.

You can stream or download the Feb. 8 Bellingham show here.

I continue to think of groups like Dark Star Orchestra not as cover, or tribute, bands but as interpreters of the American musical canon, much as orchestras today perform Gershwin or Copland, Joplin or Ellington. As DSO’s website notes, “Dark Star Orchestra offers a continually evolving artistic outlet within this musical canon. It’s about a sense of familiarity. It’s about a feeling that grabs listeners and takes over.”

Live performance defines the Dark Star Orchestra experience. As a result, the band has no studio albums but plenty of live (both audio and video) recordings exist. Better yet, just go to a show when they come your community and let the feeling take over. Please check the website for video of complete concerts and tour updates.

Here are some photos of Dark Star Orchestra performing at Bellingham’s Mount Baker Theatre on Feb. 8, 2024. All photos courtesy of and copyright Mark Caicedo.