Dark Star Orchestra
The Dark Star Orchestra performing on February 14, 2007 at Freebird Live.
Background information
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genre(s)	Rock Progressive rock Jam band
Years active	1997 – present
Website	http://www.darkstarorchestra.net
Members
John Kadlecik Rob Eaton Kevin Rosen Lisa Mackey Rob Koritz Dino English Rob Barraco
Former members
Scott Larned Mike Maraat Jim Harris Ahmer Nizam Mark Corsolini Michael Hazdra

Dark Star Orchestra (or simply DSO) are a United States tribute band to the Grateful Dead, formed in 1997 and based in Chicago. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 281 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the genre. ... For the Swedish political music movement, see progg. ... The term jam band is commonly used to describe psychedelic rock-influenced bands whose concerts largely consist of bands reinterpreting their songs as springboards into extended improvisational pieces of music. ... Rob Barraco is a keyboardist who has played with Phil Lesh and Friends, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud, The Zen Tricksters, and Red Flannel Hash. ... Scott Larned (3 July 1969 – 24 April 2005) was the keyboardist and founding member of Dark Star Orchestra, a popular Grateful Dead tribute band. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the band. ...

Overview

Dark Star Orchestra achieves notoriety by performing shows from among the nearly 2,500 that the Grateful Dead performed during their 30 year tenure as fathers of improvisational rock. On most, though not all their performances, Dark Star Orchestra presents the complete original set list, song by song, and in order, recreating historic music with faithful interpretation. On many occasions, the band will also improvise their set lists, often based on sections of famous shows and familiar groupings of Grateful Dead songs. Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ...

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 nearly every incarnation of the Dead, so most fans can "see" shows that happened long before they were born.

DSO has drawn national attention with their true-to-life performances. Rolling Stone praises "Dark Star Orchestra's fanatical attention to detail." USA Today says DSO is "channeling the Dead" and the Washington Post declares them "the hottest Grateful Dead tribute act going." Dallas Morning News affirms DSO is "the next best thing to being there", the Denver Post describes Dark Star Orchestra as "a perfection-oriented practitioner of homage" and the Associated Press notes that DSO "takes its act to a level of detail that befits a rock band famous for its fanatical following." This article is about the magazine. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... ... The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area. ... The Denver Post is a daily newspaper published in Denver, Colorado. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...

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 the Dark Star Orchestra. In October 2004, the group performed its 1000th show and has released a three disc set of that performance. Robert Hall Weir (October 16, 1947–) is an American guitar player, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. ... Bill Kreutzmann (born May 7, 1946 in Palo Alto, California) was the drummer for legendary rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire 30-year career. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Vince Welnick (February 21, 1951 – June 2, 2006) was an American keyboardist, best known for playing for the Grateful Dead from 1990 until their end in 1995. ... Tom Constanten Musician, primarily keyboardist, born March 19, 1944, best known for his stint with the Grateful Dead from 1968-1970. ...

"We're given a canvas with a boundary, whatever the stage set up is the framework and all of the painting that we do within that framework is unique to us", says rhythm guitarist/vocalist Rob Eaton. "So we offer the sound and the structure, but all the stroking and painting is all us. So it's fresh at the same time and also very historically correct."

Members

Current members:

• John Kadlecik - lead guitar, vocals
• Rob Eaton - rhythm guitar, vocals
• Kevin Rosen - bass, vocals
• Lisa Mackey - vocals
• Rob Koritz - drums, percussion
• Dino English - drums, percussion
• Rob Barraco - keyboards, vocals

Previous members: Rob Barraco is a keyboardist who has played with Phil Lesh and Friends, The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra, Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud, The Zen Tricksters, and Red Flannel Hash. ...

• Scott Larned - keyboards, vocals (D.O.B. July 3, 1969 - April 24, 2005, deceased)
• Mike Maraat - rhythm guitar, vocals (November 11, 1997- December 4, 1999)
• Dave "Chopper" Campbell - rhythm guitar, vocals (January 21- Feb 21 and March 30 - April 8, 2000)
• John Sabal - rhythm guitar, vocals (Jan 25, Feb 1 and Feb 8, 2000)
• Bustar - rhythm guitar, vocals (February 24, 2000 - March 19, 2000)
• Jim Harris - rhythm guitar, vocals (May 16, 2000 - September 9, 2000; June 22-23, 2001)
• David Berg - rhythm guitar, vocals (Sept 26, 2000 - October 17, 2000; January 17, 2001 - Feb 11, 2001)
• Ahmer Nizam - drums (November 11, 1997 - June 30, 1999)
• Mark Corsolini - drums (Feb 3, 1998 - June 6, 1999)
• Michael Hazdra - bass, vocals (May 26, 1998 - December 31, 2000; February 23-25, 2001; March 1-4, 2001)
• Gregg Koerner - bass, vocals (March 8-10, 2001)
• Skip Vangelas - bass, vocals (March 13-17, 2001)

Guest members: Scott Larned (3 July 1969 – 24 April 2005) was the keyboardist and founding member of Dark Star Orchestra, a popular Grateful Dead tribute band. ...

• Dan Klepinger - keyboards, vocals

History

Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) has been delivering the live, Grateful Dead music experience to old and new Grateful Dead fans since 1997, after guitarist John Kadlecik contacted keyboardist Scott Larned with a concept (introduced by a common friend Andrew "Tiny" Dofner): performing complete Grateful Dead shows out of history. When Scott mentioned having the same idea, John knew they were on to something. Scott Larned (3 July 1969 – 24 April 2005) was the keyboardist and founding member of Dark Star Orchestra, a popular Grateful Dead tribute band. ...

DSO secured four Tuesday night gigs at Martyrs' in Chicago. The first night, November 11, 1997, saw only 78 people, but by the fourth week they had sold out the room. By spring they had toured Colorado and had steady Tuesday and Wednesday night gigs in Chicago. The band performed their 1000th show October 29, 2004 while on tour in Greensboro, NC. For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th in the US  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Greensboro redirects here. ...

On lead guitar and vocals, John Kadlecik sings with an uncanny resemblance to Jerry Garcia, using amp rigs and equipment to suit the near-exact, Garcia guitar tone from the show being recreated. When the show is from the 70s, vocalist Lisa Mackey provides the female harmonies, performing the Donna Godchaux parts in perfect key. Jerome John Jerry Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician, songwriter, and artist best known for being the lead guitarist and vocalist of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Dino English combines his training in percussion and jazz and his experience in Dead-oriented groups to deliver the rhythmic drumming sounds of Bill Kreutzmann. On the other drum set, Rob Koritz, a classical and jazz influenced musician gets into the soul and spirit of the music while filling the Mickey Hart role. Like Phil Lesh, Kevin Rosen provides a very distinctive, fluid style of bass playing and a devotion to the music of the Dead. On rhythm guitar and vocals, Rob Eaton provides an extension of the passionate feeling, instrumentation and tone created by Bob Weir. Phillip Chapman Lesh (born March 15, 1940 in Berkeley, California) is a musician and founding member of the rock band, Grateful Dead; he played bass guitar in that group throughout their entire 30-year career. ...

In November of 1998, on the eve of their first anniversary, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman of Phish joined DSO at Martyrs' after their own show. Fishman sat in for the majority of the evening, which included a rollicking drum section with four percussionists. The ensuing buzz caused national interest in the band. That winter, their Colorado tour sold out almost every stop, their MP3 web site was getting millions of hits and everyone wanted to know how they got their sound so precise. Soon after, the Washington Post declared them "the hottest Grateful Dead tribute act going"; USA Today claimed DSO was "channeling the Dead", but what they do is not just a tribute to the Grateful Dead but a testament to the enormous number of unique set lists they performed in their long career. For other persons named Mike Gordon, see Mike Gordon (disambiguation). ... Jon Fishman is a drummer, best known for his work with the American jam band Phish. ... This article is about the band. ...

Continuing the growth, the band had performed up to 200 dates in a year. They have grown continually, playing at larger venues and theaters, collaborating with guests including Grateful Dead alumni Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Donna Jean Godchaux-Mackay, Vince Welnick, and Tom Constanten.

In 2004, Dark Star Orchestra performed over 155 shows throughout the U.S to over 110,000 Deadheads and music fans. In addition to the complete Grateful Dead show selections, the band has been known to incorporate Jerry Garcia Band show set lists as well as original set lists of their own choosing.

Unfortunately, during the band's Spring tour in 2005, co-founder Scott Larned died of a heart attack on April 24; the band has reeled for a while, featuring the talents of guest keyboardists, including Dan Klepinger and Rob Barraco(Zen Tricksters/Phil Lesh and Friends/Chris Robinson & the New Earth Mud), until selecting Rob Barraco as a permanent replacement in 2007. is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Criticism

There are many who misinterpret Dark Star Orchestra's recreation of Grateful Dead music as playing the songs and solos exactly the same, note for note. Although the band duplicates Grateful Dead setlists, they do not copy the songs note for note. Instead, they use each song as a vehicle for musical exploration; interpreting each song individually and improvising together as one unit. The Grateful Dead never played a given song the same way twice. Dark Star Orchestra also keeps it exciting by creating original setlists, which are not associated with a particular Grateful Dead show. They will often add songs from Grateful Dead side projects such as the Jerry Garcia Band.

External links

• Dark Star Orchestra.net - The Dark Star Orchestra official website
• Live Dark Star Orchestra at the Internet Archive
• www.johnkmusic.net - John Kadlecik's official website & personal pages
• Interview with John Kadlecik from honesttune.com