Dark Star Orchestra got a little help from Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir during the band’s Saturday night show at The Warfield in San Francisco, CA. The appearance came on the second night of a back-to-back at the San Fran venue as DSO works through the first leg of its 2022 winter tour.
A sign of things to come, Dark Star started off with “Feel Like A Stranger”, a Bob Weir/John Barlow collab that appeared on 1980’s Go to Heaven. Following takes on “Franklin’s Tower” and “The Music Never Stopped”, guitarist Rob Eaton stepped off the stage and made room for Weir to join in on the fun. The Kid led DSO through a 16-minute “Shakedown Street” before a jaunt through another Weir/Barlow tune, “Cassidy”.
With Weir on for the remainder of the first frame, Dark Star delivered a tasteful rendition of “China Cat Sunflower” which eventually found its eternal match in the traditional standard “I Know You Rider”. This segment lasted a whopping 20 minutes before the collection of musicians closed out set number one with a cover of Bonnie Dobson‘s “Morning Dew”—a song that became a Dead staple throughout the band’s career.
Set two saw the re-arrival of Eaton on guitar as the group worked through tracks like “Sugar Magnolia” and “Rubin and Cherise”. A take on another Weir original, “Playing in the Band”, fell in the three-hole ahead of “Uncle John’s Band” and an extensive “Drums” > “Space” section. “Space” eventually found its home back in “Uncle John’s Band” preceding a cover of Traffic‘s “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys”. Cannon’s Jug Stompers‘ “Voila Lee Blues” then set up a set-ending return to “Playing in the Band” before Dark Star Orchestra closed out its run at The Warfield with an encore of Jerry Garcia‘s “Mission in the Rain”.
Watch Bob Weir sit-in with Dark Star Orchestra at The Warfield via the video players below and scroll down for a detailed setlist of the performance.
Dark Star Orchestra will continue its 2022 winter tour on Tuesday, February 8th, at The Commonwealth Room in Salt Lake City, UT. Head to the band’s website for tickets and additional tour information.
Dark Star Orchestra w/Bob Weir – “Shakedown Street” (Grateful Dead) – 2/5/22
[Video: Ted Silverman]
Dark Star Orchestra w/Bob Weir – “China Cat Sunflower” (Grateful Dead) > “I Know You Rider” (Traditional) – 2/5/22
[Video: Ted Silverman]
Dark Star Orchestra w/Bob Weir – “Morning Dew” (Bonnie Dobson) – 2/5/22
[Video: Ted Silverman]
Setlist: Dark Star Orchestra | The Warfield | San Francisco, CA | 2/5/22
Set One: Feel Like A Stranger, Franklin’s Tower, The Music Never Stopped, Shakedown Street [1], Cassidy (Bob Weir) [1], China Cat Sunflower [1] > I Know You Rider (Traditional) [1], Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson)
Set Two: Sugar Magnolia, Rubin and Cherise (Jerry Garcia Band), Playing in the Band (Bob Weir), Uncle John’s Band, Drums > Space, Uncle John’s Band, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic), Viola Lee Blues (Cannon’s Jug Stompers), Playing in the Band (Bob Weir)
Encore: Mission in the Rain (Jerry Garcia)
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[H/TÂ Jambase]