Dark Star Orchestra kicked off a two-night run at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY on Friday.
The band recreated the setlist performed by the Grateful Dead at Hampton Coliseum on March 28th, 1988, which kicked off with “Feel Like a Stranger” and was dotted with ’80s Dead favorites like “When Push Comes to Shove”, “Throwing Stones”, and the sometimes divisive “Touch of grey”. Also featured in the first set were “Franklin’s Tower”, “Box Rain”, a cover of Son House‘s “Walkin’ Blues”, a pair of slower ballads “It Must Have Been the Roses” and Bob Dylan‘s “When I Paint My Masterpiece”, and a set-closing pairing of “Bird Song” and “The Music Never Stopped”.
Dark Star Orchestra – “Feel Like a Stranger”, “Franklin’s Tower” – 5/19/23
After a set-opening “Touch fo Grey”, set two dipped into the gender debate with “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” followed by “Ship of Fools”, “Truckin'”, the obligatory “Drums” > “Space”. The set concluded with “The Other One”, “Stella Blue”, “Throwing Stones”, and “Not Fade Away” before the band returned for a two-song encore featuring covers of Bob Dylan’s “Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)” and Jefferson Airplane‘s “White Rabbit”, the only song that did not appear on the Dead’s original setlist in 1988.
Dark Star Orchestra – “Touch of Grey”, “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” – 5/19/23
Click below to view a gallery of photos from Dark Star Orchestra at The Capitol Theatre courtesy of photographer David Gray. The band returns tonight for the historic 1,000th show at the revamped Capitol Theatre before wrapping its spring tour over Memorial Day Weekend with the annual Dark Star Jubilee at Thornville, OH’s Legend Valley on May 26th, 27th, and 28th. DSO will then embark on a run of summer tour dates in June. Find tickets and a full list of upcoming tour dates on the band’s website.
Dark Star Orchestra – “Franklin’s Tower” – 5/19/23
[Video: Bobby Bloodfeast]
Setlist: Dark Star Orchestra | Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY | 5/19/23
Set 1: Feel Like a Stranger, Franklin’s Tower, Box of Rain, When Push Comes to Shove, Walkin’ Blues (Son House), It Must Have Been the Roses (Robert Hunter), When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan), Bird Song (Jerry Garcia), The Music Never Stopped
Set 2: Touch of Grey, Man Smart, Woman Smarter, Ship of Fools, Truckin’, Drums, Space, The Other One, Stella Blue, Throwing Stones, Not Fade Away (The Crickets)
Encore: Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (Bob Dylan), White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane)
Note: Recreation of Grateful Dead 3/28/1988, Hampton Coliseum
