Dark Star Orchestra Returns To Westbury For One More Friday Night (SHOW REVIEW)

Dark Star Orchestra returned to Westbury, New York on May 18th for the third consecutive May appearance at The Space. In 2016 and 2017 they tackled shows from two of the Dead’s landmark years, 1977 and 1972. This time out, they opted for an “elective” setlist. At first that wasn’t obvious, as the first three songs were identical to those played at the San Francisco Civic Center on 12/28/83. Plus, those were during the Brent Mydland years and vocalist Lisa Mackey was onstage. If you’ve never seen Dark Star, yes they are that attentive to detail.

“Feel Like A Stranger” was way hotter than the aforementioned show, anyway. Once they started the early 90s version of “Maggie’s Farm” (the first of four Dylan covers they would do this night), it was clear that they were making something new. In 2018, Dark Star Orchestra has grown beyond being simply the best Dead cover band; they are doing the Dead’s music justice by creating in the moment night after night.

The band was locked in all evening for this show. Jeff Mattson’s blazing guitar leads on the jam between “Lazy Lightning” and “Supplication” were fantastic; in fact, Mattson was on the entire night. “Ramble On Rose” had some great peaks and bassist Skip Vangelas brought the heavy bass notes in the all the right places, as the set-closing “Let It Grow” was simply monstrous.

Set II began and equally good “Help On The Way” into “Slipknot!” It had the sound of the three 1975 versions the Dead performed, but with the intensity of the best ‘77 performances. Rather than the expected “Franklin’s Tower,” the band dropped into the Jerry Garcia Band arrangement of “Tangled Up In Blue.” They even employed a second backup singer, road manager Tanya Shylock, just as they would do later in the set for “Forever Young.” These two were great changes of pace, and Rob Barraco’s swirling organ served as the perfect springboard for the rest of the band. “St. Stephen” was split apart by “Drums,” and the jam that led to the reprise was really nicely developed.

As it got past midnight, “One More Saturday Night” became an appropriate selection and was a full-throttle rendition. For the encore, they pulled out a Garcia Band original classic, “Rubin and Cherise,” that sent the crowd home smiling. The band had been on stage for over three hours by now and almost the entire crowd remained. That’s a testament to how good this show was. You can check it out for yourself courtesy of “JoeBeacon’s” audience recording at bt.etree.org.

Setlist

Set One: Feel Like A Stranger ; Dire Wolf ; Mama Tried ; Maggie’s Farm ; Liberty ; Lazy Lightning >
Supplication ; Tom Thumb’s Blues ; Ramble On Rose ; Let It Grow

Set Two: Help On The Way > Slipknot > Tangles Up In Blue ; Gimme Some Lovin’ > Saint Stephen > drums > Space At Westbury > Saint Stephen (reprise) > Dear Mr. Fantasy > Showing Stones > *Forever Young > One More Saturday Night

Encore: Rubin And Cherise

Photos by Ross Edmond

 

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