PULLMAN, Wash. — The Dark Star Orchestra will bring back Jerry Garcia from the dead during its Pacific Northwest tour stop at Washington State University next week.
At the Nov. 4 concert set for 7 p.m. in WSU’s Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum, DSO will re-create an actual Grateful Dead concert.
When Garcia died in 1995 and the Grateful Dead disbanded, many bands attempted to keep their music alive. None, however, could mimic the “Dead” as craftily as DSO, music critics report.
The band was created in Chicago in 1997. Members from many cover bands joined to play “Dead” music as their full-time job.
Each DSO member has attended about 100 concerts. They also use the “Deadbase,” an encyclopedia of all Dead performances and old tapes, to re-create their music accurately.
“We try to get as close as we can to the way they delivered the show,” keyboardist Scott Larned said in a Chicago Tribune article. “There were instances where a different band member sang a verse, and we stick to that, and we are pretty good about getting the same sound.”
The shows are unique because DSO will play complete set lists song for song. Fans analyze the stage setup and song order in an attempt to guess the show. DSO keeps the show a secret to contribute to the concert’s suspense and magic.
Each band member also plays a part to emulate the “Dead.” For example, John Kadlecik plays lead guitar and is lead vocalist in the part of Garcia.
For DSO’s Northwest tour, they are performing as the Jerry Garcia Band because Bob Weir is working on an album. They will do set lists performed as some of Garcia’s solo projects.
Tickets are $15 for students and $17 for the general public. They are on sale now and available at the coliseum, all G&B Select-a-Seat outlets, online at www.ticketswest.com or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT.
