Dark Star Orchestra Albums Ranked

Dark Star Orchestra is a Grateful Dead cover band formed in Chicago, Illinois. They serve as a tribute band to the rock group the Grateful Dead. Since 1997, the band has been “celebrating the Grateful Dead concert experience.” Dark Star Orchestra performs shows from among the nearly 2,500 performances of the Grateful Dead during their 30-year tenure performing improvisational rock. On most, though not all of their performances, Dark Star Orchestra presents the complete original set list, song by song, and in order, while adapting their phrasing, voice arrangements and specific musical equipment for the various eras of the Grateful Dead shows in which they perform. Members of the Grateful Dead themselves, including rhythm guitarist/singer Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux, and keyboardists Vince Welnick and Tom Constanten, have all appeared on stage and performed with Dark Star Orchestra. In November 2011, the group played its 2,000th show in Ithaca, New York. Here are all of Dark Star Orchestra albums ranked.

Relive the music of one of the most notable rock and roll bands. Click below and listen to the songs of the Dark Star Orchestra!

5. Thunder And Ligntnin’ 

“Dark Star Orchestra is the jamband world’s answer to improvisational theatre. They study a specific Grateful Dead show in history and then assemble the correct personnel, instruments, and effects to recreate that moment in time. The setlists are closely followed, but the band has thefreedom to improvise within those constraints.

4. Live At Peach Music Festival 2012 

“There is a minute possibility that the Dark Star Orchestra will eventually release Grateful Dead music that is objectively superior the to original. It’s a long shot, but it might happen over time because there are some talented musicians on board.”

3. The 1000th Show – Live At The Carolina Theatre October 29, 2004 

“Dark Star Orchestra has the unfortunate liability of releasing their live album at the same time as that of The Grateful Dead, and the comparisons may be unfair but also inevitable. Musically, the Dark Star Orchestra’s impassioned performances just can’t stack up to the Dead in their prime.”

2. Ithaca 30 Years Later 

“Ever listened to Darkstar? If not you better start now. They are one of the best covered bands of the dead that have their own unique style. 

1. DSO On Demand

“Every major city has at least one or two Grateful Dead cover bands, but who’s the greatest Grateful Dead cover band in the world? That would have to be Dark Star Orchestra, a band that not only play songs, but complete sets. This set is from Bear’s Picnic fest in Pennsylvania tackles the 5/17/77 setlist with good results. Musically they are on the money, and thankfully even the sound quality of this “On Demand” set is excellent. The bad part would be in Rob Barraco’s (aka Jerry) vocal performance as he sounds really flat and out of tune on this set. Regardless live is the way to see DSO, and this set has got me pumped up for their 7/13/13 set here in Des Moines”