Dark Star Orchestra at the Greek
Berkeley Greek Theater
July 31 and Aug 1, 2026
Photos by Mark Paniagua
Where do we go from here? That has been a question recently asked about the jam band / improvisational music scene, particularly in the wake of the passing of Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir early this year..
While John Mayer and the remainder of Dead and Company (the most recent incarnation of the Grateful Dead) maintain that they are still a band (though they are not a regularly touring band), there is no definitive plan of what that looks like or means going forward.
That being the case, there is a void at the front of the line of the jam band universe. There are many bands that could take the reins and lead the movement, or perhaps Dead and Company will re-claim the throne, but for the time being uncertainty still abounds and the hierarchy of the scene is in a state of limbo.
One act that is serving as a stabilizing force amidst all of the flux is Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) who along with a cast of fantastic guest musicians recently celebrated the legacy of the Grateful Dead with two strongly attended and well received shows at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.
These were not ordinary shows, as they were benefits for the Rex Foundation (nonprofit founded by members and friends of the Grateful Dead), and occurred at the start of The Days Between which is the stretch of time bridging Jerry Garcia’s birthday August 1st to the anniversary of his passing August 9th.
DSO is the perfect nexus between the scene’s past and present. They are phenomenal musicians in their own right, have direct ties to playing with The Grateful Dead, and have played thousands of shows re-creating historic Dead shows over their existence.
The first night of the two-night stand was kicked off in stellar fashion by openers Melvin Seals & JGB featuring Jazz Mafia Horns. Operating under a sweltering late afternoon summer sun, they treated the early arriving crowd to thick grooves and the utter excellence of Melvin Seals on the Hammond B-3. Particularly hot was the tasty cover of ‘Lay Down Sally’ which got the joint jumping.
The first night DSO set was full Dark Star and then some, as it stretched to the corners of the Grateful Dead catalog and featured many guest players, many of whom with long lasting ties to Bob Weir.
Dave Ellis (saxophone from RatDog and The Other Ones) joined DSO for the opener ‘Cassidy,’ adding splashes of brassy sax to get the party train rolling. Next the crowd saw Barry Sless sit in on the pedal steel guitar for ‘Let It Grow’ and ‘Ramble On Rose’ among others.
From there it turned into a downright hootenanny as Melvin Seals came back onstage and was joined by drummer Jay Lane and guitarist John Kadlecik (both with ties to Bob Weir through Furthur and others) to deliver ‘Corrina’ and a wonderful set closing rendition of ‘Shakedown Street’ that drew the bouncing crowd together as one and lifted the Greek.
During the set break it was easy to see that the bowl and lawn areas of the Greek had filled up, with folks also enjoying many of the recently added platforms, alcoves, and viewing perspectives which lend a very modern feel to the venerable theater.
Heads of all stripes were commiserating and communing. Laughing, smoking, drinking, spinning, and largely just having a great time. This communal element remains at the heart of the scene that the Grateful Dead spawned, and continues to beat throughout the crowd whether they are 17 or 77.
When the second set began the crowd was in prime form, and DSO took them where they wanted to go. Starting in familiar Grateful Dead territory with ‘Playing in the Band’ and ‘Terrapin Station,’ the set twisted and turned in a good way with the likes of Jay Lane, Jake Wolf, Matt Butler, and Jeremy Hoenig joining the fray to blast through a thunderous version of ‘Drums.’
After that all bets were off as DSO cashed in on some great covers. Notably their takes on Traffic’s ‘Mr. Fantasy’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’ (Chuck Berry) had the crowd in perpetual motion. Closing out the first night’s set with the Dead’s ‘Ripple’ brought the house down and sent fans home in the suddenly chilly night.
Day 2 started similarly to day 1…..hot. With the crowd meandering in in the same fashion as the lazy Saturday afternoon, the stage was set for more Dead related fun. This time however the entry point was a bit different as it started with the nostalgia of the Peter Rowan & Sam Grisman Project churning out bluegrass flavors ranging from bay area legend Jack Bonus to Old & In The Way (the bluegrass band that included David Grisman, Jerry Garcia, and Peter Rowan among others).
Standouts amongst the bluegrass set included ‘The Hobo Song’ (Jack Bonus), a stunning cover of the Rolling Stones ‘Wild Horses,’ and ‘Jerry’s Breakdown’ and ‘Old and in the Way’ from Old and in the Way.
The set was highlighted by the playing and musical interactions between David Grisman on mandolin and his son Sam on the upright bass. They were in another world playing next to each other and this resonated with the audience as their infectious energy rippled from the stage through the bowl and up to the heights of the Greek.
When DSO emerged for their second night set, the crowd knew what they would be in for. The band would be playing the Grateful Dead set from August 1, 1973 at Roosevelt Stadium in New Jersey….the first time they performed on Jerry’s birthday.
Being that this show was from 1973, the onstage lineup was pared down to only one drummer (Dino English) to replicate the single drummer era of the Grateful Dead. And the spirit of the show did not stop there. For this set, guitarist Jeff Mattson was using Jerry Garcia’s famous ‘Alligator’ guitar (on loan from the Grateful Guitars Foundation) which was retired by Jerry at the 1973 birthday show.
Starting with Chuck Berry’s ‘Promised Land’, DSO expertly weaved through the iconic set of favorites from this early-era Dead show, giving a snapshot into the mind of Jerry and his bandmates from the early 70s.
‘Sugaree’ was an early set high point, as were spot on renditions of ‘Birdsong,’ ‘Mexicali Blues,’ and ‘Jack Straw.’ It was amazing watching Mattson channel Garcia through ‘Alligator.’ Not only did he nail the tone, intonation, and inflections of Jerry’s guitar playing, but also gave a triumphant vocal interpretation.
The first set closer, ‘Casey Jones,’ was a master class put on by DSO. Keyboardist Rob Barraco’s playing was the glue of the song, supporting Mattson’s guitar and vocals to perfection. .
The second set levitated the Greek in dance and celebration, as the tribute to Jerry and to Bob Weir was taken to another level. By the time DSO unleashed ‘Sugar Magnolia,’ it was pandemonium, as virtually all in attendance sang and danced along. I watched one woman spin in circles in the same direction for at least thirty minutes without stopping.
The band then took a quick exit off the stage, but the crowd was having none of it, coaxing DSO back for an encore. The only thing that could slow down Dark Star Orchestra was the city of Berkeley sound ordinance which literally pulled the plug on the PA at the Greek right at 11pm as the band was tearing through the Emma Franklin tune ‘Piece of My Heart’ (made famous by Janis Joplin).
No worries….DSO continued to play through their stage amps until they were done. Props to them for ending on their terms, specifically to vocalist Lisa Mackey who persevered without missing a note through the audio distraction.
While DSO refused to be silenced, what of the notion that the scene is waning and quieting? If this weekend is any indication, the contrary is actually happening as the torch seems to be passing to a new generation of heads. There was a strong presence of younger fans eager to soak up the music and atmosphere, leaning on scene vets to shine an uninhibited light to show the way.
I heard one young fan proclaim “I finally got to see the Grateful Dead!!” While not entirely true, this was as near a representation as could be had these days. Another fan noted, the heart of the Grateful Dead will transcend through the ‘vibe’ of the scene and the music if not in the actual band itself. This is indeed true, and as Rob Barraco stated to me in a recent interview, DSO will be there to give their all to carry on the scene properly.
