20Years DSO

[2muchfun]

Although I am in possession of tickets for 8 DSO shows in 2019 none have yet to occur.

Since my first DSO show was 1/22/99 my next show...(Nashville) will mark 20 years.

The music, the band, the peeps, the road...if I told you all that went down...

 

Thank You Dark Star Orchestra

 

[Greg from Chestertown]

I hear ya. I’m up to 18 years now. My adventure with Dark Star Orchestra is turning out to be a longer, stranger trip than my adventures with the Grateful Dead. No end in sight. Thank Dark Star Orchestra for handling things just exactly perfect. 

[Tea]

12 years in August...

[chuckvegas]

I’m at 18 years myself with DSO, and have seen close to ten times more DSO than GD shows. Since I don’t see shows at all any more the numbers will be like me - static. The bus pulled over, I got off, and that’s when it all ended.

[acududeman]

I'm pretty sure I got on the DSO bus in '99 as well...….hard to believe 20 years has passed......terrific years to boot

[LIkeEveryOne]

Dear Diary: Scott asked me how many times I’d  seen DSO. I said, I don’t know 30? 40? times maybe. I’m not really counting at this point, I don’t see the point. 

He asked me why? I said  I just love the whole thing .  The audience, the band,  the music. I love Everything about it. It all just feels right.

 

JRAD, Dead & Co, and the others I’ve seen, all sound and play great, but I only  experienced the trifecta of band, music and people with DSO.  The feeling of connection I get only seems to happen through DSO. At some point I may lose interest in them , which I’d thought happened after the Vegas show last month. I left feeling , OK that’s enough. But the next day I went to the Tempe show and got sucked right back in.  Best show ever, I thought. 

Now i’m heading to Florida for 3 shots  at possibly ending this obsession.  But all it takes is one good song with one person enjoying that song as much as me and I don’t want to leave and I know I’ll be back. Thank you to each member of the band.

3 years for this rookie 

[Tom Banjo]

I’ve been seeing DSO for nearly 15 years. I don’t count either but I’ve seen at least 500 probably closer to 600 DSO shows. I like Live dead music. All of it. Local. National. But nothing does it for me like DSO. Nobody else puts me in my magic space as often and as consistently as DSO. 

 

One thing I’ve learned is the bus just keeps on rolling. Sometimes I’m only on it in spirit. Sometimes I’m at the wheel but DSO does bring the bus by you can get on or off if you want. 

[LangeradoSoul]

My first show was 10/14/2000. They were good but I was doing tour full time with Bobby & Phil projects for many years and didn't really have interest in much outside of that.  I didn't see them again until 2012-and was pleasantly surprised at how awesome they were. They are my main conduit for channeling the Grateful Dead these days. Thanks for the tunes!

[Supplicated Velvet Thunder]

I hated the Dead when I first went to see DSO feb 2009 at the variety. I always thought it was “hokey country shit”.... and though I don’t think i was wrong in that thought, I learned that this was part of the key to the reason DSO is able to open the door to those of us that never would have been able to appreciate not only the Dead, but a truly powerful era of American music. 

That night they made me dance right away after we snuck by people I now know were Kevin and the truck driver, behind the dumpsters to the smoking area door, where we bribed security to let me n my girl into the sold out show, and made it to the front with out friends just before the first song (Alabama>GSET opener but into stop that train bc it was an elective) and by second set, when I realized that somehow I knew every song like it was written on my soul- head full of the morphic resoanance of the experiences I saw in many of YOU, that I now know were there that night- I knew I would do this for the rest of my life. There is nothing like a DSO show.

For the last ten years I have had a purpose. Being a non-breeder, the “i ain’t got kids” listless, searching quest for purpose can be a long strange trip, for sure. But DSO and you guys were always there for me, without question. And sure, ya always told me how I was doin it wrong, and you’re not wrong, but I am grateful for the lessons in life and the way that y’all molded me into the badass lil lady I am today. Now, I play mandolin almost every day, write songs with my husband- we met at a DSO show 2 years ago and have spent every day togther since (he asked if I wanted to drink a beer in the bushes bf hand, then brought me water n danced w me throughout the night)- I play for everyone who is ever around, I’m writing on my novel again (like, over 6 chapters now and that’s the longest stretch I’ve made it yet) and I’m married with land in New England and my dad might give us a yak as my dowry. All that is thanks to DSO showing me that sometimes you just gotta move! And they took me to my bended knees when fellow fans brought me to the dharma and gave me the understanding of the peace that passes understanding. 

All that, because I liked to be a unicorn at a cover band and spin in the front row and learn songs I’d never heard (I learned jerry’s entire repertoire thru live DSO shows, other than a few I had heard growing up or a few I  discovered thru other live bands and the occasional listen to a rare show.) this purpose has always worked pretty well for me. 

And goddamn, I’m one grateful kid. Thanks, y’all, you had the world to give and you have it to me (I got to see that twice this life, after all!) We sure do get by.

 

again, thank you. Cant wait to dance with you, once more!

[Hardpan]

First saw them around 2001, maybe a dozen shows in a few year period, took a long break and rediscovered them in fall 2016, and enjoy them much more now, seen them about 50 times since. Have had my best concert experiences at DSO shows in the past couple years, wonderful music, even made some friends 🙂

[chuckvegas]

2 hours ago, Supplicated Velvet Thunder said:

 

That night they made me dance right away

 

[Rude]

I had lost the music since 95. 8 years ago seeing Dso triggered my live music love again. After the February 2011 Vic show I went and saw Mr Blotto 2 shows in a row a few weeks later which my gf at the time thought was super weird and I wanted more. Withoit anyone to travel with and having not met anyone on tour yet, touring wasn’t an option.  I had to create some deadheads to achieve my goal and I created several.(I think the friends I’ve tuened on to Dso have hit 200 combined shows now). If not for seeing an article about DSO in a local rag, no telling what my life would look like now(probably working a lot, ewww). I’d prob still be things>experiences vs my hermit life b/t travels. I actually enjoy the hermit life in my hometown. Not much else to do do hermit then travel then hermit travel.  Rise repeat. 

 

Oh and thank you Ron for what you do as you helped bring so many of us together. 

[Tea]

7 hours ago, Supplicated Velvet Thunder said:

I hated the Dead when I first went to see DSO feb 2009 at the variety. I always thought it was “hokey country shit”.... and though I don’t think i was wrong in that thought, I learned that this was part of the key to the reason DSO is able to open the door to those of us that never would have been able to appreciate not only the Dead, but a truly powerful era of American music. 

That night they made me dance right away after we snuck by people I now know were Kevin and the truck driver, behind the dumpsters to the smoking area door, where we bribed security to let me n my girl into the sold out show, and made it to the front with out friends just before the first song (Alabama>GSET opener but into stop that train bc it was an elective) 

I remember planning for Myrtle Beach and skipping Atlanta - only to miss The Eleven.  It would become a troubling pattern.  Hell of a first show:

Set One:

Alabama Getaway-> Greatest Story Ever Told, Stop That Train, Next Time You See Me, Me & My Uncle-> Big River, Pride of Cucamonga, Must Have Been The Roses, Passenger, Brown-eyed Women, Weather Report Suite-> Let It Grow

 

Set Two:

China Cat Sunflower-> Know You Rider, Dancin' in the Street-> Alligator-> Why Don't We Do It In the Road-> The Eleven-> Drums-> Space-> New Potato Caboose-> Uncle John's Band-> The Wheel-> UJB reprise-> Lovelight

 

Encore:
Brokedown Palace

https://archive.org/details/dso2009-02-07.mg210.flac16

 

[chuckvegas]

And Steph, I think I am not alone in wanting to hear more about the yak dowry.

 

Tea, that was a fun run!

 

[Blindman]

Been all around this world but would like to throw this show into the thread.  

4/12/02. Santa Cruz.  Cocoanut Grove on the Boardwalk.  Recreating Cap 6/19/76. 

 

Got on board a few years prior in Olympia, WA but loved this show as a UCSC grad.  Beautiful night on the boardwalk.  Sand in the toes at setbreak.  

 

Love me some DSO. 

 

Set One: 
Help On The Way -> Slipknot -> Franklin's Tower -> Music ; Brown Eyed Women ; Cassidy ; They Love Each Other ; Looks Like Rain ; Tennessee Jed ; Playing In The Band 

Set Two: 
Might As Well ; Samson & Delilah ; High Time ; Let it Grow-> Drums -> Space -> Let it Grow-> Dancing In The Street -> Cosmic Charlie ; Around And Around-> Going Down The Road Feeling Bad-> One More Saturday Night 

Encore: 
Not Fade Away 

Filler: 
St Stephen-> Baby Blue

 

 

 

[gr8fulpair]

Grateful dead = 1986-1995 - about 50 shows

DSO = 2005-2019 - my 100th occurs in April

 

No end in sight. 

[Mango]

I've seen 100% more DSO than GD. I'd like to shift those numbers but I'm told it's too late.

 

Florida next week...excited to wear shorts? Mmmmmyeah

[Tom Banjo]

See ya soon buddy 

[Supplicated Velvet Thunder]

Tea: omg we had the same first songs? Lol yay! Dude, those gd brother taper guys (gosh, y’all, its been too long and names and dates tend to wobble but the stories still ring true, please remind me!) that did a bunch of 80s shows were always talking bout how it was so hard for them to finally record their first Alabama GSET openers the Dead did bc they were always held up w blah blah blah n equipment check and whatever (sounds like u abided in this karma, duderino!) When I heard that I felt like DSO had given me a special gift of being right on time for the first time (when I got into Nirvana in high school my brother yelled at me Kurt had been for years, u know? The list goes on of everything I have always been a dollar late or a minute short for lol) in my entire all of my lives, despite my aforementioned difficulties and struggles to sneak in (I meant BUS driver, not truck driver btw, damn conceptual dyslexica!) and I am still flailing in gratefulness over that. DSO got me at a moment for me and (apparently, bc u still so good to me, despite my recent absence- shit show ain’t over yet, being a step mom is making custody bs a real drag) for y’all that for some reason u still give a fuck about what we all give a fuck about even though we mostly don’t give that many fucks and fuck..... Love u, man.

chuckles: my dear. Check this out. Jesse asked my dad for one breeding age female yak as my dowry bc We are paying for our own wedding party (will have huge post on here when we plan it and y’all mofos better show the fuck up and party on our land w us and bring your instruments and make Jesse play dead w us for at least an old traditional- homemade know u rider lyrics always welcome!) We found 2 female yaks (dris) from this crazy hippie Maine-y-yak dude that has em ready for us in 2020 for less than what one would cost. He literally talks to his yaks while chillin w em drinkin in dead and Dylan quotes and then posts his and their comments back with pics on FB and they come home to a room to side of his house that is theirs w a wood stove to take turns from the cold...... um, yeah, that’s OUR girls he is making awesome. So, because I am a goddamn bargain, I am a two yak woman, not just one. And they already tame and happy. So thems some sexy apples imma feed our yaks! 

Imma pro w the bunny fur but yaks got 3 layers from cashmere to rope/saddle/tent/fly fishing lure hollow. And man.... cashmere felt yak hats for you adventurers of another time’s forgotten space is on order. I miss tibetan yak butter tea... some sour you can’t help but need over and over and yak butter n cheese n cookies derived thereof are some of my deepest cravings. Plus, kids can ride em thru the 1000 acre pristine New England swamp landtrust out back w a white sand spring we need the yaks to carry water from for our home site. They can haul wood, as well, bc hippies are lazy and wanna sit by the fire all night without grabbing wood. Shit, like, literally, their shit will give us not so bad smelling fire starting fuel to also have fun w hippies, nothing like a shit run instead of a wood run! It is all laying around, after all.

check out one of our babies we getting, though she will be grown when we grab her (he keeps em so mom weens naturally!)

https://video-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.9040-2/10000000_340243723151878_4457380736973930496_n.mp4?_nc_cat=103&efg=eyJybHIiOjY4NCwicmxhIjoyMzgwLCJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InN2ZV9zZCJ9&rl=684&vabr=380&_nc_ht=video-atl3-1.xx&oh=ef015ef34cdb27ca582a2f442642f5a5&oe=5CA5991C

Rude: thanks for sharing and coming home. Welcome home. Love you, brother. 

 

Todays realization: DSO gave me the curiosity and acceptance in musical obsession I have always danced and tapped and sang and played along with and taught me to explore a level of morphic resonance that has reverberated out of me in a new way I never thought was possible to understand as I realize no deadhead has told me a story in the last five years I ain’t heard bf (u freakin star heads and u ones w the tour photopsychaperfect memory of all Jerry did totally ruined me! Not to mention that best show ever they played in the place I left from to tour them...) and I know every song they gonna play live from any band or tape that is dead from the tuning. So.... where did I go? Well, we are working on covers and originals every day on the front porch. We played at popcorn Sutton’s house. I played where doc Watson played on a porch outside of bat cave NC. I can not play the wrong notes with goddamn anyone on earth. I get fucking paid for it, so that makes me a professional musician, now. I am learning though experience continually about true Americana music every day bc you guys all told me I could tour DSO, actually, Matt told the dude I wanted to fuck bc he toured DSO that and he told me I could, the first time lol . (RIP, Matt, u awesome, mofo! Gratefulness directly to you!) so..... wow..... music is really all there is and it never stopped..... hot damn.

 

Kiss kiss

 

Also, our wedding- now that I know the links Jesse knows how to make on the laptop can let me give you videos here, lol! Taper is deaf lady we stay w and Dudeist priest is her son that cares for her and dude in pjs was our roommate then (travelers settling down to a new house, good for them!) and his gfs dog is the pup and yes those are my i’ll be w thee vows in front of our 81 Rolls Royce we took to the courthouse: 

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-3wy2Y7CSIuQmdzazU4NEUtWm5KZlE4dnFkbmV0OHQzWV9N&fbclid=IwAR3HJcyFVNu5PKg0JUupqwtdyDtV5qwxUzbQc66BS0rAGGs1EzbZ62Edjyg

 

yeah, that’s what YOU MOTHERFUCKERS taught me to be (I was a corporate working girl and have degrees and shit, dudes, and y’all made me leave my job, my home and cats to just “see the next show, cause it’s the best!” You were right). 

 

Grateful. 

 

 

 

[Brian NJ]

I've seen the dead. I've seen dso. 

I've read these post.

 

[chuckvegas]

Some more Dylan for the dowry yaks and lazy hippies:

 

Whoo-ee, ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair

 

 

[PoetryGirl]

Hey, so I am wondering if out there in the cosmos anyone knows what’ the setlist was on 2/20/2010 at the Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte NODA district. My friend T. Foster owned it then. Mattson opened the show with The Donna Godchaux Band in a tiny room beside the bar. I recall a hot Let It Grow. Not in the Starbase. 

[chuckvegas]

As I remember, that was the DSO breakout of Unbroken Chain (in the second set). I do remember the Donna Band show in that room. Good times, but I don’t have the set list.

[Billy DeLyon]

My first foray into live Grateful Dead music

Ratdog ~ 12/1/00 Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA Blackbird* > Odessa*, Looks Like Rain, Liberty+, Bury Me Standing > Greatest Story Ever Told > Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Welcome to the World > Dark Star Jam > Weather Report Suite > Let It Grow > Bass/Drums > Jam > Ashes and Glass > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower E: Franklin's Tower > Throwing Stones *-Bob, Rob, n Mark; +-w/ The Persuasions; "Franklin's" ended with a vocal breakdown, which they did for a couple minutes before "Throwing Stones"; Bobby acoustic "Blackbird" thru "L.L. Rain" and "WRS Prelude/Part 1" Thanks Jonathan Rabhan

Then my 1st DSO show
-Dark Star Orchestra- Show #579 - Sat, Dec 8, 2001 at Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA Performing 11/14/87 Arena, Long Beach, CA 1: Shakedown, Rooster, Althea, Masterpiece, Hey Pocky Way, Deal 2: Maggie's Farm> Cumberland, Playin> Terrapin> Drumz> Miracle> Stella Blue> Throwing Stones> Lovelight Encore: Mighty Quinn Filler: E1 - Cold Rain> Touch> NFA E2 - Sat Night with Rob Eaton as Bobby -

 

Man was I blown away!  19 years later and I'm still listening to something new everyday.  

[Ammagamalin Crew]

I believe dark star really got to me at nye 2003 Indy, then it was off to the ledges for, well, probably the best dead scene since alpine. Good,  really good fun and nice people at every show since I've been going. Haven't partied much with forum folks,  but everyone,  in whatever aisle I end up in, at the shows is great. Probably peaked at mishawaka and state bridge runs. Unfortunately,  or whatever,  I won't be at home town show this summer because I jumped the gun on Billy Strings June 29th The Vogue in Indianapolis. He's doing almost all festy shows this year and I saw this as a rare bar show that might be my only chance to get "strung out". Annie's is going to be a great show on the 29th if it's anything close to what they played the last time the dosed that space.  Hopefully there will be a recording of this time around