Dark Star Orchestra, Alexander Palace Theatre, London, 26 and 27 September 2024

Two nights of DSO in London have to be a highlight of the year for UK Deadheads. A ‘must do’ in spite of the travel and London accommodation costs.

The Thursday night (26th) was pretty awesome (the set list from 9/10/74 with a Lisa special - Piece of my Heart - to finish). China Cat>Rider, Sugar Mag, Dark Star! But somehow I left feeling I’d had just as much fun at the equally awesome Grateful Dudes’s gig at Hebden Bridge the previous Saturday.

(Make no mistake, the Dudes deserve a MUCH bigger audience! Like Ally Pally size! But you do lose something in these larger venues.)

I felt a bit differently after the Friday night. 

Friday’s show was “dedicated to Dame Maggie Smith”, who died earlier in the month. For this show the band threw off the m. o. (straightjacket?) of adhering to a Grateful Dead setlist, with the result that we got something unique and rather special. Unique both for the choice of Grateful Dead songs (it would have to be a 1995 set list for one of them) and for the selection of non-Dead tunes. Not to mention impact - maybe it was just me, but where else might you have tears in your eyes one moment and then soar with elation the very next?

The first set showcased fine versions of more of my favourite Dead songs including Bird Song and Jack Straw. The second set built from UJB through Estimated, Eyes to… can it be a rare Unbroken Chain? Yes! An excellent reflective version, in retrospect particularly poignant now we’ve sadly lost its writer and singer, Phil Lesh. Lovely sensitive vocal by Skip.

The hall emptied somewhat for the 8-minute Drums section, got busier as the Space section winded up and out of Space  …an instrumental Imagine! On the face of it a hopeful song, this is, for, me always heavy with the way things aren’t - but to follow this with China Doll, surely the most moving of the Hunter/Garcia songs - like when I hear this song I’m triggered back to August 9 1995 every effing time - come on guys give my tear ducts a break I know art is supposed to make you feel something in your gut but we’re gonna need something really upbeat to close the set maybe Truckin’ or Not Fade Away or One More Saturday Night… okay Throwing Stones will do and yes here we go it’s an utter joyous Touch of Grey! magic! so many people from teens to us veterans dancing to the ultimate anthem to Hope.

I like to explore the floor when there’s space to do so, and the Ally Pally Theatre was great for this - it looked full both nights but there was enough room for everyone to move if they wanted to, even for couples to dance together. I admired one woman’s “energy and moves” and she replied that they came from “decades and decades AND DECADES of dancing to this music”! In an area to the back and left of the hall was a group of young people, some of them barefoot girls in white floaty dresses, throwing themselves into the dance with utter elvish abandon. Joyous! It was exhilarating just to watch them for a few minutes. They were there both nights - “doing the tour” I wonder?

We expect something special from an encore in London and that’s exactly what we got - Woodstock! Rob Barraco providing the lead vocal, And Lisa singing and dancing her heart out …and just looking so happy! And to finish (what else for this venue?) Brokedown Palace.

As the band leave the stage I’m down in a trough of sadness; it’s over.

BUT WE’VE STILL GOT THE DUDES!!!

A massive thank you to each member of Dark Star Orchestra and to everyone else who helped to make this happen. And a plea for everyone who turned out - go see the Grateful Dudes too! You won’t be disappointed.

(Finally - DSO - wouldn’t it be cool to bring Andy on stage for a couple of numbers next time!!!)

Set 1: Good Times, Feel like a Stranger, Cumberland Blues, Just Like Tom Thumb Blues, C C Rider, Mission in the Rain,  Hell in a Bucket, You Ain’t Woman Enough, Bird Song, Jack Straw

Set 2: Uncle John’s Band, Estimated Prophet, Eyes of the World, Unbroken Chain, Drums>Space>Imagine>China Doll>Throwing Stones>Touch of Grey 

enc: Woodstock, Brokedown Palace