Very Grateful

Dark Star Orchestra re-interprets the authentic sound of the Grateful Dead.

By: Susan Van Dongen
   Dino English, one of the drummers for Dark Star Orchestra, said he never really knew what the fuss was about the Grateful Dead. In fact, he was a fan of Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. The group’s gothic keyboard foundations, theatricality and references to fantasy and literature are pretty much the opposite of the no-fuss stage appearance and jazz sensibilities of the Dead.
   Then he went to one of the Grateful Dead’s legendary concerts and he was hooked. He describes it almost like a religious conversion, a baptism in a river of jams and good vibes.
   "It’s hard to explain, just one of those things that kind of hits you over the head and then you get it," Mr. English says. "A lot of it has to do with the songwriting and the flow of the show.
   "They would draw you in with upbeat songs at first and then they’d get more introspective," he continues. "It’s like an epic. Like the ‘Odyssey,’ a Dead concert is something that takes you through stages. There’s the introductory part, the more introspective or improvisational section and then they get into ballads — and it’s a different ballad every night. Then it kicks into a revival kind of feeling. There’s a spiritual aspect to the music and that’s what people are drawn to."
   Mr. English and the other six or seven members of Dark Star Orchestra will be "channeling" the Grateful Dead in Princeton, appearing at McCarter Theatre May 5 in an all-ages show.
   Since 1997, the group has appeared in a variety of venues, from small clubs in the members’ hometown of Chicago, to venerable halls like the Fillmore in San Francisco. Each night, the Chicago-based band decides to do one show from the 2,500 the Grateful Dead performed during their years as the fathers of improvisational rock. DSO describes itself as a "chamber orchestra" interpreting the Dead, much like a classical ensemble would play the music of Mozart or Bach.
   The band has the flexibility to dip into every incarnation of the Dead — from the ’60s through the ’90s — so fans can experience shows that happened long before they were born.
   The group has refined its craft so well that former members of the Grateful Dead have joined them in concert. Rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux, keyboardists Vince Welnick and Tom Constanten have all collaborated with DSO. Bassist Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman of Phish have also sat in with DSO.
   Mr. English had no clue he would be touring with a Grateful Dead tribute band. He says he was playing in another group, concentrating on original music. On his days off, he would get together with other musicians for Dead jam sessions — just for fun.
   "That’s how I learned the basics of the material," he says. "Over time we started to pay more attention to the details and got some touring experience. Then Jerry (Garcia) died and we realized that the music was important to us, so we wanted to see it carry on. It seems like a lot of people felt that way. A few of us gravitated together who were quite serious about it."
   At 37 — and a late convert — Mr. English has seen only about 20 Dead concerts. On the other end of the spectrum, one member of the band witnessed more than 300.
   "Each live show was unique," he says. "They played a different set list every night, so it was a different experience. The Grateful Dead played 2,500 shows and they never repeated. That’s why people see so many concerts."
   Unlike the gifted Canadian band Musical Box, which recreates complex early Genesis shows note-for-note, DSO takes a style-for-style or era-for-era approach to its concerts. It’s not about copying exact notes, but offering their own interpretation and improvisations on the Grateful Dead’s music.
   They do, however, strive for an authentic sound.
   "We very much want to get the similar tones of the guitars and the rest of the instruments as well," Mr. English says. "We’re also using some of the same instruments, including keyboards and cymbals, that the Dead actually used.
   "We’re not trying to stifle the flow of the music, we’re re-interpreting it so there’s a lot of improvisation still involved and that’s what the Dead are known for," he continues. "Like jazz, you have the head and then you improvise on that — and then you come back and play the head again."
   Underneath the business side of the group, DSO is really just a bunch of Deadheads who love the music and want to share it with others, especially younger folks who may not have had the chance to hear Jerry and company.
   "We still wanted to hear the music and provide a place for people to share the experiences we had when listening to this music," Mr. English says. "There’s something special about this music, which can be as intricate as anything Genesis wrote in the early days. We don’t take it lightly and we appreciate that we’re able to do this. We’re very grateful."
Dark Star Orchestra will perform at McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, Princeton, May 5, 7 p.m. Tickets cost $25-$35. For information, call (609) 258-2787. On the Web: www.mccarter.org. Dark Star Orchestra on the Web: www.darkstarorchestra.net