Dark Star Orchestra delivered the fourth of five concerts for their Jam In The Sand destination event at Jewel Paradise Cove Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica on Friday. The Grateful Dead tribute act welcomed former guitarist John Kadlecik during the second set.
After recreating Grateful Dead shows from 1978 for the first two JITS concerts, DSO kicked off the elective show on Friday with the classic Dead pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider.” The first set also included the Bob Weir/John Barlow-penned “Black-Throated Wind,” Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter’s “Bird Song,” “Cumberland Blues” and the Ron “Pigpen” McKernan-sung “Easy Wind.” The first frame also boasted two cover songs in the Dead’s repertoire: Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” and Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man),” GD only played the latter in 1973. After “Loose Lucy,” DSO closed out the set with “Let It Grow.”
The second frame got underway with “Here Comes Sunshine” followed by “Feel Like A Stranger.” Guitarist John Kadlecik — who performed with Melvin Seals & JGB at Jam In The Sand — joined his former DSO bandmates for “Lazy River Road.” John K, who recently reunited with DSO at Red Rocks last summer, plucked out “Lazy River Road’s” opening riff before leading the band through the latter-day Dead tune and was joined on the chorus by guitarist Rob Eaton and keyboardist Rob Barraco. Barraco also delivered a piano solo before Kadlecik took over on guitar. “These guys sound great,” John K said before leaving the stage.
Next, DSO went it alone for a Pigpen-style version of “Good Lovin’” before embarking on an expansive seamless section that featured the tribute act’s namesake song, “Dark Star,” followed by “Drums,” “Space,” a “Dark Star” jam, “St. Stephen,” “Not Fade Away” and “Morning Dew” to cap off the second set. DSO returned to encore with Bob Dylan’s “Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn).”
Watch fan-shot video of John K sitting in with DSO on “Lazy River Road”
below via nognuisagoodgnu:
Setlist (via DSO.net)
Set 1: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Black Throated Wind, Bird Song, Cumberland Blue, Easy Wind, Little Red Rooster, You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man), Loose Lucy, Let It Grow
Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine, Feel Like A Stranger, Lazy River Road*, Good Lovin’**, Dark Star > drums > space > Dark Star jam > Saint Stephen > Not Fade Away > Morning Dew
Encore: Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
Notes:
* John Kadlecik on lead guitar and vocals
** Pigpen style
