Dark Star Orchestra Lets It All Hang Out On New Year’s Eve At Capitol Theatre

Dark Star Orchestra brought 2022 to a close with a four-night New Year’s Eve Run featuring two shows a piece at Portland, Maine’s The State Theatre and Port Chester, New York’s The Capitol Theatre. The band celebrated New Year’s Eve at The Cap by following an acoustic set featuring guitarist Jeff Mattson joined by other members with a two-set elective performance that included songs outside their usual scope of the Grateful Dead repertoire.

Mattson opened the night backed by DSO keyboardist Rob Barraco on piano and drummer Rob Koritz on congas for “Dire Wolf.” The three musicians then performed the traditional “Little Sadie” before returning to the Hunter/Garcia songbook with “Reuben & Cerise.” Next, Mattson, Barraco and Koritz took on Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” Jeff was then accompanied on Hunter/Garcia’s “Valerie” and Johnny Cash’s “Delia’s Gone” by Barraco and Lisa Mackey on harmonica. The unplugged set concluded with Jeff Mattson leading Koritz, Barraco, Mackey and DSO bassist Skip Vangelas through Peter Rowan’s Old & In The Way favorite “Midnight Moonlight.”

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Dark Star Orchestra alluded to the end of 2022 by kicking off their first of two sets with a take on JJ Cale’s “After Midnight.” Guitarist Rob Eaton then channeled Bob Weir on “Greatest Story Ever Told” ahead of a Mattson-helmed “Ramble On Rose.” From there DSO covered Derek & The Dominos’ “Keep On Growing,” which the Dead played just four times. The ensuing “Cumberland Blues” was followed by Bob Dylan’s “Chimes Of Freedom.” The band reeled off a seamless run connecting GD classics “Box Of Rain,” “Throwing Stones,” “Scarlet Begonias” and “Fire On The Mountain” to wrap the set.

Jeff Mattson was back on acoustic for the pairing of “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” and “Mountains Of The Moon” that got DSO’s second set underway. Mattson returned to electric as Dark Star Orchestra jammed their namesake song into “St. Stephen” complete with its “William Tell Bridge.” Out of “St. Stephen” came “The Eleven.” Then, Koritz and fellow DSO drummer Dino English were joined by New Riders Of The Purple Sage timekeeper Johnny Markowski for a wild “Drums” that flowed into “Space.”

The drummers reemerged towards the end of “Space” for a countdown into 2023. Balloons filled the venue and Father Time walked around as Dark Star Orchestra lit into “Viola Lee Blues.” The band went on to close the frame with a “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” that gave way to “Turn On Your Lovelight.” DSO had a few treats in store for the encore, as the band sealed the night with covers of The Beatles’ “Oh! Darling” and Stephen Stills’ “Love The One You’re With.”

Watch pro-shot video of “After Midnight” thanks to Relix as well as fan-shot footage below:

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https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm4ORNUNciT/?hl=en

Setlist (via DSOForums.net)

Jeff Mattson Acoustic & Friends Set: Dire Wolf*, Little Sadie*, Reuben & Cerise*, What A Wonderful World*, Valerie**, Delia’s Gone**, Midnight Moonlight***

• * – w/Rob K on congas, Rob B on piano
• ** – w/Lisa on harmonica, Rob B on piano
• *** – w/Skip on bass, Rob K on congas, Rob B on piano, and Lisa harmony vocal

Set One: After Midnight, Greatest Story Ever Told, Ramble On Rose, Keep On Growing, Cumberland Blues, Chimes of Freedom, Box Of Rain > Throwing Stones > Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain

Set Two: Dupree’s Diamond Blues*, Mountains Of The Moon* > Dark Star > Saint Stephen > William Tell bridge > The Eleven > drums** > space > New Years countdown > Viola Lee Blues > Going Down The Road Feeling Bad > Turn On Your Lovelight

Encore: Oh! Darling > Love the One You’re With

• * – Jeff played acoustic guitar
• ** – w/ Johnny Markowski of New Riders of the Purple Sage

Source: JamBase.com