Dark Star Orchestra @ la Cigale, Paris - September 22nd, 2024

Tribute bands come in all shapes and sizes, but even within this realm, there’s a clear hierarchy. On one end, you have your cousin’s weekend Led Zeppelin cover band, playing to a small crowd of locals at a neighborhood pub. On the other, there are professional tribute acts like The Australian Pink Floyd, The Musical Box, The Iron Maidens, and Dark Star Orchestra—bands that have built careers around meticulously recreating the live experiences of legends like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Iron Maiden, and the Grateful Dead. These groups don’t just play the music—they’ve been anointed by the very artists they honor by capturing the soul of the original performances.

Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) takes this dedication to a new level. They don't simply mimic the Grateful Dead's sound; they embody the improvisational spirit that made the Dead's concerts so unique. Each performance is a living, breathing entity—just as the Grateful Dead never played the same song the same way twice, DSO brings a sense of spontaneity and fluidity to their shows, tapping into the heart of the jam band tradition and even playing specific setlists from the band's history.

After a sold-out show at the Olympia two years ago, commemorating the Grateful Dead's 1972 Europe tour, Dark Star Orchestra returned to Paris for two nights at La Cigale. As expected, the audience was a mix of old hippies reliving their youth and young stoners seeking to experience a slice of what their elders once enjoyed.

Despite this being a seated event, the crowd spent much of the night on their feet, swaying and twirling in true hippie fashion. The sight of the audience moving in unison, lost in the music, felt entirely fitting for a band that draws so heavily from the free-spirited ethos of the 1960s and ‘70s. It’s easy to forget how funky the Grateful Dead's music can get, weaving through psychedelic jams, bluegrass riffs, country-rock harmonies, and bursts of modal jazz.

One thing Jerry Garcia probably never anticipated is the steep price tag that now accompanies such an experience: 60 euros for the cheapest seats feels high for a tribute act. But once the music starts, it’s clear why the band has such a devoted following. Beyond the extended jams and intricate solos, there’s a core simplicity to the Grateful Dead's songs—beautiful, heartfelt compositions that resonate decades later. Hearing these songs performed with such authenticity is a rare treat.

Of course, this isn’t the Grateful Dead. That band ended nearly thirty years ago in Forest Knolls, California. But Dark Star Orchestra comes impressively close to reviving the magic, offering fans the next best thing.