Dark Star Orchestra will celebrate New Years with a three-night stand at South Burlington, VTs Higher Ground. The lauded Grateful Dead tribute act will perform at the Higher Ground from December 29 to 31, closing out an extended fall and winter tour. The group will kick-off its fall outing with a performance at Nashvilles Mercy Lounge on September 22 and continue through the Midwest, Colorado, Montana and West Coast, including performances at the Fillmore in San Francisco on October 21 and 22. After a brief break the group will hit the road on November 18 at Northhampton, MAs Pearl Street for a northeast tour which will make up many of the spring shows cancelled following the death of Dark Star Orchestra keyboardist Scott Larned.
Dark Star Orchestra also recently closed out its summer tour at Nelson Ledges Quarry Parks 6th annual GratefulFest. At the festival the group raised over $5,000 for Rett Syndrome research as part of the GratefulFest Benefit Song Raffle where Dark Star Orchestra played its only all request show of the year. The festival closed with a double encore including dual female vocals from Donna Jean Godchaux and Dark Stars Lisa Mackey on Sing Me Back Home and an Alabama Getaway, the later of which was a request from Jerry Garcias brother Tiff.