Dark Star Orchestra at the Guthrie Theater: Minneapolis, MN

February 5th, 2008 in Metro, Minneapolis

Last night Kim and I saw Dark Star Orchestra perform 10/19/81 from Barcelona Spain.

I would first like to comment on how absolutely gorgeous the Guthrie is. Instead of having to wait out in a line in the cold to get Will Call tickets, we were invited into the building and allowed to wander aimlessly throughout. We checked out several of the lounge areas and the Endless Bridge (see Aaron‘s shots of that here and here as mine don’t do it justice in the least) and then took our seats in the fantastic Wurtele Thrust Stage. We were both pleased to see that we had pretty nice seats (5th row, center) although there were only a few seats that I would consider poor for the way the stage was setup last night.

The show pretty much started right on time as the helpful staff guided half-stoned and near-drunk hippies to their seats. It was an interesting crowd and far older than many jam-band shows I have been to recently. Usually you have a 50/50 mix of young to old hippies but for DSO last night, it seemed like the majority was well over 50.

DSO opened with a killer Jack Straw>Franklin’s Tower that nearly knocked me on my ass. My headache and sore throat that had been plaguing me since mid-afternoon was gone and replaced by the scratchy ache in my throat from trying to out sing everyone else in attendance. The smile on my face must have been a mile wide as Kim just looked at me, smiled and nodded as if she just understood.

There were plenty of people sparking up in the crowd and while you normally see people yanked from their seats and hauled off to enjoy the rest of the show from some unknown location, at the Guthrie they pretty much, in the most kind way they could over the music, told the people to put it out and let them carry on. After the four near-60 year olds in front of us smoked their second joint and were told to stop, one passed out in his seat for 90% of the second set. A younger guy next to Kim slept for most of the show. $25 to take a nap seems like a bit much to me but to each their own.

Both Kim and I were very impressed with the venue itself and I was impressed with DSO. While I have never really thought that much of their recordings (available on Archive.org here) I thought that they played an excellent show including most of the space and jams which I normally think are lacking in their performances. Perhaps I was just wrapped up in the moment and I had several where I just closed my eyes and swore I was standing before “The Band” itself in 1981.

Here’s the entire setlist (please note that Deadbase doesn’t list Second Emotion as a second encore but it was played last night):

10-19-81 Sports Palace, Barcelona, Spain (Mon)

1: Jack Straw> Franklin’s, Mama Tried> Mexicali, Loser, C.C. Rider, Tennessee Jed, Passenger, Althea, Let It Grow

2: Scarlet> Fire, Sailor> Saint> Drumz> Spanish Jam> Other One> Stella Blue> Sugar Magnolia

E: Don’t Ease, Second that Emotion

Kudos to DSO and the staff at the Guthrie for making last night a show I will not soon forget. Kim has already made plans to go back to the Guthrie to see future events so I know we’ll be back :)

See all the pictures from last night here (camera).