Photo credit: Bob Minkin
Dark Star Orchestra opened its two-night return to the Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley on Friday, July 31, with a guest-filled performance that brought together several generations of Bob Weir’s extended musical family for the first night of The Music Never Stops: A Rex Foundation Benefit & Tribute to Bob Weir.
Taking place on the eve of Jerry Garcia’s birthday and the beginning of the Days Between—the annual stretch from Garcia’s birth on August 1 to the anniversary of his passing on August 9—the weekend has been framed as a celebration of the Grateful Dead’s living legacy, Bay Area roots, and long-standing connection to community and philanthropy through the Rex Foundation.
Night one leaned fully into that spirit. Following an opening performance from Melvin Seals & JGB featuring Jazz Mafia Horns, Dark Star Orchestra delivered a wide-ranging set that moved through different corners of the Dead songbook while welcoming several special guests throughout the evening.
The first set opened with “Cassidy,” featuring saxophonist Dave Ellis of Bob Weir & RatDog and The Other Ones, before moving into “Loose Lucy,” “Box of Rain,” and “Let It Grow,” which featured a sit-in from Barry Sless of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros. Sless, on pedal steel, remained in the mix for “Ramble On Rose,” and the band then continued with “Black-Throated Wind,” introduced by Rob Eaton as his favorite Bob Weir song, and “Cumberland Blues.”
Later in the set, the guest list widened again, with Melvin Seals, John Kadlecik of Furthur, and Jay Lane of Bob Weir & RatDog, Furthur, Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, and Dead & Company joining Dark Star Orchestra for “Corrina.” The band then closed the first set with “Shakedown Street,” featuring Mark Karan of Bob Weir & RatDog and The Other Ones, along with Jay Lane, turning the song into one of the night’s biggest communal moments.
The second set continued the celebratory arc with “Playing in the Band,” “Estimated Prophet,” “Uncle John’s Band,” “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” and “Not Fade Away,” before moving through “Black Peter,” a return to “Playing in the Band,” and a final “Not Fade Away” reprise.
One of the second set’s defining moments came during “Drums,” which brought together an expanded percussion lineup featuring Jeremy Hoenig, Jay Lane, Jake Wolf, Matt Butler, Rob Koritz, and Dino English. The segment added another layer to the weekend’s larger sense of gathering, with musicians connected across different parts of the Dead and jam-band world sharing the stage at one of the Bay Area’s most storied venues.
Dark Star Orchestra returned for an encore of “Johnny B. Goode” and “Ripple,” closing the first night with a pairing that moved from rock and roll release into one of the Grateful Dead’s most enduring songs of reflection and community.
The two-night Greek Theatre run continues tonight, Saturday, August 1, on Jerry Garcia’s birthday. For night two, Dark Star Orchestra will recreate the Grateful Dead’s August 1, 1973, Roosevelt Stadium show in its entirety, marking a fitting tribute to the first time the Grateful Dead ever performed on Garcia’s birthday.
The original show also marked the final time Garcia played his famed Alligator guitar before retiring it. To honor that history, DSO guitarist Jeff Mattson will play Alligator tonight through a loan from Grateful Guitars Foundation founder Andy Logan. The evening will also feature Peter Rowan & Sam Grisman Project performing music from Old & In The Way, extending another thread of Garcia’s musical life through bluegrass, folk, and the Grisman family connection.
Proceeds from the weekend benefit the Rex Foundation, the nonprofit founded in 1983 by members of the Grateful Dead. For over four decades, Rex has carried forward the Grateful Dead community’s philanthropic spirit by supporting small nonprofit organizations doing meaningful work that are often overlooked by traditional funding sources.
For Dark Star Orchestra, the Greek Theatre weekend is both a major Bay Area event and a clear expression of the band’s larger purpose. For nearly 30 years and more than 3,400 shows, DSO has carried forward the Grateful Dead live concert experience for longtime Dead Heads and new generations of fans, honoring the sound, structure, and improvisational spirit of the original performances while allowing each night to unfold in the moment.
The weekend also arrives as Dark Star Orchestra continues to build on a busy year of touring. The band recently announced its Fall 2026 Tour, a run through the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida that includes a Rex Foundation benefit at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 45th anniversary of Reckoning, multiple-night stands in Montclair, Huntington, and Fort Lauderdale, and a special four-night Florida run in December. Tickets for the newly announced dates are on sale now at darkstarorchestra.net.
Dark Star Orchestra The Music Never Stops: A Rex Foundation Benefit & Tribute to Bob Weir
Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
Friday, July 31, 2026
Set I
Cassidy*
Loose Lucy
Box of Rain
Let It Grow^
Ramble On Rose^
Black-Throated Wind
Cumberland Blues
Corrina#
Shakedown Street+
Set II
Playing in the Band
Playing in the Band Reprise
Uncle John’s Band
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Not Fade Away >
Black Peter >
Playing in the Band Reprise
Not Fade Away Reprise
Encore
Johnny B. Goode
Ripple
*with Dave Ellis
^with Barry Sless
#with Melvin Seals, John Kadlecik, and Jay Lane
+with Mark Karan and Jay Lane
“Drums” featured Jeremy Hoenig, Jay Lane, Jake Wolf, Matt Butler, Rob Koritz, and Dino English.
The Music Never Stops: A Rex Foundation Benefit & Tribute to Bob Weir
Saturday, August 1 – Night Two
Jerry Garcia’s Birthday
Dark Star Orchestra performs the Grateful Dead’s August 1, 1973, Roosevelt Stadium show
Peter Rowan & Sam Grisman Project performs music from Old & In The Way
For tickets and more information, please visit darkstarorchestra.net.
