Article Contributed by Patrick Giblin
Published on December 2, 2025
Rob Eaton, Skip, and Rob Barraco, DSO | November 26th, 2025 – photos by Patrick Giblin
Dark Star Orchestra returned to the mountaintop sanctuary of Penn’s Peak on November 26, 2025 for their annual holiday-week celebration, and once again the room proved to be the perfect vessel for a deep dive into Grateful Dead history. The sold-out, wood-lined hall was already humming with anticipation long before the lights dropped—local heads, longtime tour followers, and Thanksgiving-week travelers all buzzing at the prospect of a full recreation of the Grateful Dead’s 6/19/80 Anchorage, Alaska performance.
The band wasted no time firing up the engines. A lively, hard-charging “Alabama Getaway” set the tone from the first notes, rolling straight into a ripping “Promised Land” that had the room shaking. DSO eased the energy into a warm, melodic “They Love Each Other” before tipping their hats to early-’80s Dead with a crisp run through “El Paso.” The first set found its deeper footing in the pairing of “Tennessee Jed” and “Cassidy,” a reminder of just how comfortably the band inhabits this era’s feel and flow.
“Althea” drifted in with a relaxed, unhurried groove that had the entire house swaying in unison, setting up a beautifully rendered “Looks Like Rain,” which served as the emotional centerpiece of the set. The band continued leaning into the 1980 mood with Brent Mydland’s bittersweet “Far From Me,” delivered with tender restraint, before slamming the door shut on Set One with a full-throttle “The Music Never Stopped” that brought the crowd to its feet.
Set Two opened with the classic burst of color: a buoyant “China Cat Sunflower” blooming effortlessly into a joyful “I Know You Rider.” The transition felt alive, organic, and full of lift—the kind of second-set spark fans chase. A gritty “C.C. Rider” added some blues-drenched swagger before the band glided into a lovely, delicate “Peggy-O,” giving the room a collective moment to breathe.
The emotional and musical arc deepened with “Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance,” played with a balance of patience and conviction that made the pairing feel as triumphant as ever. “Drums” and “Space” stretched outward into swirling echoes and atmospheric wanderings, bouncing beautifully off the venue’s high beams before dissolving into a soulful, heart-punch “Wharf Rat”—arguably the defining peak of the night.
From there, the energy kicked back into gear. “I Need a Miracle” lit the fuse, “Bertha” exploded with joyful motion, and “Good Lovin’” kept the entire room dancing as the set surged toward its final crest. It was the kind of closing sequence DSO delivers so reliably—faithful to the spirit of the Dead while unmistakably fueled by their own chemistry.
For the encore, the band completed the recreation with a high-octane “U.S. Blues” before surprising the holiday crowd by sliding into a funk-soaked, playful take on Sly & the Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).” The unexpected detour sent the room into a final burst of movement and smiles as the lights lifted.
Another year, another triumph for Dark Star Orchestra at Penn’s Peak. What began as a faithful honoring of the 1980 Alaska performance grew into something larger—warmth, musicianship, community, and that unmistakable late-November magic that keeps fans returning to this mountain hideaway year after year.
