August 1, 1973. Jerry Garcia’s 31st birthday. That was the last show that his Fender Stratocaster guitar – nicknamed ‘Alligator’ - was used in a concert performance.
Thanks to the generosity of the guitar's new owner Andy Logan, Dark Star Orchestra guitarist Jeff Mattson will be the first to perform with the instrument since Garcia set it down following that summer evening's show. Alligator returns to the stage Saturday, February 15 when Dark Star Orchestra performs at The Warfield in San Francisco.
On Friday, February 14, Jerry Garcia's Martin D28 acoustic guitar (also made possible by the generosity of Andy Logan) will join DSO for another highly notable stage addition when they perform the acoustic portion of the recreation of the original Grateful Dead 2/14/70 show that the band is performing on the show's 50th anniversary. Additionally, this is the acoustic guitar that filled train cars with its vast tones alongside Janis Joplin, The Band and more on the infamous Festival Express tour in 1970.
These opportunities are made possible by the work of these guitars’ owner and benefactor Andy Logan, who notes “I was three years old when Alligator was last on stage, and drooled over Europe ‘72 bootlegs and videos never dreaming I would get to see Alligator played live. Thanks to Rick Turner and Dark Star Orchestra, we fans will all get to hear Alligator’s return to the stage with its unique tone cutting through the room. Other than the Grateful Dead, there’s no band that has put in more time studying and playing this material, than Dark Star Orchestra, so I am thrilled they will have the honor to kick off the next chapter for this time-tested instrument that is dripping with Grateful Dead history.”
Tickets for the two night run at The Warfield in San Francisco are available at https://www.axs.com/series/10024/dark-star-orchestra-two-nights-tickets?skin=goldenvoice&aff=ebprom
Complete Dark Star Orchestra Tour Dates: https://www.darkstarorchestra.net/tour-dates/
FEB 6 -Seattle, WA - The Showbox
FEB 7 Portland, OR Roseland Theater -
FEB 8 Eugene, OR McDonald Theater
FEB 10 Bend, OR Tower Theatre
FEB 11 Ashland, OR Historic Ashland Armory
FEB 13 Chico, CA Senator Theatre
FEB 14 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
FEB 15 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
FEB 16 Stateline, NV Harrah's Lake Tahoe
FEB 19 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
FEB 20 Ventura, CA The Majestic Ventura Theater
FEB 21 San Diego, CA House of Blues San Diego
FEB 22 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
MAR 27 Raleigh, NC The Ritz
MAR 28 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
MAR 29 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
MAR 31 Columbia, SC The Senate
APR 2 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Live
APR 3 St. Augustine, FL St Augustine Amphitheatre Backyard Stage
APR 4 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
APR 5 Orlando, FL The Plaza Live
APR 7 Savannah, GA Victory North Savannah
APR 9 Charleston, SC Charleston Music Hall
APR 10 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
APR 11 Pelham, TN The Caverns
APR 12 Birmingham, AL Avondale Brewing Company
MAY 7 Boston, MA Wilbur Theatre
MAY 8 Port Chester, NY The Capitol Theatre
MAY 9 Port Chester, NY The Capitol Theatre
MAY 11 Washington City, DC The Hamilton
MAY 12 Washington City, DC The Hamilton
MAY 14 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Center for the Arts
MAY 15 Jim Thorpe, PA Penn's Peak
MAY 16 Westbury, NY The Space at Westbury
MAY 18 Princeton, NJ McCarter Theatre Center
MAY 19 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
MAY 22 - 24 Thornville, OH Dark Star Jubilee - Legend Valley
JUNE 18 – Arrington, VA – Lockn Festival - Infinity Downs
