The oft-observed irony of the Dark Star Orchestra is that the group honors the Grateful Dead, a band renowned for their improvisational spirit, by robbing their music of any improvisation. Instead, this tribute act recreates the Dead’s classic shows song for song, sometimes even solo for solo. Judging from the Dark Star Orchestra’s huge online following and continued ability to sell out concerts, though, deadheads don’t have a particular problem with this. After selling out the Pabst Theater a couple years back, the group headlines a show at the Riverside tonight.
Dark Star Orchestra
Tonight @ the Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.