Out & About

Dark Star Jubilee Returns to Legend Valley With Stacked Lineup

THORNVILLE, Ohio -- Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, and the annual gathering of Deadheads, music lovers and outdoor concert enthusiasts returns to Legend Valley with the annual Dark Star Jubilee.

This year's Jubilee once again brings three headlining nights of host band Dark Star Orchestra, the nation's premier Grateful Dead tribute band known for resurrecting song-by-song recreations of actual set lists performed by the legendary band.

As always, the Dark Star Jubilee features three days of live music at Legend Valley -- formerly known as the Buckeye Lake Music Center -- just off Interstate 70 about 20 minutes east of Columbus and 20 minutes west of Zanesville.

All Good Presents the Dark Star Jubilee May 24-26. The event not only offers three full days of live music, but also family friendly festivities, food, unique merchandise vendors, a kids parade and more. Primitive, RV and VIP camping options are also available.

This year's Dark Star Jubilee will welcome a stacked lineup of musical acts, including some returning favorites and newcomers, as well.

Live performances by Greensky Bluegrass, Melvin Seals and JBG, Keller Williams' Grateful Gospel featuring John Kadlecik, Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country, Doom Flamingo, Sam Grisman Project, Jeff Mattson and Friends, Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers, the Rumpke Mountain Boys, Holly Bowling, Pimps of Joytime, Doc Robinson, Barefuzz and Vitamin A.

Rob Koritz, percussionist for Dark Star Orchestra, noted the event's popularity amongst the hardcore festival fans, many of whom consider the summer season kickoff event in Ohio to be their favorite festival of the year.

"I think the smaller size has a lot to do with it," Koritz said. "If you want, you can camp right in the bowl, and no matter where you choose to set up, you can hear the music and have some kind of view of the stage. The fact that it is family friendly is a big one, as well. We have family camping behind the stage, so it is much quieter for them. We provide a kids activity area where they play games, have crafts and design costumes that they wear for a parade on Sunday morning."

Dark Star Orchestra tours the United States throughout the year, and in May, the hard-working band gets to hunker down with some of their biggest fans to celebrate the Grateful Dead at a venue the Grateful Dead actually played a number of times during its storied history.

"It is great," Koritz said of playing the Jubilee every year. "One of my favorite weekends of the year. No travel and setting the stage for the whole weekend on Thursday is a big bonus, plus we get to host a lot of our friends who we ask to come and play. Lots of sit-in between the bands is great, too."

Like the Grateful Dead, Dark Star Orchestra makes each performance unique by performing a completely different array of songs in different ways during each individual show. That process of mapping out the songs on the set list does not change when the band hits the Jubilee stage.

"It is just like any other part of the tour," Koritz said. "If we are doing actual Grateful Dead shows, they have been picked ahead of time by Dino (DSO drummer Dino English), who puts the whole tour together. For the electives, the singers put together a set list the afternoon of the show."

This year's Jubilee will have a special attraction as well. Grateful Guitars Foundation will display actual Grateful Dead guitars during the festival.

The organization is a nonprofit that obtains world-class musical instruments for talented players to carry on the tradition of jam band music into the 21st century and beyond.

The instruments that Grateful Guitars Foundation will be showing include Jerry Garcia's famed Alligator (his primary stage guitar from New Years Eve 1970 through August '73) the Martin D-28 Garcia used when recording "American Beauty," a Bob Weir stage-played Modulus Blackknife from the '80s and one of Weir's Alvarez acoustics.

The guitars will be on display in general admission for all to see, and VIPs will get a special photo opportunity with the guitars during a specified time.

"This is really an event for the fans of the music of the Grateful Dead," said Dave Weissman, Dark Star Orchestra publicist and marketing director. "It is truly a Deadhead paradise, a multi-day campout designed to exhibit DSO's musical gifts along with other Grateful Dead-related artists, all while folks can set up camp, embed for a few days and just relax in one spot over the holiday weekend."

Fans come from all over the country to take part in the Jubilee each year, Weissman said.

"The other acts are very closely related, musically as well as spiritually, to what the Grateful Dead were about," Weissman said. "Melvin Seals returns to the Jubilee with his band, and he was the organist for the Jerry Garcia Band for 15 years, the longest tenure of any keyboardist in Jerry's live performing days. Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country is a buzz band that is just not to be missed. His set will likely turn on a whole legion of people who've heard of him but not seen him live yet."

Bluegrass music is also served at this year's Jubilee, with Ohio's own nationally touring act Rumpke Mountain Boys to live acoustic juggernaut Greensky Bluegrass returning.

Jennifer Hartswick of the Trey Anastasio Band will bring her talents to the stage, as will Ryan Stasik, bassist from Umphrey's McGee, who performs with rock powerhouse Doom Flamingo, featuring the vocal stylings of Kanika Moore.

"It's fun to participate in a little community built for enjoyment, for the short holiday weekend and where everyone is there to have a good time. It's a very peaceful and chill atmosphere that is really easy to enjoy," Weissman said.

"Give it a try," Koritz added. "It is a great lineup and not your usual giant madhouse of a festival.  Great vibes all around."

Three-day, two-day and single-day tickets are available. For additional information about the Dark Star Jubilee, click here.