Drums & Space Fall Festival w. Djembe Orchestras of Colorado | Wibby Pavilion

Denver's Version of Drums and Space 

In 1978, the Grateful Dead introduced the Drums segment to the second set of their concerts: Tribal, rhythmic, booming. The Space segment soon teamed up with Drums: Haunting, mystical, weird. And this duo would become the clearest channel for manifestation of the band’s fabled ex-chemistry. Drums often represented the Indian tabla players, where Space reflected modern electronics and spacey sounds of the day. Drums and Space offered a vehicle to take both thematic and improvisational noise to places other rock and roll bands deemed forbidden. 

Forty three years later, a group of Denver-area musicians began exploring the Drums and Space phenomenon, leveraging new ways to reintroduce Drums and Space to the Denver music scene. The band Drums and Space, or DNS, was born. The group takes great care in honoring the traditions of Grateful Dead music, while showcasing a contemporary take on the Drums and Space segment at their live shows. Each DNS concert begins with a version of Drums and Space, followed by songs carefully chosen from the Dead’s vast catalog of music. In the spirit of the Dead’s relentless quest to play music by other artists, DNS created 1SC, or First Set Closer. The last song of the first set at a DNS concert features an artist other than the Grateful Dead. From original songs from DNS musicians to classical compositions like Also Sprach Zarathustra, anything goes in the 1SC slot. 

DNS would be nowhere without their audience. And the band goes to great lengths to get their audience involved at their shows. From free beach balls to fan participation on stage, members of the band know that their voyage to the stars would never get off the ground without their fans.