In November 1998, on the eve of their first anniversary, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman of Phish joined DSO at Martyrs' after their own show. Fishman sat in for the majority of the evening, which included a drum section with four percussionists. The ensuing buzz caused national interest in the band. That winter, their Colorado tour sold out almost every stop, and, soon after, the "Washington Post" declared them "the hottest Grateful Dead tribute act going"; "USA Today" claimed DSO was "channeling the Dead", but what they do is not just a tribute to the Grateful Dead but a testament to the enormous number of unique set lists they performed in their long career.