The Dead City Orchestra was formed in late July 2018 in Topeka Kansas to perform some of the large catalog of music by Shawn Ames but done acoustically with stringed instruments as well. 
The group rehearsed from July through September 2018 for a one time only performance at the Jayhawk Theatre in Topeka Kansas on September 22, 2018. The show was a fundraiser for the the Jayhawk Theatre and Toys for Tots. It was also the release party for Shawn's "The Last of My Kind" CD. A few other performances were given for free up until Halloween night when the band performed their last show.

Between March and April of 2019 the band recorded a song written for the band called
"Dead City Rag" and the song was available for download and a video was on YouTube.
In August a revised version of the band played a one-off charity show.

The entire live performance at the Jayhawk Theatre was filmed by Dale Renner with two cameras, one placed in the balcony and a moveable one on the floor. Audio was recorded as well and they were both intended to be used to create a video to release. The raw footage was delivered but there was no audio. After years of attempts to find a way to clean up the only audio available, the one from the cameras, it was shelved in Shawn's vaults and left alone.
After the deaths of members Richard Cain and John Henderson, as well as Dale Renner, it was discussed after a memorial jam for John that the footage be edited and shown as a one time only event to gather the band members and the public to see the footage.
Shawn edited the footage and also remastered the original tracks for "Dead City Rag" and made it available for free on Soundcloud. 
On Sunday October 19, 2025 the movie was shown at the Great Overland Station in Topeka, Ks with a memorial acoustic jam that followed.