Daniel Donato and his band brought Cosmic Country frequencies to Colorado over the weekend, playing a series of shows surrounding their appearance at WinterWonderGrass in Steamboat Springs, including their biggest show to date in Boulder.
Kicking things off on Wednesday, the band opened the Colorado run at Surf Hotel in Buena Vista. The show happened to fall on Johnny Cash‘s birthday—the Man in Black would have turned 93—so Donato and company were sure to play “Big River”, which has been a regular in the band’s live rotation, as it was for the Grateful Dead. That along with a number of big jams set the tone for a cosmic Colorado weekend.
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country – “Sweet Tasting Tennessee” – 2/26/25
[Video: keaton6921]
On Thursday, Donato sold out Boulder Theater, marking his biggest show to date according to his post. “Yeehaw, Boulder,” he wrote. “That was a bold one. And our largest show, on all fronts materially and spiritually, in all Space and Time to date. I love y’all, eternally.”
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Later, he added in a separate post, “The frequencies were as high as I can comprehend with my mind, heart, and soul. Thank you for taking the trip and trusting the journey with us cowboys. The Spirit that brings our Community together was flying in full force for over 3 hours last night, and for eternity in my memory.”
Scroll down to view a gallery of photos from Boulder Theater courtesy of Brad Niederman and stream the entire show on nugs.net.
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Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country – “About The Angel” – 2/27/25
[Video: keaton6921]
The festivities ramped up on Friday as the band arrived in Steamboat Springs for WinterWonderGrass. Before taking the main stage the following day, Donato said howdy with a late-night set that featured two special guest appearances. First guitarist Kyser George of Shadowgrass sat in on another cover of Johnny Cash’s “Big River” and the traditional “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms”, and then Leftover Salmon frontman Vince Herman joined in on a trio of tunes, namely, Neil Young‘s “Are You Ready For The Country” (famously covered by Waylon Jennings), Bob Dylan‘s “Tangled Up In Blue”, and The Carter Family‘s version of “Foggy Mountain Top”, a bluegrass favorite recorded by Bill and Charlie Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and many others.
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country With Vince Herman – “Are You Ready For The Country” (Neil Young) – 2/28/25
[Video: keaton6921]
Donato’s main stage set on Saturday featured a full-band beatbox break and more special guests, with Kyle Tuttle and Jon Stickley sitting in on “Half Moon Night” (on banjo and guitar, respectively). Both returned along with Lindsay Lou to help close out the set with “Banks Of The Ohio”, a traditional tune made famous by Joan Baez, played for the first time since August 2024.
“Thank you for welcoming us into your Community with open arms, open minds, and open spirits,” Donato wrote after his set at WinterWonderGrass. “There are very few events on this planet where such a righteous and enduring intention to love, listen, and dance reaches such great heights. It is an immense honor to be able to create an experience and play music with and for each and every one of You.”
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country With Kule Tuttle & Jon Stickley – “Half Moon Night” – 3/1/25
[Video: keaton6921]
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country With Lindsay Lou, Kule Tuttle, & Jon Stickley – “Banks Of The Ohio” – 3/1/25
[Video: keaton6921]
Finally, Donato and his band finished the weekend off with another headline show on Sunday at The Arts Campus at Willits in Basalt, CO. There, they celebrated the success of their cosmic Colorado run with more big jams and playful covers, including the debut of John Denver‘s “Sweet Melinda”, Muddy Waters‘ “Got My Mojo Workin'”, Phish‘s “Back on the Train”, and the Jerry Reed-penned Smokey and the Bandit theme “East Bound And Down”, plus a triumphant encore featuring Aretha Franklin‘s arrangement of “Respect” and Bob Dylan’s “Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)”.
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country – “Sweet Melinda” (John Denver) – 3/2/25
[Video: keaton6921]
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country is halfway through its winter tour, with shows remaining in the Midwest and Northeast. For a full list of upcoming dates and ticketing details head here.
Setlist [via Danielbase]: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | Surf Hotel | Buena Vista, CO | 2/26/25
Set One: Fourteen Carat Mind, Gotta Get Southbound, Sweet Tasting Tennessee, Tell Me I’m A Lover [1], Always Been A Lover, Locomotive #9, Love’s Gonna Live Here, Big River [2], Blame The Train, Cosmic Country Gardens, Translation,
Set Two: Ain’t Living Long Like This > Two Hills, Along The Trail, Free Wheelin’ > [3] Everybody’s Talkin’ > Weathervane, Take Me Back [1], Chore,
Encore: Samson And Delilah [4]
Annotations:
[1] Nathan Aronowitz on lead vocals, guitar, and keys
[2] In honor of Johnny Cash’s birthday
[3] Will McGee on lead vocals
[4] Will Clark drum solo
Setlist [via Danielbase]: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | Boulder Theater | Boulder, CO | 2/27/25
Set One: Hi-Country, Country Pie, Better Deal Blues, Forgotten Days > Valhalla, Half Moon Night, Fox On The Run > Darlin’ Cory, Broadside Ballad > Hangman’s Reel,
Set Two: Sunshine In The Rain (Strange Presence), About The Angels, Luck Of The Draw > Sugar Leg Rag, Sugar Shack [1], Boogie Man, At The Ball [2], Prairie Spin, Lady Justice, Tumbling Tumbleweeds > Dance In The Desert [3],
Encore: Rose In A Garden, The Gold Rush [4]
Annotations:
[1] Nathan Aronowitz on lead vocals, guitar, and keys
[2] Will McGee on lead vocals
[3] Nathan Aronowitz on guitar and keys
[4] Beatbox break from full band
Setlist [via Danielbase]: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | WinterWonderGrass | Steamboat Springs, CO | 2/28/25
Set One: Workin’ Man Blues, Walkin’ The Dog, Jack-A-Roe > Ghost Riders In The Sky (Instrumental), Big River [1], Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms [1], Are You Ready For The Country [2], Tangled Up In Blue [2], Foggy Mountain Top [2], Why You Been Gone So Long, Down Bedford, Luck Of The Draw > Sugar Leg Rag,
Encore: Alabama Jubilee
Annotations:
[1] Kyser George On Acoustic Guitar (Song)
[2] Vince Herman On Vocals And Acoustic Guitar (Song)
Setlist [via Danielbase]: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | WinterWonderGrass | Steamboat Springs, CO | 3/1/25
Set One: Blame The Train, Rose In A Garden > The Gold Rush [1], Half Moon Night [2], Lady Justice, Chore, Broadside Ballad > Hangman’s Reel, Lose Your Mind > Waymore’s Blues > Mystery Train, Banks Of The Ohio [3]
Annotations:
[1] Beatbox break from full band
[2] Kyle Tuttle on banjo and Jon Stickley on guitar
[3] Only Lindsay Lou on vocals, Kyle Tuttle on banjo, and Jon Stickley on guitar
Setlist [via Danielbase]: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | The Arts Campus At Willits | Basalt, CO | 3/2/25
Set One: Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin, Workin’ Man Blues, Translation > Dark Hollow, About The Angels, Cosmic Country Gardens, Running Gun, Ghost Riders In The Sky (Instrumental), Sweet Melinda (FTP),
Set Two: Prairie Spin > Travelin’ Light > Prairie Spin (Reprise), Sunshine In The Rain (Strange Presence), Down Bedford, Got My Mojo Workin’ [1], Justice > Back On The Train, Playing Your Game [2], East Bound And Down > Edge Of The Mountain [3],
Encore: Respect [1], Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) [4]
Annotations:
[1] Nathan Aronowitz on lead vocals, guitar, and keys
[2] Will McGee on lead vocals
[3] Whole band alternating lead vocals
[4] OG Tele was played
