In the shadows of Madison Square Garden and away from the invasion of Phish fans currently occupying Midtown, Nashvillager musician, Daniel Donato, and his four-piece band entrenched themselves on Stage 3 of the Rockwood Music Hall in the Lower East Side last night for rockabilly tunes and psychedelic debauchery to a sold-out, weekday crowd.
Still soaring from the afterglow of last month’s Trouble No More shows at the Beacon Theatre, the up-and-coming guitarist performed songs featured on his latest release, 2021’s Cosmic Country & Western Songs and paid tribute to legendary artists Allman Brothers Band, Grateful Dead, and Johnny Cash. Donato and his band made a stop at Relix Studios during the daytime for a 2-hour set which was streamed live on Relix’s Twitch Channel.
The band emerged onstage dressed like Skynyrd, jammed like Widespread Panic, and harmonized vocals like The Eagles. Daniel Donato and the gang tipped their caps to Melvin Seals & JGB who were playing a few subway stops away with an extended cover of Little Milton’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.” Of course, Jerry Garcia and his band’s rendition immediately comes to mind, and Donato honored Garcia’s arrangement of the tune.
ABB’s “Jessica”, Johnny Cash’s “Big River”, and Stan Jones’s “Ghost Riders in the Sky” all proceeded with zealous passion. Donato included “Ghost Riders in the Sky” on his last release. After proclaiming his love for New York City, Daniel introduced his next original with a quick backstory, “I wrote this next song high as hell on mushrooms while staring at the moon.”
After saying good-bye, the raucous crowd cheered until the band consented to play an encore. They selected a funky cut of Grateful Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain” to close the show. Donato included the tune on 2020’s debut album, A Young Man’s Country.
Donato and his troupe roll through New Jersey with stops at the Stanhope House and The Saint tonight and tomorrow in Stanhope and Asbury Park, NJ, respectively before moving on to Philadelphia, PA on Sunday. For a full list of upcoming shows, click here. You will not regret seeing this Rockstar while he’s still playing intimate venues.
