On Halloween, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country performed the second of two shows at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater. The theme was Donato’s Inferno, riffing on Dante's Inferno in which the narrator descends into the nine circles of Hell. Coincidentally, Widespread Panic presented a similar theme that same night in New Orleans.
Donato’s performance unfolded somewhat like a Broadway musical, with costumed guests joining the group throughout the night. In addition, Cosmic Country presented a series of debut covers, while exploring the this theme. Will "Bronco" Clark did not appear with the group, as he left Milwaukee earlier that day to join his wife who was in labor, so Jack Reed filled in on drums.
The evening opened with a first-ever version of The Louvin Brothers’ "Satan Is Real" with Three Furies. This song was reprised throughout the evening. Over the course of the initial frame the group offered premiere takes on Jimmy Cliff’s “Sitting in Limbo,” the Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” the Grateful Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” Rarities included “I'm The Only Hell (My Mama Ever Raised)” associated with Johnny Paycheck and Cliff’s “The Harder They Come,” both of which had been previously played only twice by the group. Ryan Knudsen added pedal steel guitar to five songs towards the end of the set: “Devil In A Sleeping Bag,” “Rose In A Garden,” “Dead Flowers,” “Fire On The Mountain” and “One Last Breath.”
The second set found Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country offering premiere takes on six songs. These tunes began with the opening version of Cannibal Corpse’s “Scourge of Iron” and also included the Stones’ “Sympathy For The Devil,” Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” the Talking Heads’ “Life During Wartime,” Van Halen’s “Runnin' With The Devil,” the Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” and Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places.” Chauncey Ali plated fiddle on the “Sympathy For The Devil,” “Crossroads,” “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” and “Friends in Low Places.” The final tune also brought out the full repertory company of players who had appeared over the course of the evening.
You can watch some videos that capture the full spectacle, followed by the setlist.
Set One
Satan Is Real (FTP) 1
I'm The Only Hell (My Mama Ever Raised) >
Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down
Guilty Jubilee >
The Harder They Come
Shady Grove >
Sitting in Limbo (FTP)
A Horse With No Name >
Prairie Spin >
A Horse With No Name (Reprise)
Devil In A Sleeping Bag > 2
Rose In A Garden > 2
Dead Flowers (FTP) 2
Fire On The Mountain (FTP) > 2,3
One Last Breath > 2, 3
Satan Is Real (Reprise) 1
Snake Farm > 4
Highway To Hell (FTP)
Set Two
Scourge of Iron (FTP) > 2, 5
Friend Of The Devil 2, 5
Chore >
Satan Is Real (Reprise) 1
Sympathy For The Devil (FTP) > 6
Crossroads (FTP) 6
Life During Wartime (FTP)
Runnin' With The Devil (FTP) >
Dance In The Desert
Satan Is Real (Reprise) 1
The Devil Went Down To Georgia (FTP) 6
Friends In Low Places (FTP) 2,3,5,6
Annotations
[1] with Three Furies
[2] with Ryan Knudsen
[3] with Ben Majeska
[4] with Michael Bollhoefer
[5] with Augie Dougherty
[6] with Shauncey Ali
Set One
Satan Is Real (FTP) 1
I'm The Only Hell (My Mama Ever Raised) >
Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down
Guilty Jubilee >
The Harder They Come
Shady Grove >
Sitting in Limbo (FTP)
A Horse With No Name >
Prairie Spin >
A Horse With No Name (Reprise)
Devil In A Sleeping Bag > 2
Rose In A Garden > 2
Dead Flowers (FTP) 2
Fire On The Mountain (FTP) > 2,3
One Last Breath > 2, 3
Satan Is Real (Reprise) 1
Snake Farm > 4
Highway To Hell (FTP)
Set Two
Scourge of Iron (FTP) > 2, 5
Friend Of The Devil 2, 5
Chore >
Satan Is Real (Reprise) 1
Sympathy For The Devil (FTP) > 6
Crossroads (FTP) 6
Life During Wartime (FTP)
Runnin' With The Devil (FTP) >
Dance In The Desert
Satan Is Real (Reprise) 1
The Devil Went Down To Georgia (FTP) 6
Friends In Low Places (FTP) 2,3,5,6
Annotations
[1] with Three Furies
[2] with Ryan Knudsen
[3] with Ben Majeska
[4] with Michael Bollhoefer
[5] with Augie Dougherty
[6] with Shauncey Ali
