moe.’s Al Schnier Joins Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country In Syracuse

Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country brought their fall tour to Syracuse’s Westcott Theater last night. moe. guitarist Al Schnier was the band’s surprise special guest as the Syracuse area resident added to the first two songs of the second set.

moe. spent the bulk of the summer on the road with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country for the Best.Summer.Ever Tour. While nearly every show saw Donato collaborate with moe., Schnier joined Cosmic Country for “Gotta Get Southbound” at Wonderland Forest in Lafayette, New York on July 13, 2024.

After opening with a take on Mickey Newbury’s “Why You Been Gone So Long,” Donato and bandmates bassist Will McGee, keyboardist Nathan “Sugar Leg” Aronowitz and drummer Will “Bronco” Clark rolled through The New Mastersounds gem “Cigar Time,” original “Two Hills” and a cover of Ernest Tubb’s “Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin.” The rest of the first set was devoted to a seamless run of “Half Moon Night > Arkansas Traveler > Fox On The Run > About The Angels > Waiting For A Train > Truck Drivin’ Man.”

Al Schnier was on stage as Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country launched their second set with “Sunshine In The Rain (Strange Presence).” Schnier stuck around to rip it up with the quartet on “See Through,” an original Cosmic Country debuted back in August.

Watch fan-shot video of Schnier jamming with Cosmic Country in Syracuse below:

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country continued sans Schnier by performing more recently debuted originals: “Lady Justice” and “At The Ball.” The latter featured Will McGee on lead vocals. The staple “Illusions (Pretty Picture)” followed along with Cosmic Country’s rendition of “Long Black Veil.” Aronowitz then stepped up to helm “Sugar Shack” ahead of a set-closing “Always Been A Lover.”

The four-piece punctuated the night with an “East Bound and Down” encore. Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country last covered the Jerry Reed-penned tune back on March 18, 2023 — a span of 201 shows.

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country set up shop at Brooklyn Bowl in New York City tonight for the first of three shows at the venue. The band’s fall tour ends on November 2 in Bloomington, Indiana.

Setlist (via The Cosmic Country Club)

Set One: Why You Been Gone So Long, Cigar Time, Two Hills, Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin, Half Moon Night > Arkansas Traveler > Fox On The Run > About The Angels > Waiting For A Train > Truck Drivin’ Man

Set Two: Sunshine In The Rain (Strange Presence) [1], See Through [1], Lady Justice, At The Ball, Illusions (Pretty Picture), Long Black Veil, Sugar Shack, Always Been A Lover

Encore: East Bound And Down [2]

• [1] – with Al Schnier on guitar
• [2] – LTP 03/18/23 201 Show Gap