Udder Invasion: Daniel Donato Evokes References to Country Living and Space with Heap of Halloween Debuts in Milwaukee 

Photo: Dino Perrucci

On Friday, October 31, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country hosted its Halloween concert at the Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wis. The evening’s contents hovered around the ensemble choice Udder Invasion theme, evoking references to outer space and pastoral life, confluences of the Cosmic Country umbrella that were distributed as references to song titles, a vast majority of which turned up as first-time covers and revived material that had been otherwise collecting dust while sitting in waiting. 

Stepping on stage in flannels tucked into tie-dye overalls of yellow and green, the core four, Donato, Will McGee, Nathan Aronowitz, and Will Clark, designated the concert’s official start on first-time play, “Old McDonald Had a Farm,” which was adapted to “Old McDernald,” as a nod to the bandleader’s signature, “howyadern.” From the grange, the band moved into their own cosmic references on “Half Moon Night.” 

The content of the night’s output lingered in the two designated territories, from the farm to the cosmos, and continued with a debut of Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm.” Originals “Cosmic Country Gardens” and “Lose Your Mind” came before the initial arrival of “Country Boy,” a song made famous by Ricky Skaggs and played by Donato for the first time on Halloween. The first “Snake Farm” since 2024 came ahead of a sequence that birthed “Weathervane,” a bust out of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” and eventually a return to “Weathervane” to cap the frame. 

The second half of the performance began with Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “It Came Out of the Sky,” representing the first in a series of debuts that included Joe Diffie’s acclaimed “John Deere Green” and Jim Henson’s “Bein’ Green.” Original “Prairie Spin” broke the cycle, but it was reclaimed by another heap of first-time covers, AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage,” and Dick Robinson’s “The Boppin’ Martian.” 

Donato’s own “Tell Me I’m A Lover” was delivered before a first-time siege of the Grateful Dead-associated “Turn on Your Love Light.” The band returned to “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” for the first time this year, putting to bed a 118-show gap in plays. The song flowed without stopping into “Dance in the Desert.” The band paused after and picked up John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” for the first time before closing the second set after Tony Rice’s “Gold Rush.” 

The night came to a close after one final debut, this time “Promised Land.” In addition to music, the band struck the theme by bringing out dancing aliens, fully marrying the concept of cosmic country with an otherworldly batch of new arrivals.

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country 

Turner Hall Ballroom – Milwaukee, Wis. 

October 31, 2025 

Set I: Old MacDonald Had a Farm (FTP)2, Half Moon Night, Maggie’s Farm (FTP), Cosmic Country Gardens, Lose Your Mind, Country Boy (FTP), Snake Farm >  Weathervane > War Pigs 3, Weathervane (Reprise)

Set II: It Came out of the Sky (FTP), John Deere Green (FTP) Bein’ Green (FTP)4, Prairie Spin

Fire (FTP)5,  Back In Black (FTP)6, Brain Damage (FTP), The Boppin’ Martian (FTP)7, Tell Me I’m A Lover8, Turn On Your Love Light (FTP), Blue (Da Ba Dee)7 > Dance In The Desert9, Thank God I’m a Country Boy (FTP)10 >The Gold Rush10, 11 

Enc.: Promised Land (FTP)10, 12 

Notes: 

[1] Daniel Playing The Redwood DGN Guitar (Show)

[2] Swapped MacDonald With McDernald (Song)

[3] Will McGee On Lead Vocals (Song)

[4] Jake Knoll On Lead Vocals (Song)

[5] Nathan Aronowitz On Lead Vocals And Guitar (Song)

[6] Nathan Aronowitz On Lead Vocals (Song)

[7] Will Clark On Lead Vocals (Song)

[8] Nathan Aronowitz On Lead Vocals, Guitar, And Keys (Song)

[9] Nathan Aronowitz On Guitar And Keys (Song)

[10] Ernest Brusubarbis On Fiddle (Song)

[11] Beatbox Break From Full Band (Song)

[12] Daniel Playing The Cosmic Cheese Wedge Guitar That Was Raffled At The Show (Song)

Setlist and notes via danielbase.com.