SHARING THE SHOWS
Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country - Pearl Street Warehouse - Washington, DC - October 14, 202310/15/2023 Note: This post is dedicated to the loved ones of Adam Katz, a kid who was beaten to death by guards during a Grateful Dead concert at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on October 14, 1989. The guards were never prosecuted, and a civil suit was not successful.
Pete had sent me this article, and I wrote the date in my calendar. Security has gotten better, but in a world where police brutality is overlooked, we still have a problem with officials in authority abusing their power. But, we have to enjoy the little things in life, and that’s where this show came in. For the next twelve months, I’ve committed to no more than one show per month so I can save up money for my future home purchase, as well as expand my horizons. October 2023: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country at Pearl Street Warehouse. I had a nice surprise as I got on the subway: my friend, Emily, who’s moved back into northwest DC. She was headed to see Evita at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, a completely different dynamic than Donato. But it has me excited for Jesus Christ Superstar, which I’m attending with my friend Kasi instead of Dark Star Orchestra next Saturday (expanding my horizons). I got to Pearl Street Warehouse at 8:05, and the band was already into a jam. It was a sold-out show, and I’d never seen it this packed before; I was in the back of the venue, near the bar, for most of the first set. I didn’t know any of the songs, but that didn’t stop me from jamming out. I find that a few weeks without a show really recharges that battery. I could feel influences from the Grateful Dead and The Band, and I kept expecting them to bust out “Panama Red,” that old tune by New Riders of the Purple Sage. They teased “Cumberland Blues,” so it was a nice fit that they encored with it. Now, the people: I ran into Steve and Dave, friends of Pete’s, during setbreak, and we talked our show histories: Phish, Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead (which I didn’t get into until after Jerry died, so I can never fully be a part of those conversations. I also talked to a young lady named Roxanne who traveled from Hanover, Pennsylvania. She was incredulous that I prefer the back of the venue (more room to dance IMHO) and no longer buy merch at shows (I have enough of it already). I guess some weariness is starting to come with my age and new circumstances. I do believe I enjoyed this show more because three weeks had gone by since my last show. When I started this blog back in 2018, I would have joked that it felt like forever (hence the title). But, at this point, I think one show per month is enough. In a sense, it’s been somewhat of a grieving process, letting go of a past concertcentric self. But, I think in the long run, this growth can be a good thing.
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April 2024
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