I don't think it would be going out on a limb to say that Daniel Johnston is a living legend. There are few artists that are still with us that have had the affect that Daniel Johnston has had on music today - From inspiring countless up and comers to having a documentary made about him and even having a toy in his honor, Daniel Johnston is known for the simple truths he's been writing about for nearly 30 years.
On August 15th, Daniel Johnston brought those songs to the Metro.
He walked out on to the stage to thunderous applause from the small but tight knit crowd, carrying a binder of his songs and a six pack of diet coke. Looking less like an influential indie musician and more like your goofy, beloved (albeit troubled) uncle, Daniel Johnston opened his set solo with a mix of old tracks and new material off his forthcoming fall release. Daniel Johnston was nervous and shaky in front of the crowd at the Metro as he played by himself, not gaining his footing until his college friend, Brett Hartenbach, joined him as accompaniment.
Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You In The End
Johnston seemed most at ease during the solo portion of his set when he wore his love for the Beatles on his sleeve, covering "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and turning it into a Metro sing-along as he shouted "Hey!" repeatedly into the microphone before taking a short break only to return openers The Tiny Masters of Today backing him. The more people that were on stage with him, the more relaxed Johnston seemed to get. With 4 people to banter with, Johnston was finally in his element during the short set which a posting at the doors said would last until "question mark". "Question mark" ended up being only a little over an hour.
The crowd wasn't upset by this, they embraced Johnston as if he were family, encouraging him, singing along to the words they knew. Johnston thanked then graciously and sincerely and when he returned for an encore, he told the audience that he had a very real Christmas wish for all of them - "That true love will find you in the end." He said, before launching into the beloved song of the same name, ending the night on a near perfect note.
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