Seeing outsider music pioneer Daniel Johnston live is a relatively rare opportunity, given his struggles with mental illness preventing him from getting up on stage all that often. But if you have just been dying to see the legend live, this seems like it will be your last shot.
Johnston has just announced five stops to what he says will be his last tour ever. Each night of the tour will be billed as “Daniel Johnston & Friends,” thanks to the variety of special guests that will accompany him at each gig.
Musicians influenced by his work – including Jeff Tweedy, Built to Spill, The Districts, Modern Baseball, and even members of the Preservation Hall All-Stars – will act as the lo-fi singer songwriter’s backing band in each of their respective cities.
What’s even more interesting is that Johnston has invited the various bands to hand select their own setlist, crafted from a 121 song back catalogue created over the course of a four decade career.
As if the tour didn’t sound amazing enough, every show will begin with a screening of “The Devil and Daniel Johnston,” the fascinating 2005 documentary that had won that year’s Sundance Film Festival’s Documentary Directing Award.
Check out the list of tour dates below, which reportedly will grow longer in coming weeks.
Daniel Johnston 2017 Tour Dates
09/28 – New Orleans, LA @ The Joy Theatre *
10/04 – Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theater #
10/20 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre ^
11/08 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall %
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue Nightclub %
* = w/ The Preservation All-Stars
# = w/ The Districts and Modern Baseball
^ = w/ Jeff Tweedy & Friends
% = w/ Built to Spill and others