Yes, blame the shorter set on the noisy busboys you douche, instead of the fact you are dealing with a mentally ill human being.

Totally true about the busboys, man. He was just starting to relax and smile a little, and then...wtf? Can't that WAIT?! That venue was lame incarnate.

And in what universe did it seem like a good idea to have Bang on a Can open for Daniel Johnston?

Dear Anonymous, nothing 'douche' about it. The bus boy incident left a bitter taste in my mouth as well. The backing guitarist was visibly irritated, the crowd was pissed, and it ruined the song. Management should be notified.

fuck this fat nazi piece of shit...mentioning that you arent telling an anti-semitic joke because of others/press and not your own discretion is basically the same as telling the joke.

I thought the high line show was amazing. Didn't have to deal with the backing band, just DJ in great spirits and tons of perfect songs.

I went to the highline show last night, I was really impressed with Daniel, and although I had read that he played a long set at Warsaw I didn't really expect anything going in (I've read a lot of other reviews with him playing nine songs and walking off, etc.).

The worst part of the show was definitly the venue. The only thing that was good was the smaller size, but the atmosphere sucks, there's no character to that place and the lighting is really annoying/ plus the staff collecting bottles was really really rude and then the long wait because of some problem with their credit card machines just kind of ruined things.

The stage wasn't set up for a backing band when Daniel performed at the Highline, so I don't think they cut the set short or anything.

I didn't notice the glass collecting, I was probably too far back, but Bang on a Can were probably the biggest downer of the night. I'm sure that music has its audience, but it was soooo boring. Like a bunch of Oberlin music grads getting up and jamming for what seemed like several hours. Ugh. Bang on a Can't.

The three acts at the High Line show all played for forty five minutes. How many acts were there the night before?

i only saw the highline show. the venue is typical meatpacking district crap, so you can pretty much imagine how yucky it was, how overpriced the drinks were, etc.

i was sort of toward the middle of the crowd and i wasn't actually aware of the issue with collecting empty bottles, so it was probably only a distraction closer to the front (and maybe on stage).

it sounds like his show was shorter than at warsaw, but i thought it was still pretty excellent. a lot of new songs, but a good number of older ones too. i liked that there was no backing band, just a guitarist who basically played the songs the way they are on his records, just a bit 'cleaner.' only exception was speedy motorcycle, which i thought was a bit off between the two of them.

i thought bang on a can were surprisingly entertaining even if they took forever to set up. although i was skeptical about them as the openers, i think it was a smart choice in that they were just two totally distinct things, not like having some other songwriter come on first.

david bowie sat in the balcony, and some people next to me were very excited to see him.

I was at the Highline show. Loved the venue. Great sound and lights and very comfortable. Hated the show. Bang on a Can sucked. Stardust Cowboy was insane and Daniel Johnson was a disappointment.

I didnt notice the busboys but I did notice Bowie upstairs....

You guys are spoiled out of your minds if you think Highline sucks as a venue. I agree the atmosphere is more of an upscale club, but who cares if you have a nice view of the stage and the music sounds good. The place isn't too big. The stage is high and you can see it well from pretty much anywhere. The sound is very good. Every show I have seen there so far was sold out but not overcrowded. Yes, the drinks are expensive. I don't have to drink to enjoy a concert. You can always get drinks somewhere else beforehand. Warsaw, let's say, is more my kind of place as far as the atmosphere goes, but the sound is unbearable there. As long as the ticket price is right, I'd go to Highline without hesitation every time someone I like plays there.

my stoli and cranberry cost 9 bucks but was chock-full-a vodka so I was happy. easily as much as the double vodka ($17) I ordered at Webster Hall the other night. remind me never to make that mistake again.

there was a girl walking through the crowd with 5 dollar bottles of beer too, which I think is very handy (and they don't make you drink it from a fucking plastic cup). that's my drinking review of the highline.

yeah no complaints about the stage set up or anything like that. its just one of those places that's run more like a club than a venue, which sometimes means the people working there don't give a shit about the performance. anyway, next time you call someone a douche at least have the balls to put your name down.

So I am 21 and my little sister is only 11. Anyways she gets in the shower and a little while later gets out and goes into her room to dress.

Like 3 seconds later she starts screaming and I am working out in my room doing my third rep of chest curls, so I have no shirt on. I immediately drop my 50 lb weights and barge in and ask her what the fuck is wrong with her and she points up at the ceiling and its just a little stupid spider on the ceiling. Our ceiling is kind of high so I have to jump to get it. So i grab a magazine and jump up to swat it. and I hit it a little but it falls and lands right on my fucking sisters head.

she immediately drops her towel and starts swatting at her head screaming "GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF" I notice it crawling down her back and it is still alive I drop the magazine because it wasnt working so well and i grab her shoulder with one hand to get control of her because she is flailing around like a maniac and then I am swatting at it with my only other free hand. and just then my parents burst in and see her naked and me in just my fucking shorts spanking her rear-end while she is crying her fucking guts out.

Most fucking embarrassing day of my life. I tried to explain to them i was like "guys oh no wait there was a spider there was spider and stuff". and my little sister was still crying her guts oout and my dad just exploded and told me to "get in your fucking room immediately you sick fucking bastard". It doesnt help that a couple months ago they found a pair of her undies on my floor. I dont know how they got there but probably were stuck in my pants after mom did laundry or something.

i really feel like killing myself right now

Thank you Daniel Johnston for your story.

This sicko who calls himself Daniel here posts the same story on different blogs. Don't pay any attention.

Personally, I was moved and inspired by last nights' show at the Highline. Only thing that could have been better would have been a longer set....and another encore.

I missed the busboy banging but did almost have a beer land on my head by some douche in the balcony who had a case of fumblitis.

PARALYZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"...but did almost have a beer land on my head by some douche in the balcony who had a case of fumblitis."

Bowie did do a lot of drugs back in the day. That's bound to give anyone the shakes.

i thought daniel was amazing and dont blame it on the bus boys. i was literally right in front of him and the bus buy hit me with his plastic thing but i didnt care after 30 seconds...get over it. that said, bang on a can should drive off a cliff. they were so bad bowie left 20 minutes before the set was over. legendery stardust cowboy was great. the venue itself was comfortable, they seemed pretty leniant in everything going on. such as not throwing people out for nothing, having actuall bottles and not lame plastic cups, and giving everyone the option to sit down instead of just the few who want to tip. daniels performance was somewhat short but was still amazing. some of my buddies went to warshaw and they said the backing band was so horrible so i was very happy to see and hear what i did. i would easily say it was one of the best shows i have ever been to.

I went to both Daniel shows. They were both absolutly excellent, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be the High Line show.

The Warsaw show was great and I was so excited to see Daniel play that long, but the band kind of ruined the mood. They seemed to think it was their show. But Daniel was having a blast, so I was happy. The amount of songs and lack of an opener were a real plus.

The High Line show was also amazing. I was right front, leaning on the stage, and center; closest I've ever been to at a show. I noticed Bowie on the balcony and me the they guy behind me started chanting his name, no one else caught on to the chant though. Stardust Cowboy was very entertaining and I had a great time watching. Bang on a Can though was the worst thing I've ever had to sit thorough. They took forever to set up and refused to stop playing even though they had to have known the crowd was having a terrible time; very self-indulgent. They only made the wait for Daniel even better.

When he finally came out, dressed in the same outfit he was wearing at Warsaw, he was literally five feet away from me; it was amazing. I could hear the microphone cord hitting the stand I was so close.

The songs at High Line were more intimate, more personal than the ones with the band. Seeing Daniel rock out on "Rock & Roll/EGA" was so great, he was having a blast.

All in all, both shows were godly. And he played Grievances! Both Nights! The only reason I prefered the High Line show was for Bowie and being 5 feet from Daniel.

damn right bernie.

p.s. i was the post above you.

Does anyone have a setlist for either night, preferably the High Line night?

Or anyone have/know the set list for the warsaw show

I went to both nights and the highline ballroom is one of the MOST OBNOXIOUS venues I've ever been to. I enjoyed both nights of course...

The Warsaw was a more suitable venue for Daniel, but he also had that back up band. Whereas it was just daniel and his friend on the high line night. I think the perfect show lies somewhere in between.

But, back to the high line. Overpriced drinks. Annoying flashing lights and fog. And busboys literally going through the crowd asking people if they want drinks and then passing around large containers above the crowd during the set.

So lame.

daniel was great. bang on a can was inspiring. your guys taste is as narrow as your tolerance. it's ok to appreciate something outside of cool. unless of course your minds are far beyond steve reich, john cage, glenn branca or the dozens of other contempory musicians who do about every thing to work with these guys. if musicianship gets better than this please point the way.

No one said Bang on a Can wasn't talented...they just did not fit the show at all. They played for entirely too long and were extremely boring, probably the most self-indulgent thing i've ever seen at a concert and easily the most annoying preformance i've ever been forced to sit through. They played longer than Daniel!! There is no excuse for that.

I was also at both shows, and I thought the warsaw show was the better of the 2. I did not get the impression that the busboys interrupted Daniel at the highline, but I did get the impression that he was just less with it. His hands seemed to be shaking more, his voice was less sure, and he didn't engage the audience nearly as much.
Was the busboy incident during grievances? If so, that might explain why he completely botched the lyrics. His performance of that song was far superior the 1st night.

I don't remember which song it was during, but it was not Grievances.

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