As we've mentioned before, once upon a time John Darnielle promised fans at a Knitting Factory show that, even if he was playing Madison Square Garden someday, he would make the time to play a show at the Knit, his favorite club in the city. He may not be quite that big, but it's clear he's moved on from those once noble statements, considering his impressive and always expanding popularity. He headlined Music Hall of Williamsburg and Webster Hall (!) this week to his rabid fan base, and managed to make these larger shows intimate and as personal as he always has in the past. The shows were full of storytelling and tangential banter, interacting with the fans as though he was playing a backyard party. To complement his sound in these clubs, however, he did decide to bring along a drummer to help fill out his stage show. While some surely miss the days of his cassette recordings and minimalist sets, the songs are all still there, and they sound as good as ever. (pic via Bryan Bruchman's flickr) more ›