October 19, 2008
The Uptown Theater
Better Than: Staying home to watch The Amazing Race
By NADIA PFLAUM
Photo by Scott Spychalski
The Uptown Theater was a sea of white folding chairs last night. It ain’t no CBGB. I couldn’t remember the last time I went to a show where people actually sat in seats, but it didn’t matter; once David Byrne pulled out the hits, people jumped to their feet.
Byrne emerged from the wings in bleach-white skinny pants and a white shirt that matched his sharp white hair, and relayed the story behind the tour. His longtime buddy, musical innovator Brian Eno, had a batch of songs with no words just lying around unused, like a garage full of gassed-up convertibles waiting to be taken for a spin. Byrne agreed to listen to them and see if lyrics struck him, and if Eno liked what he came up with, they’d continue from there.
The result is the Internet-released album Everything that Happens will Happen Today. Byrne was joined onstage by a ten-piece ensemble of three backup singers, three dancers, a bassist, two percussion players and a keyboardist – all dressed in blinding white. Given the amount of sweat poured onto the stage, this tour’s laundry bill must be a killer.
Photo by Scott Spychalski
When Byrne launched into the first song – I didn’t download the new album before the show, and honestly, I don’t think many people in the audience had, either – the wall of warm sound enveloped us like I’d forgotten live music could. The last two shows I attended were both mainly electronic: M.I.A and Santogold in Lawrence. They were great, but David Byrne kicks their DJ-backed asses. The effect, with white-clad modern dancers slingshotting each other around the stage, was like a beach party where world-music influences collide, reminding me of that quote about everyone fucking until we’re all the same color. Not that the color would end up being white, but that white is the absence of color. Feel me?
Byrne performed several of the new songs in a row, pulling instruments from all kinds of influences, including a Spanish flamenco percussion box and a Hammond organ keyboard effect. One song was overly jarring and jangly and full of piercing, fake-bird calls, but was almost redeemed by a backup singer’s African-inspired wailing.
Photo by Scott Spychalski
The new stuff was pretty great, but when Byrne eventually played a Talking Heads hit, “Heaven,” a wave of relieved recognition spread through the crowd. Byrne also played “Crosseyed and Painless,” and “Life During Wartime.” On the latter, in the lyrics about tapping phone lines, Byrne emphasized, I know that that ain’t allowed. It was clear where he stood from the beginning, after he’d paraphrased the lyrics to one of his new songs, saying, “Everything will change one fine day – that day will be November 4th.”
He might be getting up there in years, but Byrne had it in him to play three encores, and danced the hardest during the second one. At one point, dude was playing guitar while running in place.
Encore #1:
“Take Me to the River”
“The Great Curve”
Encore #2:
“Air”
“Burning Down the House”
Encore #3:
“Everything that Happens will Happen Today”
Critics Notebook
Personal bias: I enjoy the Trick Daddy and Cee-lo version of “Sugar on My Tongue” as much as the Talking Heads version.
Random detail: Star music critic Tim Finn and I chose the same song from the new album as our cue to get up to pee. Also: Democratic political operative Steve Glorioso and family snuck out after the second encore.
By the way: The big David Byrne fan next to me said that of all the times he’s seen Byrne live, he’s never seen Byrne perform his favorite Talking Heads song “The Great Curve” until now.
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You have a really great design for your blog. Did you made it yourself or did you get someone to do it?
byrne's been doing similar setlists on this tour...here's the STL scoop from saturday:
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.c...
and yeah. just transcendent. the show was amazing.
I've been a long time fan. I reviewed Speaking in Tongues for my Jr. High newspaper when it came out!!! That said, this was my first time seeing Byrne perform and it was truly transcendent. I was high (position not state of being) in the balcony for the whole show and I'd have to say it was THEE best sounding concert I've seen in that room save the surround sound experience of The Chemical Brothers years ago.
Truly inspirational. The music, the energy, Byrne's voice were all spot on. And, it truly was a pleasure to see how touched Byrne was by the audience's appreciation.
Def. top 10 concerts this year for me. Or ever for that matter.
Re:
"Byrne performed several of the new songs in a row, pulling instruments from all kinds of influences, including a Spanish flamenco percussion box and a Hammond organ keyboard effect. One song was overly jarring and jangly and full of piercing, fake-bird calls, but was almost redeemed by a backup singer�s African-inspired wailing."
- this song isn't from "Everything that Happens...", but "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts", the Byrne/Eno album of 1981.
See http://www.bush-of-ghosts.com/
I've been a fan of David Byrne since I can remember liking music - both his solo stuff and with the Talking Heads - but I've never seen him live. Last night I got the chance to see a legend perform.
I bought the deluxe version of the new album as soon as I could order it, just based on how great the last Byrne/Eno collaboration was. It didn't disappoint. It's very different from the last one, but it's also been thirty years. I went to the concert expecting to hear only the collaboration material, but was thrilled to hear some of his other work as well.
David Byrne is so original and yet very genuine. he seemed truly surprised and touched at the reaction of the audience last night. The standing ovation after the third song seemed to take he and the band aback a little, but they loved it.
Last nigth was one of the best nights of my life to finally see one of my life-long heroes perform.
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