An interlude... David Byrne

Tuesday night (2025/11/25), Becky and I had the pleasure of seeing David Byrne at the UT (University of Texas at Austin, for all you ignorant folks 😉) Bass Concert Hall, for his Who is The Sky? tour. My deepest thanks to Jacquie Fuller and the crew at KUT/KUTX for the gift. "Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast..." W.C.

Listening to David Byrne's music is a joy in and of itself. Over a 54-year music career (he's 73 and still kickin' it, folks), he has touched the minds and feels of so many, especially Gen X, through the Talking Heads and his solo and collaborative works (Road to Nowhere on Little Creatures is still one of my favorite tunes of all time, Talking Heads or otherwise) But going to a David Byrne concert... no, performance... is something else entirely.

Most of us are used to concerts that are nothing more than glorified bar shows... a band perched on the stage, fixed in the center, some of the members... the lead singer and guitarists... strolling around. Some pop performers have elaborate stages with a whole phalanx of dancers, fancy light shows, a multitude of costume changes, and often the "band" is never showcased... a production of mind-numbing intensity. And then there is David.

Bass Concert Hall is not big, but not small. It is what most would consider to be a very good "arts" venue for theater, dance, and classical music. But at UT, the Bass has a more expansive definition of "the arts" suitable for its stage. And its stage facilities - lighting, sound, fly system - are first-class. David and his 12-piece ensemble, Ghost Train Orchestra, make the most of all of it.

The stage is bare except for some blank backdrops arranged in a staggered arc across the back of the stage, defining the universe in which images, lighting effects, and bodies move... ALL the bodies moving (David is 73 and never stopped singing, dancing, playing guitars, and talking.... for 2 fucking hours!!)... some singing, some dancing, some singing and dancing, some playing instruments... and dancing. Everyone was clad in a matching orange color uniform including the same orange athletic shoes (which glowed in blacklighting!!). The visuals ran from real-world footage to hand drawn animations to stark graphics and glowing laser projection effects (21st century stage tech that looks like fucking magic, y'all!). It was all a flow... so well choreographed... it was ALL ballet, where each piece each person, each image, each movement, each transition, was deliberate and meaningful.

I cried during the first 20 minutes of the show. I was flooded with feelings that I was entitled to feel and let have their moment... I was so grateful for being there... but also so sad for not being able to dance... sad that this might be my last concert... but also happy it is David Byrne... Then, as the sadness subsided, I could slide into just enjoying the rest of it for the spectacle it was and not what I am (whatever that is). The beer and bourbon finally kicked in and the buzz helped me get lost in the performance... and the joy of the crowd. The set list was a mix of new, old, and deep cuts. But a 54-year career is hard to sum up in 2 hours (just like 56 years of living in an Apple Music playlist). While the encore brought us "Everybody's Coming to My House" and finally "Burning down the House" (one hell of a finale), "Road to Nowhere" was missing (I know... being selfish, but again, one of my absolute favorite songs... maybe because of its slightly defeatist attitude... ride it out together folks, it's a long ride). But in the end, I was feeling better having experienced it... as best I could. Thank you for all your effort and resulting art, David Byrne.

This link gets you photos of the concert via The Austin Chronicle

This link gives you the set list of the evening. The link below takes you to my Apple Music playlist based on that set list... for your listening pleasure.

I leave you with...

What is the Reason for It? (featuring Haley Williams)

Love is cold, love is hot
Love can make you feel a lot
Like someone else

Love is new, love is old
Love explains a story told
To fool yourself

What is the reason for it?
Why is it there?
Is it my body or my brain?
Why do we talk about it?
What would that do?
24 hours everyday

Love is here, love is gone
Love will prove that anyone
Can change their mind

Love is time, love is space
Love will have you find a place
To come inside

What is the rеason for it?
Why is it there?
Is it my body or my brain?
Nobody understands it, thеy all believe
That it will all make sense someday

Love is war, love is peace
Love is such a tasty treat
But when it's done

Love is odd
Love is queer
Love will take you out of here to find someone

What is the reason for it?
Why is it there?
Is it my body or my brain?
Nobody understands it, they all believe
That it will all make sense someday

Does it do something useful?
What is it for?
Is everyone else the same as me?
What do we know about it?
We can not say
What does it do when we're asleep?

What is the reason for it?
What is the reason for it?
What is the reason for it?