David Byrne?

[Jake]

Well....being unfortunate enough to miss this years festival, I was able to listen and enjoy most of it via KOTO.   David Byrne was the only artist who did NOT agree to be broadcast over the weekend.   

So I ask.....how was the David Byrne set?   How many Talking Heads tunes did he do??


thx!

[retsin2000]

I didn’t see Byrne at TBF but I did see him at Red Rocks on Saturday night. I would imagine it was pretty close to the same set as TBF. Talking Heads songs I remember of the top of my head, there were more than this:

Once in a Lifetime
Life During Wartime
Burning Down the House
Take Me to the River (Well really an Al Green song of course)
I Zimbra
Heaven

His tour is subtitled "David Byrne plays the music of David Byrne and Brian Eno" or something like that so there is a ton of TH tunes that fit that bill including my favoirite TH album - Remain in Light.

Also just recalled:

Girlfriend is Better
Crosseyed and Painless

[Hooch]

His music was good.  He had more "theater" than the other acts but people up front (I was part of the way back) said it was good if you were close.

[newatTBF09]

  Only saw the first few tunes, as we were busy getting trampled by ass...... near the sound booth. They knocked us around, stepped on our feet,pusjed, spilled drinks on us..... One creep even left his underwear in my chair. I couldn't believe it. Bad behavior has no place in Telluride. Didn't experience this with any other artists. Seems like people were especially drunk or just bafoons!!!
The part I did see was really top notch. Waited all day in out spot, then it was riuned!!!! 

[completejohn]

Oh my gawd.

If this year's fest is known for anything, it will be Byrne's performance.  It was truly one of the most amazing performances I've ever witnessed in my long years of music fests and concerts.  I expected something creative, but was completely floored by this band.

It seems like every year PB tries something out of the box.  Last year, Ryan Adams was the left turn of the show, and even tho I hated just about every second that I stood there hoping that it was going to get better, I had to applaud the Planet for TRYING.  (With all the various fests that I go to, I'd have to say that the best part is being exposed to someone who I didn't know a lot about, or at least had never seen.  So Adams was tolerable from that standpoint.)

So when I saw Byrne on the schedule I was wondering what he was gonna do, and how the TBF audience would react.  I'm sure not everyone will have reacted so positively as I;  I just hope those who didn't like the show appreciate PB's "trying".

But oh my gawd, what a show.  From the time he and his band walked out on stage in white suits, he commanded complete attention.  It took only one song to bring out the three white-clad dancers who, it seemed, never stopped moving.  The show was choriographed to perfection.  Byrne would be at the mic singing, then suddenly, with out looking, step back so as to not get hit by a hard charging dancer.  Another time he just fell straight back into the waiting arms of his army of dancers and singers.

But sometimes, the man himself became the dancer.  Well, "dance" is a subjective term.  What else would you call putting your arms out to your sides with your hands pointing down and walking in unison with your army back and forth across the stage?  Can't synchronized office chair movements be called a dance?  I'm not sure, but it sure made me smile.

Smile a LOT.

The music, as expected, was top notch.  A very small band pumped out lots of different styles of music, but to say that one was better or more important than the others would be ridiculous.  The bass player, percussionist and drummer held down the thundering lines, but how could just ONE keyboard player make so much noise?  Bryne's guitar work must be called minimalist, but oh so effective.

THis was theater from start to finish.  Yes, there were some great songs, new and old (the Talking Heads' songs became more prevalent towards the end), but it was a SHOW, and I couldn't take my eyes off of
byrne except to turn to my friends to make sure they were seeing what I was seeing.  They were, and they were smiling just as much as I.

Even our TBF favorites were entranced by the show.  The next afternoon brought references from several of the acts on the Friday schedule.  No less than three acts mentioned wearing white, and Jerry Douglas did quite a rendition of a Byrne dance.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, Planet Bluegrass.  Booking Byrne was quite a gamble, but you won over a big part of the crowd.  I can't wait to see what you bring us next year!

 Listening to: "Everything that happens" - now I REALLY like this CD.

[Jake]

excellent description completejohn!   Thanks!

I've seen his perfomance while with the Talking Heads, and I can completely envision how it all went down at TBF.

[flyfishindave]

Oh my gawd.

If this year's fest is known for anything, it will be Byrne's performance.  It was truly one of the most amazing performances I've ever witnessed in my long years of music fests and concerts.  I expected something creative, but was completely floored by this band.

It seems like every year PB tries something out of the box.  Last year, Ryan Adams was the left turn of the show, and even tho I hated just about every second that I stood there hoping that it was going to get better, I had to applaud the Planet for TRYING.  (With all the various fests that I go to, I'd have to say that the best part is being exposed to someone who I didn't know a lot about, or at least had never seen.  So Adams was tolerable from that standpoint.)

So when I saw Byrne on the schedule I was wondering what he was gonna do, and how the TBF audience would react.  I'm sure not everyone will have reacted so positively as I;  I just hope those who didn't like the show appreciate PB's "trying".

But oh my gawd, what a show.  From the time he and his band walked out on stage in white suits, he commanded complete attention.  It took only one song to bring out the three white-clad dancers who, it seemed, never stopped moving.  The show was choriographed to perfection.  Byrne would be at the mic singing, then suddenly, with out looking, step back so as to not get hit by a hard charging dancer.  Another time he just fell straight back into the waiting arms of his army of dancers and singers.

But sometimes, the man himself became the dancer.  Well, "dance" is a subjective term.  What else would you call putting your arms out to your sides with your hands pointing down and walking in unison with your army back and forth across the stage?  Can't synchronized office chair movements be called a dance?  I'm not sure, but it sure made me smile.

Smile a LOT.

The music, as expected, was top notch.  A very small band pumped out lots of different styles of music, but to say that one was better or more important than the others would be ridiculous.  The bass player, percussionist and drummer held down the thundering lines, but how could just ONE keyboard player make so much noise?  Bryne's guitar work must be called minimalist, but oh so effective.

THis was theater from start to finish.  Yes, there were some great songs, new and old (the Talking Heads' songs became more prevalent towards the end), but it was a SHOW, and I couldn't take my eyes off of
byrne except to turn to my friends to make sure they were seeing what I was seeing.  They were, and they were smiling just as much as I.

Even our TBF favorites were entranced by the show.  The next afternoon brought references from several of the acts on the Friday schedule.  No less than three acts mentioned wearing white, and Jerry Douglas did quite a rendition of a Byrne dance.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, Planet Bluegrass.  Booking Byrne was quite a gamble, but you won over a big part of the crowd.  I can't wait to see what you bring us next year!

I agree with you...from my vantage point along the fence at Run A Muck DB's set was a kaleidoscope of color, sound and dance....and one of the very finest late night sets i've seen in my 9 years down there...


 

 Listening to: Mission In The Rain

[Matt]

It was the best set I've ever seen.  5 years at TBF, plus as many other shows I can catch whenever a good act comes around my home.  I may not have seen as much music as some others, but I've seen some incredibly good sets.  This tops them all. 

I think all together we got 10 or 11 Talking Heads songs.

I just hope he allows taping/trading.

[funkymtn]

Amazing performance!

When Byrne(wearing a tutu at this point) and band broke into "Burning Down The House" (which was so fuuuuuuuuuuunkkkkkkkkkky) the crowd erupted like a popcorn machine, hand and legs flying everywhere...what a treat to see and be a part of!!!!

The "Great Curve"...oh my BUDDAH!

 

 Listening to: a replay of TBGF 2009 in my mind

[Cindy Lou]

I too had a raised eyebrow and a "huh?"  when I saw him on the schedule, but OMG! It was SOOOOOO much fun and what a way to rock the end of a great first day!     Thank you PB for bringing him to us!

I'm sorry that some folks got trampled and drinks spilled on them, but the later the act, the more packed in it gets, and that's just kinda the way it is.  Please don't hold on to that and let it spoil your whole experience.  Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative.

[AnythingAtAll]

I was fortunate to be one of the "No Depression" bloggers at the festival, here's my Byrne blog post:

No Depression.com Byrne blog post

Loved it!

[flyfishindave]

"...At other times, especially given the venue, it was a surreal scene: a white-haired, mild-mannered Mr. Rogers on acid in a white lab coat leading an adult sing-a-long amid a throng of bluegrass revelers. It was simply stunning...The set, while utilizing older material, failed to succumb to the pitfall of feeling like a retrospective or a re-tread in any way. It was vigorous, vibrant and totally in the moment. The energy exchanged between Mr. Byrne, his band, his dancers and the audience was palpable."


You are correct, sir!

 

 Listening to: The Waifs Crazy Train TBF June 20, 2003

[Flagstaff Jess]

I was up front on David Byrne's set and it was awesome!  But it was the theatrical nature of it that made it so good.  He had dancers on the stage dressed all in white performing and the choreography was very trippy.  It was quite a ride to watch them.  I told a friend that if you had only listened to it, it probably would not have as strong an effect on you. 

I'd only want a recording of this set if it came with video DVD.  But even that I doubt would capture how totally cool it was to be there.

When he busted into Burning Down the House the whole area up front just lost it. 

I think if I had to list a top five all time TBF performances this one would make the cut

[Bevin]

Byrne's set was one of my all-time favorite shows - ever.  I don't usually go for the curve balls Craig and Steve like to throw (ie, I stuck out on Connor Oberst) but David Byrne was really phenomenal.  What a fantastic show.  And great review, completejohn!

[Ron N Deb]

Im sorry I didnt get Talking Heads back in the day ... and Sadly I must admit they almost had me Hooked with "Take me to the River"....but waiting for Physco Killer sucked and got No Love !