They don’t have the edge of the 70s and 80s recordings, but they have more groove. The American Utopia versions of the songs are nearly identical in their musical content to the studio versions, but they sound dramatically different. This tightly wound quality is exactly what drew me in as a troubled twentysomething, but I can see why a little kid would find it off-putting. David Byrne’s bugged out eyes and straining tendons do not convey the sense of a man at peace with himself. The music isn’t angry, exactly, but it is manic and anxious. I couldn’t figure it out.Īfter I thought about it, I concluded that the kids are reacting negatively to Talking Heads’ punk energy. The kids were also totally unmoved by the big suit. My daughter loves the American Utopia version of “Slippery People”, but she refused to watch more than two minutes of the Stop Making Sense version. Maybe my kids didn’t like the album versions of the Talking Heads classics because they missed the visual reference? I figured they would love watching Stop Making Sense. But how could they prefer the sound of 68-year-old David to the sound of 26-year-old David? Also, they like the David Byrne solo material better, especially “ Everybody’s Coming to My House” and “ I Know Sometimes a Man is Wrong.” That makes sense, those songs are more obviously “about” something. I figured, hey, if they like those versions, wait until they hear the originals! But no, they actively dislike the Talking Heads versions of the songs. They have wanted to listen to the songs every day since. I can understand that reaction.Īnyway, we showed some excerpts of the movie to the kids, and they were immediately hooked. Another observed that she had seen some Black audience members walking out. One of them said, maybe he should have just let his Black band members sing it. I talked about this with my NYU students. That reduced the cringe factor somewhat, but did not eliminate it. Toward the end of the show, the band covered “Hell You Talmbout” by Janelle Monáe.ĭavid explained that he had asked Janelle Monáe’s permission to do the song, and she had given her blessing. David Byrne has apparently gotten woke! Mostly I’m glad about this, but it sometimes manifests awkwardly. I love David Byrne unreservedly, but I was in a bit of a mood the night we went to see the show, and at one point I was thinking, okay, this is fun, but what does it have to do with anything? Like, what about climate change? Five minutes later, as if he read my mind, David said from the stage, “Climate change – you kids are fucked.” You could read a certain amount of social satire into some Talking Heads songs, but overt political speech during a set is a new thing. I can only hope to have similar energy at that age. It is so inspiring to see a 68 year old guy singing and dancing like this. With nothing else to look at, you focus on the faces and the bodies, which, as David explains at one point, is the whole idea. The lighting is all flat colors, simple geometric shapes, and the performers’ shadows. The stage is surrounded by chain-link curtains but is otherwise empty. All the mics and instruments are wireless. The enormous band is dressed in matching grey suits, but their feet are bare. Like everything David Byrne does, the visuals are striking. You can see the fantastic filmed version directed by Spike Lee on HBO. My wife, who is awesome, recently took me on a date to see American Utopia on Broadway. The first band I was ever in did “ And She Was” as an acoustic folk number. Spike Lee directed an Emmy Award-winning filmed version of the production which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2020 and is currently available to stream on HBO Max.I go way, way back with Talking Heads. The concept began as an album released by Byrne in 2018 and features hit songs from his time performing with the Talking Heads, as well as his solo career. Annie-B Parson provided choreography and musical staging. WATCH: David Byrne's American UtopiaPerforms 'Like Humans Do' on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonĪmerican Utopia features production consulting by Alex Timbers ( Moulin Rouge!), lighting design by Rob Sinclair, sound design by Pete Keppler, and musical direction by Karl Mansfield and Mauro Refosco. The former Talking Heads founder and frontman leads the concert-styled production, along with international musicians Jacquelene Acevedo, Gustavo Di Dalva, Daniel Freedman, Chris Giarmo, Tim Keiper, Tendayi Kuumba, Karl Mansfield, Mauro Refosco, Stéphane San Juan, Angie Swan, and Bobby Wooten III. After debuting on Broadway in 2019, the show made a Main Stem return following the COVID-19 shutdown September 17, 2021. David Byrne's Tony Award-winning musical American Utopia plays its final performance April 3 at Broadway's St.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |