Live music review: David Byrne’s American Utopia
Last Saturday (November 16), we were blessed with an opportunity to attend one of the hottest musical performances of this year. If you were lucky enough to see David Byrne at Austin City Limits Festival in 2018, you got a little taste of what now resonates through the walls of The Hudson Theatre on 44th Street in Manhattan, David Byrne’s Broadway production of American Utopia.
The ACL Fest performance delivered what ended up being a rough cut of the highly acclaimed musical performance. From the hanging-chain backdrop, to the use of interpretive dance, Byrne and company deliver a presentation of modern performance art that is by itself, worthy of a trip to “The Big Apple.”
What sets his currently-running exhibition apart from other performance art pieces is the commentary. Aside from a plethora of new musical numbers, the show consists of more familiar tunes from Byrne and his former band, The Talking Heads. All elements considered, the piece feels more like a high-brow, David Byrne stand up routine set to a stellar soundtrack. The show is an intimate conversation with the audience.
The theatrics, though minimalist in design are not the least bit underwhelming, incorporating a live mobile band, interpretive dance and live song deconstruction, the show leaves no stone unturned. Byrne’s show goes out of its way to prove the complexities of the masterpiece’s construction.
“No pre-recorded tracks…” Byrne explains as the various gears of the group individually display their segment, blending instrumentation into a newly-structured musical number.
Byrne mentioned his admiration for “show goers dancing in the walkway, but the fire department claims those individuals have an advantage in case of an evacuation…” Cue the Talking Heads classic, “Burning Down The House.” No one stayed in their seat. The venue erupted into a celebratory, spontaneous, passionate dance display.
Explained from the outset of the performance, is how the brain functions, neurotransmitters connecting and transporting thought. The quirky front man informed the audience that as we grow older, they disappear. Byrne continued, explaining how he purchased his first television from revenue of the first “Talking Heads” LP. “Perhaps the television contains transmitters similar to the ones we’ve lost…and can connect us all.” Bright lights emitted from the wall. “I should watch more television…” initiating an explication of the deterioration of the fabric of modern society and independent thought.
Byrne’s spoken-word element of the performance is an insightful commentary on modern politics, biology, psychology, sociology and brain chemistry, formulating a poignant display that leaves one pondering where we are headed, while dancing to the musical extravaganza.
The limited run show ends February 16. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.
All photos: Brian Hillsman
Featured image courtesy of David Byrne
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