Entertainment For Lively Minds
Talking Heads
I've always loved that band, ever since someone at school lent me a copy of 'Remain In Light' back in the day. I wasn't sure that I understood the lyrics, and I certainly didn't understand the music, but it was intriguing. And better yet it fed into that intellectual snobbery to which all 17 year old boys are prone. It spoke to me ... white-boy geek-funk for the socially inept, why would it not?
I never saw them live. The closest I ever came was a big screen showing of 'Stop Making Sense'. Then they split, and I've been left waiting 20 years for the reformation. The last great 80's band still to attempt the resurrection shuffle. What with Vampire Weekend's virtual tribute act, it can't be long now, I thought.
As of last Tuesday however I no longer care ... because I've seen David Byrne's current 'Songs of David Byrne & Brian Eno' show. I cannot imagine any better Talking Heads gig.
The set-list comprises almost all of 'Remain In Light' and most of his current Eno collaboration. A four piece band including percussionist, Byrne the sole electric guitarist, three singers, three dancers. No screens. No lasers. No big suits. Everyone dressed in white. Doesn't sound like much on paper, but quite simply it was one of the most fantastically entertaining shows I've ever seen. Byrne is a charismatic frontman, far removed from his early twitchy performances. Totally relaxed and seemingly having a great time, this is a performer that has grown into his skin, and come to terms with his former band's material. Perhaps we're both less socially inept than we were in 1980, although in my case I'm not prepared to canvass opinions.
I saw both Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits last year, and this performance was up there with those shows. If you missed it, shame on you. Particularly if you live in Belfast, where the Waterfront Hall was only half full. David didn't seem to mind, and the reception was bordering on the rapturous. But I urge you to get to one of the return dates scheduled for the summer.
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Talking Heads Live
I have heard that David Byrnes gigs have been really good. I'm a bit dissapointed as I had the opportunity to get tickets for his Royal Festival Hall show but decided to buy tickets for another gig. I had the pleasure of seeing the band at The Roundhouse in '77. I managed to get on the guest list through a teacher at Hackney College. I was on Dire Straights list. The line up that night was Dire Staights/Slaughter and the dogs/Talking heads. Talking heads were pretty good then. I saw them again around the time of 'Stop making sense' at wembley and they were amazing with tom tom club supporting. I also went to see Tom tom club at The Wag club near Leicester square a couple of nights later. There were about 200 people there and they took the roof off one of my all time favourite gigs. I saw Tom tom club again last year and they still pretty good. Recently I found out that when Talking heads signed their first deal David Byrne made Tina Weymouth re audition for her role as bass player - this has left me with a slightly jaded view of Mr Byrne. I'd love to find out more about the circumstances someday.
Glad you had a good night.
David Byrne or Talking Heads
My first David Byrne or Talking Heads theory:
I followed their early career, and the impression I got was that over the course of their albums it became more and more just about David Byrne, with the others as also-rans.
My revised David Byrne or Talking Heads theory:
Listening to his early to mid solo material I got the feeling that it was all brain and no heart, and formed the opinion that, although the Talking Heads ideas might have come mainly from him, it needed the band to give them the spark of life. And if he had tried to open a song with "I met my love at a funeral" as he did on a solo album, I'm sure they would have just said "David, behave!"
My latest theory:
Having heard his latest collaboration with Brian Eno, and read reports of his latest gigs, it sounds like he's found a new spark from somewhere.
Would you say
it was a Once In A Lifetime performance (soooooo sorry!)
Curses!
I'm a tremendous talking heads fan, and the new stuff is pretty good as well. And ok and behold, the first night of the tour was in Bristol; near to me! And it was on a Friday night! This was rarely perfect time and location. The only problem was... I'm too poor. So I've had to contend with reading countless reviews of how great it was! Get! Now I just have to hope he does Glastonbury. What was that you said about return dates?
August ...
3rd at the Barbican, 4th in Southampton & 9th at The Big Chill Festival. He also mentioned a date at the Edinburgh Playhouse during the Fringe
Lovely. I'll have to see
Lovely. I'll have to see what I can do.
Remain In Light was also my
Remain In Light was also my first touch with Talking Heads and found the music very intriguing. They brought something new for my life and it would be great to see them live! Nice to read about that.
Spot on
I couldn't agree more with you Steven. I went to see the Glasgow event, which was full and where he got about half the audience in a standing ovation as he walked out for the first song. My TH background is almost identical and similarly thought the concert was best I had seen since Tom Waits. The three real high points for me were the unusual songs such as I Zimbra and Help me Somebody, that the two best know songs (I think - Once in alifetime and Life During Wartime) were simply part of the set - most acts would have finished with them or had as encores, and the general hmour that came through, often from the dancers. It might just be me, but as I get older I more and more want some humour when I go to gigs.
I was at the Waterfront on Tuesday
and agree it was a great gig. Took me a bit of time to get over the disappointment of the poor turnout, but once I got into it was brilliant hearing all those Talking Heads tunes again.
Belfast continues to frustrate me in terms of the crowds bands attract. The Waterfront Hall has cut right back on the amount of gigs it holds and small audiences like Tuesdays only makes it more difficult to see a future for the place as a venue.
Can I just say...
I saw Talking Heads supported by Dire Straits at the Donny Outlook in 1977?
Tina Weymouth wore slippers on stage.
Talking Heads at Wembley Arena, 1982...
A question... how come Talking Heads could play a huge show at Wembley Arena, and yet their most recent studio album at the time, Remain In Light, only got to No. 21 in the charts? Did every person who bought the album go to see them play live?!
It seems odd... most acts who play Wembley have No.1 singles and albums...
Maybe it was all the people who bought Once In A Lifetime on 45...
Ah! Those Wembley gigs
That never struck me as odd at the time (and it was two nights at Wembley) but now you say it it does seem odd. They had already done a big Remain In Light tour of "standard" venues (in London they played Hammersmith Palais & Hammersmith Odeon - I still have the "Free your ass and your mind will follow" poster. The 2 nights were marred only by a dreadful support band) about 2 years earlier. I guess that tour was before Once In A Lifetime made it big so there would have been a large number of people that had only just discovered them. I think that when they played Wembley (their final UK appearances?) they may only have played one other date in the UK.
The heads
saw them at Mosport race track (Canada) in the late 70's early 80's when they first went "funk" with Bernie Worrell etc mind blowing on a gig that also incuded Elvis Costello, The Pretenders and Iggy Pop. Fabtastic band!!
E was there E was
Top gig at the Royal Festival Hall tonite from Mr Byrne and his pals and who came shuffling onto the stage dressed in regulation white suit to sing the last verse of 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today' but Mr Brian Eno.
although Al Murray was also there so coulda been him....