David Byrne @ The Ryman 5/06/18

By: Joseph Kathmann

Joseph: It's pretty hard to not love a show like this. One of the great musical minds of the 20th century playing at one of the greatest music venues ever built? Pretty hard for that formula to go wrong. It didn't. When the great David Byrne took the stage, the atmosphere in The Mother Church was electric. Sure, the former Talking Heads frontman isn't exactly a country artist, but The Ryman accepts all musical acts, regardless of genre. The 65 year-old rocker (now 66! Just celebrated a birthday) brought his eccentric mind and creative show to The Mother Church and delivered one of the best shows I have ever seen. But, first on the bill was Benjamin Clementine. 

Going into this show I was not super familiar with Benjamin Clementine's work, but I can see why David Byrne chose him to open the night. There's a raw talent to the young singer-songwriter, and a raw creativity that many fans of Talking Heads could see very quickly. By night's end, Clementine had won over a host of new fans, and it was during his brief set that I knew I was in for a great night. The audience was captivated by Clementine's every word. You could hardly hear anyone in the audience talking over him, and his intimate style jived perfectly with The Ryman. It was sign of things to come.

For those unfamiliar, David Byrne has a very unique live show full of choreographed dance and unique sets throughout the 20 song set. Watching a David Byrne show feels very much like watching art unfold in front of you, and it is an indescribably unique experience. (Unfortunately) The closest thing we have to it now is a set from St. Vincent, but there's a reason why she's called the "David Byrne of the 21st century." Watching a master of his craft, still at the top of his game in his 60s, is truly something to behold. While Byrne's song choices didn't stray from anything else he had been doing on his current tour, given the complexity of the choreography of the set I could understand why. This man is a master of the visual presentation, and seeing his vision play out in The Mother Church is an experience I won't soon forget.