If you were in the audience for Talking Heads' shows at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood between 13th and 16th December 1983, could you have imagined that people would still be talking about it over forty years later?
We're in the fortunate position that these shows were scheduled to be filmed and edited by director Jonathan Demme to create Stop Making Sense, which is deservedly referred to as one of the greatest concert films of all time.
This is a performance of Life During Wartime which, like many other songs in the show, surpasses the original simply for the energy and heft that the extended 9-piece band bring to it. David Byrne is a mesmerising front person, but with the front row choreography with Tina Weymouth, Alex Weir on guitar and backing singers Ednah Holt and Lynn Holt, you wonder how they managed to catch a breathe to actually perform.
But...it sounds just perfect.
You may also be wondering whether Chris Frantz got David Byrne's memo, instructing the band to wear neutral coloured clothing. Allegedly, Frantz's laundry had not come back in time for the first night, and so he wore the same polo shirt for all of the shows for continuity. But, was turquoise really the only one in his wardrobe?!
Sitting on the raised back row, centre stage directly behind and above Byrne, you might wonder...
Having read Frantz' book an instruction from Byrne would be a red rag to a bull!
ReplyDeleteOr maybe even a purple one
ReplyDeleteThe only time I've seen people dancing in the aisles in the cinema watching it - (at the Watershed!)
ReplyDeleteThe film is screening worldwide again on October 2. https://www.imax.com/movie/a24-x-imax-present-stop-making-sense
ReplyDeleteSaw it at the cinema last year, whole place was jigging about
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