David Byrne's American Utopia
Recording of former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne’s brilliant Broadway show, directed by Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing, BlacKkKlansman).
David Byrne, former frontman of the legendary Talking Heads, performed his AMERICAN UTOPIA show on Broadway from October 2019 to February 2020. Back then, theatres were still free to fill every seat. Each night of this weeks-long run, 961 audience members packed into the Hudson Theatre to see this truly exceptional songwriter and storyteller.
Performing in a stripped-back stage set, the singer and his international collection of musicians effortlessly intertwine ageless Talking Heads songs with new work. Byrne sings, talks, and even dances, as he shares his vision on humanity and looks to connect. One of the highlights sees a beautiful merging of Lee the activist and Byrne the humanist: the powerful cover of Janelle Monáe’s protest song HELL YOU TALMBOUT, featuring the chanting of the names of Black people who lost their lives through racist violence.