For the Love of Dave

 

I’ve seen David Byrne live twice in my life and consider myself one of the luckiest women in the world because of this. 

That’s a big statement. 

I'm a life-long Talking Heads fan, coming into their music in the early eighties, their electro-funk/pop/rock blend has always been up my alley. My step-sister tells of her enduring memories of me as a teenager is of driving down Blockers Road in her mother’s Mazda 323 with Stop Making Sense playing loud from the cassette player. I don’t know how many times I’ve bought Stop Making Sense, the album of the concert which Jonathan Demme turned into a film. I finally saw the film in its entirety last year. DAVID BYRNE HAS BEEN DOING WHAT HE DOES FOR FIFTY YEARS! He’s incredible. Mind you, so are Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison and Tina Weymouth. And yes, I didn’t have to look that up. I've loved them for so long, they're family. 

So, in about 1992, I went to see him in concert at the Brixton Academy in London. To date, it’s still the best concert I’ve ever been to. The set list was epic, starting with an acoustic set, then he was joined by the Rei Momo band and they were just phenomenal. The cover of Sympathy for the Devil will never leave me. It went on for about 20 minutes. 

Note, if you get a chance, look up David Byrne covering David Bowie’s Heroes. It’s amazing. 

In 2019, I saw him again, this time in the American Utopia tour in Melbourne. As soon as the tickets were on sale, I was in the queue to get them. 

It turned out, it was the second -est concert I've ever been to - even if it was seated. I don't care - it was amazing. As always. It was everything. Talking Heads songs. His solo stuff. The odd cover. 

And now. In a fortnight, we're off to see him again - this time at the Myer Music Bowl. I've got a general admission ticket, all I could afford - and my friend and I will be right up the back. 

But it doesn't matter. 

We'll be in the presence of greatness. The man is 75 and he's still prancing about like a thirty-something. He's got a soul and a moral compass. He's as neurodiverse as all fuck, but this is part of the reason I love him.

It's all of the love of Dave. 

Today's song: