David Byrne at Massey Hall

Photos by John Gallant

On Tuesday night at Massey Hall, David Byrne opened the doors to the amusement park that lives inside his head. The legendary Talking Heads frontman has spent a lifetime observing, thinking and creating. His art – sonic or visual – is always slightly trippy and intellectually thought provoking. It is also joyful and makes you want to dance.

At the first of three nights in Toronto’s iconic music venue, the audience was treated to a show that was part concert, part theatre and part social commentary. Byrne has just released his latest album Who is The Sky? and his tour to promote it is an inventive display of life as he sees it.

Using the toolbox he created for his Broadway show American Utopia, Byrne’s show is alchemy. The components are simple: tell people to try to put their phones away as much as possible and encourage them to dance, bring out twelve multi-talented performers all decked out in the same blue uniform as you have on, strip the stage of all clutter by having all the instruments be portable, light up a giant backdrop with light screens that immerse people into the worlds you imagine and then… sing.

The production has the troupe moving all over the stage in mesmerizing ways, compelling your eyes to follow. The imagery on the screen is also begging for attention. All the while, Byrne is commenting on the state of humanity with his unique satirical
voice. It’s purposeful sensory overload, and it’s delightful.

Oh, and let’s not forget the music. Byrne wended his way through 21 songs, drawing from his solo music and the Talking Heads catalogue. Highlights included And She Was (inspired by being offered LSD as a teenager), Psycho Killer (no fancy screen needed
for this one!), and Home, which brought all of Massey Hall to its feet. Other faves, like Life During Wartime, and Once in a Lifetime clearly pleased the crowd. Every song in the set was choreographed to perfection.

To close out the night, the crowd was treated to a two-song encore – Everybody’s Coming to My House and Burning Down the House. The show was spectacular. That’s David Byrne, always entertaining, same as it ever was.

Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the other great acts that they will be bringing to Toronto this year.