Brilliant Byrne brings Hammersmith to its feet – David Byrne Gig Review

Same as it ever was ? Maybe but without doubt even better and more zany than ever before. Former Talking Heads front man, David Byrne is back, with his shock of silver hair, bamboozling and dazzling with his slippery people.

At the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, he was wild, weird and wacky yet wonderful.  Whilst he was only singing about burning down the house, he brought the house down time after time. Rarely can there have been a gig  with such loud and concerted roars after every song for it was the most mesmeric, amazing and choreographed show that anyone could ever wish to see. The audience really could not believe what they were witnessing. Even someone who had never heard of or seen Byrne perform before would have been completely captivated.

This was a show like no other. Byrne kicked off proceedings sat behind a table with a skull. That set the tone and it just went from there. Thereafter the stage was completely clear. It was just Byrne, his backing singers and his very talented musicians playing and carrying their instruments around the stage on their shoulders, and performing elaborate dance routines simultaneously.  They were all beclad in dark grey matching suits and outfits, yet were all barefooted. It was crazy. It was unreal.

Byrne has always been cutting edge as a singer songwriter, exploring new ideas, never standing still and taking the musical show to new levels. Who could ever forget the ground breaking concert video of the early Talking Heads album Stop Making Sense ? It was revolutionary in its day and probably played in every student house across the land.  Yet Byrne continues to evolve, moving with the times.

For this huge world tour he has really surpassed himself and audiences everywhere will be thrilled and gobsmacked in equal measure. Allied to some classic old Heads numbers, some catchy new stuff from his latest solo release, American Utopia, it really is a heady cocktail.

It was, without doubt, a once in a lifetime show.

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