I saw all three of the shows you mentioned (Springsteen, David Byrne, and Hamilton) on Broadway. That’s one of the great things about living in Baltimore; it’s a two and a half hour train ride to NYC. I also watched Bruce and Hamilton on the TV versions, and totally agree with you. You just aren’t there. None of the excitement is captured. You feel like you are watching other people have a good time. It’s even worse than seeing a concert from a corporate skybox, which totally sucks.<\/p>\n
One of the early pandemic bright spots looked like it was going to be all of the artists who were performing from their living rooms. It was a great idea but geez did it get old quickly! There is just nothing like being there, even with a millenial on your left looking at their cell phone the whole time and someone invading your space on the right while singing loudly and out of tune. I so miss the hassles, smells, discomforts, and monetary ripoffs of live music, and can’t wait to be back out there and complaining again!!<\/p>\n
Hope you are well,<\/p>\n
Rich Madow<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
David Byrne\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Utopia was el stinko. Thankfully I DVR\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d, so I could FFW to the Talking Heads songs.<\/p>\n
Fran Thornton
\nPhila, PA<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
I have only seen one video of a show like this that caught the excitement of the live performance. it was the final Broadway performance of RENT produced by Radical Media.<\/p>\n
Tag Gross<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
Couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t agree more.<\/p>\n
Sari Leon<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
I had the same reaction. It was unwatchable. And I’m not only a Byrne\/Talking Heads fan, I had the original Talking Heads demo and the stuff left off My Life In the Bush Of Ghosts. The same phrase kept running through my head: artsy fartsy. I don’t know, maybe you had to be there but it sure didn’t come over my big TV.<\/p>\n
Phil Brown<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
You are the only one. \u00c2\u00a0Your sad negativity reflects a vacancy of spirit within you. \u00c2\u00a0Maybe your just texting and blogging too much and have lost your heart somewhere in your selfish egotistical misplaced judgement of others. Your arrogance has me on the verge of cancelling all connections to your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153opinions of emptiness.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Mark Manning<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
I could not disagree more. \u00c2\u00a0I found the show to be delightful and David Byrne sounded great. \u00c2\u00a0Everyone I spoke to about it thought the same. \u00c2\u00a0I don’t know what you were watching.<\/p>\n
Howard Turoff<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
It seems I was the only critic who didn’t care much for Stop Making Sense when it first arrived. \u00c2\u00a0Since the review was in a national mag I caught the ire of Gary Kurfirst. Looking back with a little regret \u00c2\u00a0perhaps that film had the same problem as Spike Lee’s effort. \u00c2\u00a0I had never experienced a Talking Heads show that I didn’t like going back to seeing them as a trio opening for The Ramones at Max’s Kansas City. \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Something with Byrne is lost in the translation between the media. That’s pretty the same with all bands which is why Woodstock remains the only great concert film. The music was secondary to the event.<\/p>\n
Now it’s a curriculum-worthy chunk of Americana.<\/p>\n
Keep the copy coming Bob.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Gross<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
I occasionally agree with you, but re: \u00c2\u00a0your analysis of Byrne\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s show – bullshit. \u00c2\u00a0Duh -it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t live. \u00c2\u00a0I enjoyed it. Being there, in person, audience vibe better? Again – duh.<\/p>\n
Mike DeVirgilio<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
You are so spot on with this. This show was one of most memorable theatrical experiences I have ever had. \u00c2\u00a0The film totally missed \u00c2\u00a0the amazing choreography and elegant staging (a simple but unique set). It should have been shot with 3-4 cameras with most of the footage from the audience POV. The endless closeups of feet and individuals in the band detracted from the energy of being there. We sat 1st row mezzanine and it was almost hallucinating. The staging of this show was remarkable…true artistry, and you get none of that from this paint by numbers effort. Sad, but I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait for AU to be restaged cause I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna be there!<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
Bob, you hit it on the head. I love Bruce and I love David, but their television specials were, I am sorry to say boring.
\nBob Meyrowitz<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
Bob, I disagree heartily. I thought Spike Lee did a great job capturing the energy and flow of the live show. The choreography was amazing, the music rhythmic and uplifting and I did not hear any significant fall off in David Byrne’s voice. He is the sun around which everyone on stage revolves The only quibble I had was how it started (slowly). The fact that there are no musicians other than those dancing on stage (and no tapes) makes it that much more impressive.<\/p>\n
Smoke a joint and then watch it again Bob.<\/p>\n
Best,<\/p>\n
Dick Wingate<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
That was an excellent segue into a Save our Stages plea – bravo! That said, I agree on Utopia, it just didn’t provide the energy and vibrancy it was going for for me.<\/p>\n
Jon Cappetta<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
Amazing live. Couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t watch after 15 minutes.<\/p>\n
Hal Kempson<\/p>\n
_______________________________________<\/p>\n
I surely won’t be the only person to tell you the soundtrack came out last year.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.nonesuch.com\/journal\/david-byrne-american-utopia-broadway-original-cast-recording-cd-now-vinyl-january-2019-11<\/a><\/p>\n Gordon Elgart<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n You had to be there. Where I saw it on Broadway I literally left the theater with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step, it was that good. It was exciting, fast paced beautifully choreographed and the music was, well, it’s the Talking Heads. I agree though, live performances like this lose quite a bit in the translation to the screen. Too bad because it was one of the greatest things Ive ever seen on Broadway. _______________________________________<\/p>\n I think David Byrne should play David Byrne should portray Mr. Rogers in a Funk opera that he writes.He will wear slippers and not be barefoot.<\/p>\n Michael Des Barres.<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Bob- \u00c2\u00a0Do you REALLY think Hamilton on Disney “didn’t work”? \u00c2\u00a0Or are you just being contrarian because most people loved it. \u00c2\u00a0IMHO, that was a close as you can ever come to reproducing the feel of live theater on film — it was truly a master work within the genre of filmed theater performances.<\/p>\n And now, I’ll get off your lawn.<\/p>\n Andy Kantor<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I kind of hear where you’re coming from. The live version of American Utopia was exhilarating. My husband and I went for our anniversary a year ago this week and went back again bringing our college age kids at Christmas. For the record my then 22 year old loved it but my Gov Ball\/Camp Flog Gnaw loving 19 year old didn’t get what we were so excited about. At all. Tendayi Kuumba and Chris Giarmo – the dancing vocalists – are mesmerizing live on stage. You can’t take your eyes off of them.<\/p>\n Barbara Barna Abel<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I am regular reader of yours, and on occasion will squint in disagreement — this time I have to push back hard on your take.<\/p>\n Both shows were joyous, exuberant, very well shot and recorded.<\/p>\n HBO \/ Spike Lee version of American Utopia did a nice job of revealing the shows themes. (I saw the live play 2X and literally have tickets for tonight Oct 21, 2020 rescheduled for 2021)<\/p>\n Same thing for the Disney Plus version of Hamilton (only saw live show once).<\/p>\n If your take is TV is not as immersive, involving or joyous as the live show — well of course, its TV, not Broadway. if you go to a lot of live concerts, plays, stand up, etc. each month, then the lock down has really been depressing with no live events. So these were a welcome filler but regardless they were both very well done.<\/p>\n You need to forget the hype\/previews\/reviews and let the artwork stand on its own. Barry Ritholtz<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Amen, maybe all this time away from live performances will make us appreciate them more. I saw Byrne’s show live on Broadway, couldn’t sit still, it was full of surprises and exceedingly well done. “The authorities have informed me that you are welcome to dance at your seats, but not in the aisles, Best regards,<\/p>\n C Darryl Mattison<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Finally, some has the courage to criticize David Byrne. Thank you Bob! \u00c2\u00a0I wish mr. Byrne put some shoes on!<\/p>\n Best regards,<\/p>\n Tony Savarino<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n You totally nailed it.<\/p>\n John Brodey<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Thanks for the Byrne review. I was afraid I was the only one. It was boring and I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t watch it all, despite some interesting angles from Spike Lee. Byrne\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just lacking, it was off key way too often. The musicians were good, but Byrne weighed them down. When he sang the line \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And God is a very old rooster,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d my 4-year-old asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do his words mean something in another language, because they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make sense in English?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I know better than to get my lyrical interpretations from a pre-K kid, but it was the most entertaining part of watching the televised show. My 17-year-old, who likes the old Talking Heads albums, said she would have been terminally bored seeing this show live and would have had to run from the theater, despite Byrne\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nod to Janell Monae.<\/p>\n Brad Kava<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m flabbergasted that you found American Utopia unwatchable, I found it the exact opposite. My partner and I were totally engulfed in the performance actually wishing we could see it on the now blacked out Broadway. When I say him and his cast performing on SNL before the pandemic closure I was again spellbound and extremely excited by the soon to be released movie of the Broadway production. Mike Hansen<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n 100% wrong about American Utopia and I could just cry from how depressing you sound knocking this amazing piece of art. Spike captured it perfectly.<\/p>\n Josh Valentine<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Did you at least get hardship-pay for watching it?<\/p>\n Art Fein<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I think if you saw the live show — as I did — you could also enjoy the tv version that reminded you of how much fun you had. Also what it was like just before COVID. For people who were experiencing it for the first time not so much.<\/p>\n David Hershkovits<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I saw David’s show 3 times in NYC. \u00c2\u00a0An incredible experience. \u00c2\u00a0I saw Springsteen’s show also…no comparison…I don’t know how to explain it. \u00c2\u00a0A unique concert designed for the Broadway stage..I’d get on a plane from Colorado to NYC and see it again before I watch it on HBO.<\/p>\n Thanks,<\/p>\n Edmund J. Kelly<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen American Utopia yet, and eventually I will, but David Byrne depresses me. And even though I know that all of the dancing and costumes and fun of it all goes almost all the way back to the inception of Talking Heads, especially the masterpiece Stop Making Sense, the costumes and the dancing over the last decade or whatever has made me sick. Drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, voice. Talking Heads: 77 for me is the band\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pinnacle because it is furthest removed from the costumes and the dancing, which is to say that it is the closest to rock and roll, where you had great songs played by an excellent band. Dancing and costumes…watching Tina Weymouth play bass is endlessly more exciting, captivating, and beautiful than any amount of barefoot dancers traipsing around could ever be. I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen the film yet, and I will probably like, even love it, if even some of the hype is to be believed. But it can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be as good \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tentative Decisions\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the fact that that type of music and a more direct musical presentation of that music is so far from where Byrne\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head is at makes my skin crawl. Too many people like this shit!<\/p>\n Daniel Grgas<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I think you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re dead-on Bob. _______________________________________<\/p>\n I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m guessing what you are missing is that David was one of the pioneers of Nerd Culture, at a time when being a nerd wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t cool. \u00c2\u00a0I remember someone saying back then that he proved you could be a nerd, a geek, and a spaz, and still be cool. \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0And since the Talking Heads his music has become more serious and dense. Now that Nerds Rule The World it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s great to see him doing a Happy show and seeming to accept his Aspergers, as the world has accepted being a nerd. \u00c2\u00a0Good for him.<\/p>\n Be a nerd Bob, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the new way now.<\/p>\n Ron Hill<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n David is brilliant, the live show on Broadway was brilliant, the HBO rendition is brilliant.<\/p>\n I worked with Talking Heads from 1977-1984, their formative years.<\/p>\n I first met them at The Rathskeller in Kenmore Square\/Boston in ’77, there were maybe 25 people in the place.<\/p>\n It was evident then how creative they all were, poised for longevity and greatness; not just David, but Chris, Tina and Jerry as well.<\/p>\n See it again, let yourself fall into the experience, turn the volume way up.<\/p>\n Watch out, you might get what you’re after!<\/p>\n ted cohen<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I desperately wanted to like this show, but sadly it was disappointing.<\/p>\n Mitchell Cohen<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen the movie \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t bother, based on your comments \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but I did see the show, was very lucky to have seats close to the stage, and it was a gas, just magnificent, you could feel the connection with the audience, the fun, the enjoyment, he was playing just for us, as were his percussionists, dancers, and guitarist. \u00c2\u00a0He looked me in the eye a few times, played just to me for a few nanoseconds. \u00c2\u00a0Yes, his voice (never great) has lost some shine, and his limbo move doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go as far back as it used to, but all that made no difference, it was still a totally enjoyable, memorable experience. \u00c2\u00a0It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gonna restart on Broadway some time next year. \u00c2\u00a0I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be seeing it again. \u00c2\u00a0I recommend it to you.<\/p>\n Bob Borque<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Yes, god, it was so boring I only watched about twenty minutes of it. He showed no interest in what he was doing, and the fact the he, like Roger Waters, is still living off of 40-year old material is quite sad. As you say, perhaps you had to be there, but the barefoot marching band schtick might have been avant garde in the 80s, but it just looks like a clich\u00c3\u00a9 now.<\/p>\n Kirk McElhearn<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n This was very unfriendly, both shows were excellent and I am not alone. Why must you be divisive? The interviews, thought provoking and creative output have been a guiding light in these unprecedented times for so many. We have even watched the HBO special more than once with the whole family and I have heard from many great humans and great minds how brilliant and well done the show is. One if the silver linings of this pandemic is the fact that it has been bringing good people together around relevant topics.<\/p>\n Kirk M. Sommer | WME<\/p>\n (Note: WME is David Byrne’s agency.)<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Having seen the show live, this was not it. This is also why adaptations of musicals become movies rather than just a film of the show. I felt much the same about Hamilton, though perhaps letting so many see it was worthwhile. It was just not the same.<\/p>\n Robert Heiblim<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n good points Bob. the HBO show was meh. And if they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d had the original band playing, tina and chris and jerry it would\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been great. That band cooked! And live they rocked! Those song\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s presented in this way wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t rock or art, it was just weak. _______________________________________<\/p>\n Hate to critique\/nitpick, but the the soundtrack was put out on Nonesuch well in advance.<\/p>\n Thanks for all you do!<\/p>\n Matt O’Donnell<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n It did have a soundtrack, released last year<\/p>\n Adam Scharfberg<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n No, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not the only one – I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care for it either. It wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t exactly bad, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not even moved to articulate what it lacked or why it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get me off. What did they say 5 yrs ago? \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Meh\u00e2\u20ac\u009d?<\/p>\n Rob Wolfson<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I don’t know why I don’t unsubscribe. I disagree with virtually everything you say…. from politics to David Byrne. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone’s got one…<\/p>\n Nicole Sandler<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n Always appreciate your opinion, but couldn’t disagree more. Not sure we watched the same thing. His voice sounded incredible, the music was instantly gripping, the visuals were like nothing I’ve seen and I felt like I was there.<\/p>\n Far more meaningful and thrilling than Hamilton, or any bloody show I’ve seen in years, live or on screen.<\/p>\n Daryl Shawn<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I really tried to watch it and in the end I napped to it.<\/p>\n I like guys who are brilliant like this but it is artsy, Warhol, Lou Reed pretentiousness New York stuff to me.<\/p>\n But Byrne does fascinate me. \u00c2\u00a0He follows his muse. \u00c2\u00a0I just like the way Dylan and Neil Young follow theirs better.<\/p>\n Michael A. Becker<\/p>\n _______________________________________<\/p>\n I just watched this last night. I think he is a genius. True blue.<\/p>\n But Spike Lee’s direction was at times sloppy. I am not sure if this was filmed on multiple occasions \/ performamce nights, but the splicing was bad and Byrne’s hair length seemed to change back and forth.<\/p>\n However, it was nice to have a live show experience again sort of.<\/p>\n AND, it reminded me of how fresh DB can be – in small doses. And it inspired me to find Stop Making Sense on Youtube and re-watch that.<\/p>\n
\nThanks Bob,
\nMichael Eigen<\/p>\n
\nWhen you do that, both shows succeed splendidly<\/p>\n
\nYou don’t know what you got til it’s gone.<\/p>\n
\nI’m glad you were able to see the promise, and I hope you get to see it live at some point.
\nThe film probably doesn’t include little gems like this:<\/p>\n
\nbecause, should a fire break out, that would put you at an unfair advantage.”
\n-intro to Burnin’ Down the House<\/p>\n
\nI also was amazed that you felt you needed a soundtrack release to know the songs performed. It was a Talking Heads concert with a wondrous interpretation of their songbook with a few solo Byrne works from his other projects. I felt it challenged Jonathan Demme\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00c2\u00a0Stop Making Sense, seen as one of the greatest concert films ever produced.
\nMaybe you missed the new wave movement of the 80\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, the Broadway\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s production audience certainly hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.<\/p>\n
\nI haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t watched it yet, and I probably wont. I have, however, been fortunate to be working on the same stage or a nearby stage at multiple festivals and the performance was electrifying.
\nI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a 15 year touring professional and best case scenario, I MAY be able return to work next Summer. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been on unemployment since May and the artist I work for was generous enough to give our entire crew a 1 time payment to help out with all of the lost work. Despite all of this, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m slowly bleeding dry. As are most of my colleagues in the business that haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t already decided to move on to greener pastures.
\nWhen concerts can once again happen, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be really tough to pull off without any crew left. Can you imagine Madonna having to push a road case?
\nIf any one in our government ever hopes to go to a show again, I do hope they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll take some action to ensure that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s possible before it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too late.
\nThanks for the support!
\nStu Tenold<\/p>\n
\nOwen<\/p>\n