02.15.05 By Paul Cashmere
Undercover.com

There is no-one like David Byrne. The word "unique" doesn't even fully explain him. For example, the term "new wave" was first uttered in 1977 by record executive Seymour Stein to describe the sound of his then band The Talking Heads.

Watching Byrne perform is both a pleasure and a disappointment. The pleasure is in hearing some of the most creative pieces of musical work performed live before your eyes and ears. The disappointment is knowing how the record industry of today fails to recognize and nurture any new talent with even an ounce of the Byrne creativity in their little finger.

Who from the last 5 years will have the potency and longevity to perform as dynamically as David Byrne in the year 2030? It is a scary thought.

Byrne has bought his brilliance to Australia and with it totally destroyed the walls of perception that today's industry use to pigeon-hole performers.

The audience has the pleasure of sliding through styles from Latin, to Italian to classical and rock. In his show he covered both Hendrix and Cole Porter.

If you just want to come along for Byrne's Talking Heads era, then you won't go home disappointed either. About 50% of the set made Talking Heads sense.

Here is the set-list from a man we can honestly call a maestro.

Melbourne Feb 13 2005

1. Glass Concrete & Stone (from Grown Backwards, 2004)
2. I Zimbra (from Talking Heads, Fear of Music, 1979)
3. Ausencia (from Live at Union Chapel, 2004)
4. Why (from Grown Backwards, 2004)
5. Sad Song (from David Byrne, 1994)
6. The Great Intoxication (from Looking Into The Eyeball, 2001)
7. This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads, Speaking In Tongues, 1983)
8. Road To Nowhere (from Talking Heads, Little Creatures, 1985)
9. And She Was (from Talking Heads, Little Creatures, 1985)
10. Once In A Lifetime (from Talking Heads, Remain In Light, 1980)
11. Un Di Felice (from Grown Backwards, 2004)
12. One Rainy Wish (Jimi Hendrix cover)
13. Psycho Killer (from Talking Heads 77, 1977)
14. Don't Fence Me In (from Red, White and Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter, 1991)
15. Like Humans Do (from Looking Into The Eyeball, 2001)
16. Dialog Box (from Grown Backwards, 2004)
17. What A Day That Was (from The Catherine Wheel, 1981)
18. Blind (from Talking Heads, Naked, 1988)
19. Desconocido Soy (from Looking Into The Eyeball, 2001)
20. Life During Wartime (from Talking Heads, Fear of Music, 1979)
21. Heaven (from Talking Heads, Fear of Music, 1979)
22. Lazy (from X-Press 2's Muzikizum, 2002)

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