Flash back to Salzburg, Austria. Early 80s. There are radio stations (that’s it). One for classical, one for Austrian folk music, and one for “modern” dominated by safe pop songs. A city teenage boy from Vienna in exile. Searching for anything resembling “cool” music. The smallest theater in the local cinema plays a weird American concert movie “Stop Making Sense”. Having heard “Psycho Killer” twice the boy take his girlfriend to see said movie. COOLNESS FOUND!!!!!!

That was my first exposure to David Byrne. Little did I know that his music and art would be a constant companion for the next 4 decades. Seeing and photographing his “American Dream” tour a few years ago was a thrill, so when i found out about the new album and new tour, I dusted off my concert camera straps and headed to the Orpheum. For once I found myself being the target audience. Gen X trying hard to remain cool and edgy - and in my case not always succeeding. I spotted a couple of Big Suits in the audience of course.

Byrne’s latest album “Who Is This Sky?” was the inspiration for the current tour. His last tour “American Dream”, to me, reset the theater concert experience by throwing out the rule book and designing an experience for theater stages. Last night kept many of the elements, but in typical David Byrne fashion built on it and pushed forward. I deliberately did not seek out any tour videos as I often do to research shows I am going to cover. I wanted the surprise, the impact.

“Heaven” one of my favorite songs opened, and it was quiet, simple, and yet alluring. “Everybody Laughs” kicked up the complexity and introduced a new feature of the stage 270 degree video screens that immersed the audience into Byrne’s world and art. Visuals and sound combined to move the audience through the show. The set list was masterfully coordinated. Decades of material moved the crowd from Talking Head favorites to new music.

Aging Gen X knees or not, by the third song, very few people were in their seats. Closing with “Burning Down the House”, the concert sent us back out on the “scary” streets of Downtown Minneapolis, the rebellious cand do attitude of our generation refreshed. The 2nd show tonight is sold out, but if you won the lottery last night, go ahead and splurge on some of the few remaining resale tickets - you’ll thank me later.