Saturday Music Hall: Road to Nowhere

Given current planetary trends, it's a perfect time to indulge in some cosmic whimsy and wail courtesy of David Byrne and Talking Heads. First up, "Road to Nowhere" because it would be hard to argue we aren't heading in that direction. Nowhere here we come. If that just whets your appetite for more existential explorations, witness that "the world was moving - she was right there with it, And She Was." Or opt for a "Once in a Lifetime" experience, where "you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack, in another part of the world, behind the wheel of a large automobile, in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife, and you may ask yourself - Well...How did I get here?" Ah, "same as it ever was...."

One of the best concerts I've seen in the last five years was David Byrne on his "Look Into the Eyeball" tour at Paolo Soleri Amphitheater (right) on a warm summer night in Santa Fe. Can any other venue match the organic architecture, sensitive acoustics, starry skyed setting and funky intimacy of the Paolo? Byrne was on fire that night, drawing off the high desert hum of the up-close crowd. I recall he had string players hired on the road, and a pile of percussionists. He did alot of world beat stuff, ala his label Luaka Bop, and revamped arrangements of his hits. It was August 2, 2001, right before "the world changed forever" on 9-11-01. We worked up a sweat together.

I think he's just right for today as we turn to one another and mutter, "This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around...." Another take on Life During Wartime, as Bush's war on purpose keeps on a'widening. He and his war-mates have definitely decided to stop making sense. For real.

PS: I'm happy that Fan Man Productions has reestablished a summer concert series at the Paolo after several years of mostly downtime at the venue. Fan Man does a terrific job booking all kinds of music at the Lensic Theater in Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Opera and other venues as well. They need our continuing support.