Waldemar Bastos - Rest In Peace

by David Byrne

The great Angolan composer and singer passed away this week in Lisbon where he had lived for decades.

The Human Connection

by David Byrne

After a sold-out, year-long critically acclaimed international tour, American Utopia will play a strictly limited engagement on Broadway at the intimate Hudson Theatre from October 4, 2019 through January 19, 2020, with the official opening set for October 20, 2019. Tickets on sale now.

Dancing with the Incomprehensible

by Todomundo

In early March, I biked out to the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya from the center of the Mexican city of Mérida. I stopped regularly to take pictures.

Democracy — What Would That Be Like?

by David Byrne

Our system is not a true representative government. The will of the majority of people in the US is not represented—except in those cases when the desires of the majority match the policies favored by the wealthy and powerful. Their interests are more often enacted into law. We, therefore, do NOT live in a democracy.

But, if we could live in a democracy, what would it be like?

A Taste of the Chennai Music Festival

by David Byrne

After about a year of being on my own music tour I decided to stay in motion. So, in mid-December I flew to India and attended a few days of the Chennai Music Festival—also known as the December Season. In my all too brief visit, I only touched the surface; the festival goes on for a whole month.

For Freedoms!

by David Byrne

William Scott’s work imagines a more loving and equal world; a place for all of us.

Museums for All of Us

by David Byrne

Museums that implicitly present themselves by saying, "This is our culture, this is who we are," have an obligation to reflect what that culture is now. The definition is not static. Not every museum has defining culture as their mandate. Not every museum is trying to tell the national story, but for those that are, these are interesting times.

Cultural Spaces: No Separation of Art and Life

by David Byrne

I found this lack of separation between work and personal obsession inspiring. Most private collection museums leave the source of the money that supports the acquisitions and exhibitions a mystery. But, in this case, the day-to-day work aspect of the collectors’ professional lives is right there in the open, intermingled with the artwork they love. The usual compartmentalization of aspects of one's life has been removed. Art and work, passionate interests and day-to-day business intermingle and presumably influence one another in some way.

Cultural Spaces: Anahuacalli Museum, A Democratic Temple

by David Byrne

The Anahuacalli Museum is dark—like the inside of a temple—with lights in the recessed (volcanic stone!) vitrines and display areas. This creates a sense of exploration—a sense of less than completely mediated discovery. It’s an experience as much as it is a repository for objects.

Cultural Spaces: Inhotim

by David Byrne

It was started by the mine owner and art collector Bernardo Paz as a space where he could show his collection. Then Brazilian artist Tunga suggested to him that he expand the idea by adding contemporary art, which he did, but more in the form of permanent installations than what one would encounter in a conventional museum. Therefore it feels a little more generous than the usual display of baubles amassed by a wealthy collector.

Cultural Spaces: Introduction

by David Byrne

I LOVE to visit museums and cultural centers when I’m on tour. That said, I’m fairly skeptical about whether or not they always accomplish their stated aims. Some seem to do so admirably, and often with an innovative approach. While others, though frequently architecturally spectacular, function more as icons that brand a city or offer it some kind of status. This will be a series of posts and essays that will continue as I visit places all over the world while I’m on tour, and perhaps some answers might emerge.

Porto Alegre, an unfinished city

by David Byrne

Our tour has taken us to South America. Periodic thoughts, reports and news from the road. A few days ago we played in Porto Alegre, Brazil to a wonderful audience in a funky warehouse space near the airport.

Guns Are About Freedom: Our Freedom To Live

by David Byrne

This piece was originally posted on June 22, 2016. My friend's mother is a doctor in Florida—she has spent the last two days stitching up kids or pronouncing them dead. She is furious, mad as hell, as every citizen should be. If Congress cannot act according to the will of the people (see below), then they will need to be replaced by representatives who listen to us.

How Do They Do It? Part 2.

by David Byrne

There is a transcendent feeling in being subsumed and surrendering to a group. This applies to sports, military drills, dancing… and group singing. We cling to our individuality, but we experience true ecstasy when we give it up.

Alias: Steve Powers

by David Byrne

Artist Steve Powers did the artwork that is being used for my upcoming tour. I’ve known Steve for a while. Here’s the story.

Testing Tour Tech

by David Byrne

The show concept is simple. Like the concept behind the show that was filmed for Stop Making Sense, the idea is super obvious and easy to describe. In that show, it was “bit by bit show what goes into making a show, and then activate it”. In this one, it is “allow everyone to be mobile on an empty stage” (and imagine what that allows).

How Do They Do It?

by David Byrne

I’ve sat mesmerized watching online videos of the Canadian group Choir! Choir! Choir! They somehow manage to get hundreds of strangers to sing beautifully together, in tune, with full harmonies and a detailed arrangement. With almost no rehearsal—how do they do it?

Dreamers

by David Byrne

I’ve been a fan of the work of what are called “outsider” artists for a long time. The hope, the longing and the need to imagine what could be is widespread, and manifests in so much of their work. They are dreamers—as are we all.

The Secret Place Where Music Shows Get Made

by David Byrne

Why here? In the middle of Pennsylvania Dutch country?

Everyone Is A Creator: Afropunk Festival 2017

by David Byrne

This visually implied way of being says as much and maybe more than any words—words are words, but this is about how one can BE.

The Mystery of the Egg Farm Tower

by David Byrne

On Indian Village Road in Penn Township, PA near Manheim, stands this tower.

This Business of Show

by David Byrne

I’m thinking about the idea that much military action is not done to achieve its stated purpose, but is rather, in effect, a show, staged for an audience.

Remember these faces. Remember their names.

by David Byrne

These Are Your Representatives Who Voted FOR Trump’s Combo Health Care/Tax Cut Bill.

I’M MAKING A MUSICAL VARIETY SHOW AND YOU CAN TOO!

by David Byrne

On June 1st, a small creative team and I are putting on a variety show here in NYC… and I’m wondering if you can do it too, wherever you are.

ELIMINATING THE HUMAN

by David Byrne

I have a theory that much recent tech development and innovation over the last decade or so has had an unspoken overarching agenda—it has been about facilitating the need for LESS human interaction. It’s not a bug—it’s a feature.

JONATHAN DEMME REST IN PEACE

by David Byrne

My friend, the director Jonathan Demme, passed last night.

What good are the Arts?

by David Byrne

Investment in the arts doesn't cost us money—it MAKES us money!

A Society in Miniature

by David Byrne

What was Black Mountain College's secret sauce? One can’t help but wonder if there was a formula and if the kind of radical innovation that happened there and that was car