David Byrne's American Utopia

I read a review of this where a guy complained there were too many close up shots.Well if you see the world through a phone rather than your actual eye's they may be right.What you get is a stunning perspective of it's balletic choreography, that you wouldn't get being in the audience.It's a great companion piece to "Stop making sense"

its so creative

There is simply nothing else like this. An amazing piece of creative work that combines compassion, humour, and absolutely wonderful music all expressed with jaw dropping skill and energy. If this doesn't lift you then nothing will! David Byrne has achieved a level of skill, and creativity as a performing artist seldom seen. All executed with uplifting compassion and virtuosity. It's therapy, pure joy!

Mmmm... Have waited over a year for a record of David Byrne's American Utopia, which I was lucky enough to catch live in Leeds. It was a fantastic concert, and hangs long in the memory - with reminders from the many amateur videos capturing great moments, available since on YouTube. Disappointingly, this, while technically better, fails in other ways. It is simply shot too tightly, mostly. Yes, there are many great wide shots, and some good ones from above - but we miss seeing so much of the two singer/dancers, who were quite fabulous, but in this, because of so much tight framing, are largely glimpsed just dancing in and out of shot. And we're even cheated of the sheer impact of seeing all the wonderfully-grouped, and constantly-moving musicians en masse,, in favour of too many tighter close-ups. Of course this is way better than one head-on camera in the stalls, but, weirdly in trying to give us better coverage, it actually gives us less of everything that's going on, and little sense of the brilliantly choreographed movement. Perversely, the poorer quality amateur recordings out on YouTube actually convey the concert better. And it’s known that Byrne changed the concert content throughout his tour. I actually think we got a better range of numbers in Leeds!So, a great concert from Byrne and co, but only four stars for this particular concert video coverage, I’m afraid!

The only issue I have is the way it’s filmed. A lot of close up shots of the performers which means we don’t get to see the choreography and lights in full action.Apart from that, great performance.One star knocked off for the way it’s shot.

Fantastic show. David Byrne is just a edgy at 70 as he was in the seventies. Truly charismatic and engaging, with a unique voice and creativity in spades. Backed by truly wonderful musicians Byrne glides through old and new numbers knitting them into something that you remember but is also absolutely current. Brilliant.

Quite simply superb! A whole new take on live music format. Fantastic!Makes other live concerts seem quite unimaginative and dull by comparisonFaultless!

David Byrne at his best, singing all his best songs. Loved this dvd. It's one I'll watch again and again.