Photos by Dan DeSlover
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There is no denying that David Byrne was the artistic mastermind behind Talking Heads, and his current tour supporting his latest effort, American Utopia, is a testament to is creative genius. His sold-out show at the Orpheum Theater in Madison, Wisconsin, on Wednesday offered various snapshots into his psyche as each song was a uniquely different production.

Byrne took his audience on a journey, backed by a pair of singer-dancers and a nine-piece international musical ensemble, all sharply dressed and barefoot. A barren stage was the canvas and, aside from a human brain replica as a prop during the opening “Here,” the production was interpretive dance choreography coupled with lighting effects. Musicianship was razor sharp and perfectly balanced with Byrne’s trademark vocals in a performance that had many emotional and dramatic moments during the course of the evening.

Certainly the biggest response came from classic Talking Heads’ hits “Once in a Lifetime” and “Burning Down the House,” but The Brighton Port Authority’s retro “Toe Jam” and free-spirited, uplifting “Every Day Is a Miracle” were clear highlights. Artistically, the introspective “Doing the Right Thing” was paired with dramatic dancing while the musicians remained partially obscured behind a mesh curtain. Funky Talking Heads “Blind” was given an interesting perspective with a thoughtfully placed light source that projected the artists on the curtain as playful shadow puppets. Each song brought a different dynamic that left the viewer transfixed and completely fulfilled by the end of the night.