On The Importance Of Witnessing Successful Nerds

Anonymous Beard
Jul 20, 2017 · 3 min read

The phrase “I wish someone would have shown me this as a kid” ran through my head at an increasing frequency and pitch while watching Stop Making Sense, the classic Talking Heads concert directed by the late Jonathan Demme.

Ironically, I think I might need it now more than ever, but the statement persisted.

Watching David Byrne bounce, strut, stumble, belt, squeak, jog, and clown his way through 90 minutes of purely professional irreverence was enlightening. Dressed like Bill Nye’s cooler, younger brother, it didn’t take long for the veins in his neck to pulse off the screen and his sloppily-worn suit to come undone. With confidence and clarity, he pulled off an impressive technical achievement, performing a wholly unique and choreographed rendition of 16 songs.

Skill is not at odds with confidence, but it can create a conflict if an introvert is skillful at live performance. I’ve no idea if Byrne was the smart kid in class, but his persona and idiosyncrasies portrayed a peculiar fellow with a mind for the abstract. And seeing that sort of mind & personality excel so tremendously in a world that they built is extremely powerful.

Luckily, his band fed off his energy and added another layer of talent and energy. The modular nature of their arrival created literal layers of depth as the show went on, with a new member joining for each new song until the full unit was ready for a dozen straight together.

There was an incredible chemistry between band members. Backing singers Edna Holt and Lynn Mabry effortlessly twirled their way out of the tangle created by bassist Tina Weymouth’s bass while she strutted in a figure eight pattern around and between them. Alex Weir and Byrne battled back & forth for guitar dominance while a young, fit, and fiery Bernie Worrell cast his synthesized wizardry in and around everyone else’s groove.

This won’t be news to anyone that has already seen the movie, but I had put it off my whole life, secretly hoping to see the band live and experiencing it all in person. Alas, that hasn’t happened and most likely will not, so I couldn’t pass up a one-time showing down the street from my house.

The Art Theatre in Long Beach was the perfect place for this event. LCD Soundsystem’s “goodbye” film Shut Up and Play the Hits also ran at this location and inspired dancing in the aisles & loud singing, something acceptable in a small theatre supported by the neighborhood patrons and local sponsors. The crowd couldn’t keep themselves from clapping after every song, cheering during the band introductions, and even participating on stage, as one enthusiastic viewer attempted to recreate Byrne’s entire “Life During Wartime” performance, complete with wobbly leg dances, in-place jogging, and a few circles around the stage before being applauded after the song’s conclusion. Concerts are joyous social experiences so why not extend that feeling to the film version?

Demme does masterful work throughout the piece, but my favorite decision was keeping the audience out until the end. You get a few blurry glances over the band’s shoulders now and again, but the film is dedicated to making you feel like the audience. You aren’t given the out of looking at 80’s casual fashion or hairstyles. You don’t get a break from seeing the show and you aren’t allowed to create a backstory for the couple in the front row.

Byrne speaks directly to the viewer early and often, getting his message across without distraction. He speaks to the awkward kid, the art school dropout, the practical joker, the roguish do-gooder, the mad scientist, the curious cat lady. He tells us all that it’s fine to be who you are. He shows us that you can have confidence in your decisions, as crazy as they may be.

For too brief of a moment, in a city that houses thousands of wayward souls, artistic or otherwise, the question “How did I get here?” didn’t feel so scary.

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