First-degree Byrne
David Byrne brings avant-garde dance to the pop stage
Modern dance and Talking Heads merge in a rockumentary to remember
We are, by now, sufficiently acquainted with the bizarre talents of David Byrne. As memories of True Stories fade into a Texan oblivion, we now get to see another side of him as he shifts roles from director to subject. Ride, Rise, Roar (David Hillman Curtis, 2010) grants an intimate view of Byrne and his band as they plan, rehearse and present the 2008/2009 tour, 'Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno' - a controversial fusion of pop music and contemporary dance.
Ride, Rise, Roar is not so much a concert film as an inquiry into Byrne's creative vision for the tour, and the process of turning it from a shaky wager of an idea into a resounding success. The concept of the tour, you see, is to create a kind of avant-garde broadway show, combining dancers that 'shouldn't look like dancers' with the Talking Heads' unique brand of new-wave pop. It is a risk, as Byrnes and Curtis readily admit, that ultimately provides just the adrenalin rush needed to make the show (and the documentary) work. 'What they did had such a propensity for failure', says Curtis, 'but it all worked out - that was the thrilling part.'
The thrill of the ride not only spurs the stage show, in this case, but the documentary itself. Subject and medium in sync, they both take a leap of faith into the unknown, as Curtis, in his first attempt at a feature film, begins documenting the tour with no clear objective. 'I didn't have any clue what kind of movie it was gonna be,' he says, with the collaboration between Byrne and his band the only focus - apart, of course, from the show's lip-biting potential for failure.
The stage show, however, does not crash and burn as Curtis had so nervously anticipated. It is ultimately a captivating display of creativity. The film, too, is fascinating. Ride, Rise, Roar says as much about the making of art as it does about art itself, and it celebrates the risk-taking that Byrne (and Curtis) engage in to create something unique.
Ride, Rise, Roar screens at ACMI from Friday 14 January - Monday 17 January.
Get more information about tickets and program times.
Published Monday, 10 January 2011
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