Clad in all white, white hair standing on end, Byrne led a seven-piece ensemble (three back-up singers, a percussionist, a drummer, a bassist and a keyboardist/programmer, also all clad in white) through a concert of songs from his latest Eno collaboration, Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, as well as older crowd-pleasing cuts – “Houses in Motion,” “Take Me to the River,” “Burning Down the House,” and “Crosseyed and Painless.” A trio of petite, athletic (dressed in white) modern dancers bounded onto the stage to perform choreographed routines with and around Byrne and the band, adding to the show with their spirited, carefree capering. Byrne’s distinctive warbling falsetto was as clear and strong as ever, and he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself and soaking up the crowd’s enthusiasm, which carved an already fantastic performance into memory. Read the full review of the December 12, 2008 show here; photo by Phil Bardi.)
For a complete list of Best of the Bay winners, click here.
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2000.