The ‘Sky’ Is The Limit In New David Byrne Concert Film

David Byrne is revisiting the concert film format with a new cinematic presentation of his recent touring production, Who Is the Sky?. Filmed during multiple sold-out performances at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre, Byrne’s hometown venue, this project captures his dynamic blend of music, theater, and visual art on an expansive 70mm format.

The film’s director, Brady Corbet, known for his critically acclaimed work on The Brutalist, employed both 8-perf and 15-perf 70mm film stocks to record the show. This choice underscores a commitment to immersive, high-resolution imagery, aiming to replicate the production’s intricate choreography, storytelling, and stagecraft in a way that standard digital filming cannot.

Who Is the Sky? has been a global touring success since its inception in September 2025, amassing over 150 performances across four continents. The stage production features Byrne alongside a diverse ensemble of 13 musicians, vocalists, and dancers. The show seamlessly integrates Byrne’s 2025 album material with selections from his extensive career, including Talking Heads classics like “Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House,” as well as rarer tracks such as “Houses in Motion,” which had not been publicly performed since 2009.

This film marks another chapter in Byrne’s longstanding engagement with concert cinema. His collaboration with director Jonathan Demme on the Talking Heads documentary Stop Making Sense remains a seminal work in the genre. More recently, Spike Lee’s adaptation of Byrne’s American Utopia earned multiple Emmys, cementing Byrne’s presence in the intersection of live performance and film. The new project with Corbet continues this trajectory, offering a fresh audiovisual experience that highlights Byrne’s innovative artistry.

Corbet remarked on the privilege of recording the production in Baltimore, emphasizing the city’s cultural significance and the film’s community-oriented spirit. The choice to use 70mm was driven by a desire to capture the show’s wide visual scope, a technical decision that Byrne himself praised after seeing initial frames.

While postproduction is underway and distribution plans remain undisclosed, anticipation is high given Byrne’s history of elevating concert films into artistic statements. The project promises to deliver a multisensory experience that transcends typical music documentaries by weaving together music, movement, and visual narrative.

In parallel with this film, Byrne is preparing to release a new book titled Sleeping Beauties in early October. The book explores the theme of forgotten or overlooked ideas and discoveries that have been rediscovered across various disciplines, ranging from science to art and technology. It reflects Byrne’s continued interest in interdisciplinary exploration and innovation.

Following the book’s release, Byrne will embark on a series of events across the United Kingdom beginning in November, marking another facet of his multifaceted career beyond music and film.

Details regarding the concert film’s release schedule and distribution channels are yet to be announced. However, given Byrne’s track record and the ambitious nature of this production, the film is expected to be a significant addition to the canon of concert cinema, offering audiences a richly textured portrayal of one of his most expansive live presentations.