Culture 3 min read By Morgan Griffin
David Byrne’s world tour to become 70mm concert film directed by Brady Corbet
David Byrne’s 2025/26 tour «Who Is The Sky?» is being turned into a concert film. Director Brady Corbet shot the Baltimore hometown shows on 70mm film, with the project now in post-production.
David Byrne’s recent world tour is heading to the big screen. The 2025/26 «Who Is The Sky?» tour, which traveled across four continents and more than 150 shows, was captured on 70mm film by director Brady Corbet during its multi-night stop at The Hippodrome in Baltimore. The concert film is currently in post-production, with distribution and a release date yet to be announced.
The tour featured 13 musicians and was described in a press release as a show that «blends visual art, storytelling, and music into one compelling live performance.» Byrne said he was amazed by the results after seeing frames Corbet sent him. «When Brady told me he wanted to shoot our show in 70 millimeter (70 millimeter!) I didn’t realise what a difference it would make until I saw some frames he sent me,» Byrne shared. «He was right, it really does capture the wide screen visual scope of the show. I’ve never seen anything like it.»
Corbet is best known for directing «The Brutalist,» which earned Golden Globe and BAFTA awards as well as three Oscar nominations. His other directorial work includes «The Childhood Of A Leader» with Robert Pattinson and «Vox Lux» starring Natalie Portman. Corbet expressed gratitude for the opportunity to document the hometown performances. «I am so grateful to David Byrne and his entire team for entrusting us to capture his hometown show on 8-perf and 15-perf 70mm,» he stated. «The band’s performance is an inclusive celebration of community, and of Baltimore in particular—one of America’s most underappreciated historic cities.»
Byrne has a history of collaborating with acclaimed filmmakers on concert projects. Jonathan Demme directed Talking Heads’ seminal concert movie «Stop Making Sense,» and Spike Lee directed the 2020 stage production «David Byrne’s American Utopia.» The new film continues that tradition with a different visual approach, using large-format film to capture the scale of the live show.
The tour itself drew attention for its blend of music and visual elements. NME reviewed Byrne’s performance at this year’s Mad Cool festival in Madrid, noting his enduring appeal. «For more than half a century, he’s been raising an arched eyebrow at the world – and we sure do need his anarchic sense of humour right now,» the review read. The review also highlighted the political edge of the performance, noting that video screens depicted colorful environments before the Talking Heads track «Life During Wartime» was accompanied by images of ICE raids.
The review concluded: «Time marches on, but you can always rely on David Byrne to make sense of the madness. Same as it ever was.» With the concert film now in post-production, audiences can expect a cinematic record of a tour that spanned the globe and showcased Byrne’s continued creative evolution at 74 years old.
