David Byrne To Curate His Own Stage At Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo organizers announced yesterday that David Byrne, the former lead singer of Talking Heads, would be responsible for curating his own stage at the festival. This marks the first time in the festival’s eight-year history that an artist will be in charge of selecting other performers for his stage. Playing on Friday, June 12, as part of his “Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno” tour, Byrne has selected Santigold, Dirty Projectors, Ani DiFranco, St. Vincent, and Norwegian folk band Katzenjammer, to play before he closes the stage.

While Bonnaroo planners have been tossing around the idea of an artist-curated stage for a while, co-founder and producer Ashley Capps noted, “David was the logical choice for us and we were thrilled that he agreed. His love for music of all kinds and his passion for sharing that music make him the ultimate musical guide.”

When asked about his eclectic musical selections, Byrne replied, “I basically reeled off a list of what I was listening to recently or who I had seen live recently, and Ashley and Co. did the rest. It’s not like these folks need me to introduce them to a wider audience, at least I don’t think they do . . . I’m just thrilled they’ll be added to the festival lineup.”

This appearance marks Byrne’s first appearance at the Manchester, Tennessee festival since 2004.