A Night of Stop Making Sense

Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the premiere of Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, which is widely considered the greatest concert film of all time. Shot at Hollywood’s Pantages in December 1983 by renowned filmmaker Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia), the movie captures Talking Heads at their exhilarating best.

Building off of A24’s 4K restoration of the film and theatrical release last year, the 40th anniversary milestone will be commemorated with A Night of Stop Making Sense, two unforgettable screening events on June 4th at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Pantages and June 13th at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, N.Y.

All four members of Talking Heads will be on hand in both cities for post-screening fan Q&As, with Blondshell set to perform a Talking Heads cover in L.A. and The Linda Lindas doing the same in New York. Award-winning comedian, writer, producer, and musician Fred Armisen will moderate a conversation and fan Q&A with the band in Los Angeles, while Academy Award-winning filmmaker, GRAMMY Award winning musician and New York Times best-selling author, and member of The Roots Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson will do the same in NYC. Tickets are on sale this Friday, April 26th at 11 AM local time. For June 4th at Los Angeles’s Hollywood Pantages, visit HERE. For June 13th at NYC’s Kings Theatre, visit HERE.

Organized by A24 and Sister Midnight, these special events will bring Talking Heads back to the Hollywood Pantages for the first time since they filmed Stop Making Sense as well as to New York, where the band was born nearly 50 years ago.

Last year’s screenings surpassed the gross from Stop Making Sense’s original 10-month U.S. theatrical run within a matter of weeks, often leading to dance parties breaking out in the aisles. Best of all, they brought together the four core members of Talking Heads for the first time since 2002, with David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison to participate in on-stage conversations about the film and its legendary soundtrack album.

Mirroring the tracklist of the original LP, these 16 exciting and utterly surprising reinterpretations will not only introduce a new generation of listeners to Talking Heads’ music but also offer fresh perspectives and unique takes on songs longtime fans have known by heart for decades. This selection of brilliant artists, including Lorde, The National, Miley Cyrus and Paramore, recontextualizes Stop Making Sense in popular music and culture, with a focus on generational and stylistic breadth.