Thomas Dolby has a big secret that he’s currently sharing with his fans on tour, who have been sworn to relative secrecy and asked not to record and post videos of the show or talk about it in-depth on social media.
They have so far, been really good about keeping their lips sealed.
The ’80s synth pioneer, known for songs like “She Blinded Me With Science,” but also, his innovative contributions to albums by bands including Foreigner and Def Leppard, has long been on the cutting edge of technology — so much so that he eventually took his talents to Silicon Valley in the ’90s. It’s an experience he documented extensively when he put out his career-spanning memoir, 2016’s The Speed of Sound: Breaking the Barriers Between Music and Technology.
His latest touring outing, appropriately enough, combines both of his worlds of music and technology. Without giving away the plot, the artist has a cool vision for a unique presentation that will give fans of all ages an interesting look at the music of that decade through the eyes of someone who was there.
I had the chance to see it in action during Dolby’s performance at the Roxian Theatre in the Pittsburgh area on Sunday evening (Oct. 26) and it was a mesmerizing experience. It definitely felt like what it is, a work-in-progress. Because it was presented in the midst of a concert that was primarily devoted to Dolby’s music, it did feel slightly out of context and perhaps went on a bit long for the chosen setting. But for fans who enjoy taking the nerd look under the hood, it was a fascinating view inside the songwriter’s creative workshop. Whenever he has it fully ready for public consumption, it will be a night not to be missed.
How Dolby Came Up With His Secret Project
The current idea that the songwriter is developing grew out of his ongoing work as an educator at the Peabody Institute at John Hopkins University, where he’s been on staff for more than a decade now. “I’ve been teaching film and game music to students,” he shared with the Pittsburgh crowd. “Now the kids, right? My students, they were all born this century. [And] yes, it’s true. Some of them came to do my course because their parents told them to.”
Realizing that they had a specific musical focus that he could help to flesh out a bit more sparked an idea that there was a chance to educate people of all ages, including younger music fans who have interests similar to his students. As any good inventor would, he’s using his Iconic ’80s tour very strategically to help flesh out his concept. “I’m starting to work on on a larger scale project,” he explained on a recent interview with The Hustle podcast. “Before I let it get anywhere near an expensive symphony orchestra, there are various aspects of it that I need to do a sort of proof of concept in a safe environment. So I’m going to be using some of the dates on this tour to try some of those things out.”
What Else Can You Expect at Dolby’s Current Concerts?
During the same interview, he compared his current live performances as being a little bit like a real life version of what listeners hear on the popular Song Exploder podcast. “You know, I might take a song and play you the individual parts and explain how I did them [and] how I came up with it,” he said. “So mixing a little bit of the Speed of Sound memoir in with a sort of stripped down personal rendition of the songs.”
That was the really cool part about the Iconic ’80s gig in Pittsburgh. While plenty of Dolby’s peers are going out and just playing the hits, you get a chance instead to watch the synth pioneer at work. He’s there on stage, building out the individual elements of the tracks, which are at times, as well-known as the songs themselves. He had a couple of cover songs in the set which seemed odd on paper, but opening the night with a bit of a vamp on New Order’s “Blue Monday” set the perfect tone. And hearing him deconstruct and manipulate David Bowie’s “Heroes” was a nice tribute — from one musical chameleon to another — in addition to recalling the moment (with footage on the screen behind him) when he had the chance to play with the Thin White Duke at Live Aid in 1985.
Watch Thomas Dolby Perform Live in New Orleans in 2024
