CONTEMPORARY COLOR

When a color guard team asked David Byrne if they could use one of his songs in their routines, they probably didn’t anticipate they’d pique his interest in such a huge way. The eccentric former Talking Heads singer became enthralled by the team’s creative choreography and hypnotic patterns. If you’re not sure what color guard is, don’t worry—you’re not alone. You’ve probably seen it in action, though, during halftime at your local high school football games. They’re the kids twirling colorful flags and tossing prop rifles and sabers, all synchronized to music. It’s an obscure and underappreciated sport that often goes unnoticed. Thanks to Byrne, that may no longer be true. In 2015 he recruited ten teams from around the country and paired them with an impressive list of musicians, including Devonté Hynes, Zola Jesus, tUnE-yArDs, Ira Glass, Ad-Rock, Nelly Furtado, and St. Vincent. They performed their unique collaborations live at an event in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The delightful spectacle is captured in CONTEMPORARY COLOR, a vibrant, visually appealing film that also documents the behind-the-scenes stories of the incredible athletes and musicians who participate. —E.F.