Every month, we invite a different Very Special Guest Star to curate their ideal concert for our latest print magazine. For the September 2025 issue, we were thrilled to have actor, comedian, podcaster, artist, and cultural icon Adam Buxton grace DIY’s esteemed back page. Read on for details about David Byrne’s oversized suit, the Nîmes amphitheatre, “drug watches,” and more…
**Headliner**
I would choose Talking Heads from 1983. That was around the time they filmed Stop Making Sense, likely in late 1983. The lineup would be extensive, featuring around nine musicians, including exceptional percussionists and vocalists they brought on board, alongside Adrian Belew, the incredible guitarist who played for Frank Zappa and was famously taken by David Bowie. Zappa was understandably upset and even called Bowie “Captain Tom” at a dinner they attended together, in reference to his anger over the situation. Regardless, it was a good thing for Bowie because Adrian is fantastic, and I believe this contributed to him playing on ‘Remain in Light,’ which is my favorite Talking Heads album. So, he would be part of the group alongside Alex Weir, Steve Scales, and Lynn Mabry; I truly admire everyone featured in that film. I've watched it countless times, and it evokes so many joyful memories. They all appear to be having such a wonderful time, smiling and fully engaged. That’s the quality I admire the most—being that skilled at music and able to fully immerse oneself in that atmosphere.
**Supports**
This might seem unconventional and could be viewed as diminishing the brilliance of the artists involved, but I would include Booker T & The MG's and Otis Redding. While those acts could certainly headline, my deep love for Talking Heads means I’m alright with having less of them on stage. Perhaps Otis could join Talking Heads for a duet—that would be incredible. We can integrate Booker T & The MG's into that expansive lineup of Talking Heads, and then at the finale, Otis Redding would come onstage to perform ‘Take Me to the River’—even though that was originally sung by Wilson Pickett. That would be absolutely fantastic.
**Venue**
I would hold this event at the Nîmes Amphitheatre in southern France. It’s a stunning Roman amphitheatre. Picture it outdoors on a warm summer evening with a setting sun and a beautiful sky overhead. The venue is breathtaking, and the acoustics are phenomenal. I’ve attended a few concerts there; I saw Radiohead perform in 2012, which was excellent, and I also watched Arctic Monkeys in 2007 when they were supporting Arcade Fire, and Arctic Monkeys were just outstanding.
**Who are you going with?**
I’m bringing my lovely wife; she has to be there. We’d also go with our friends Garth and Louise, who are our closest music companions. My friend Garth and I collaborated on some projects with Radiohead back in 2007. He’s a director known for the Sing films, and I played an angry monkey dance teacher in Sing 2. He’s my music buddy, and we share similar music tastes. We are all long-time friends who enjoy each other's company and always have a great time together.
**Pre-gig activity?**
I think we’ll head out beforehand. We plan to eat early because we’re all a certain age now, and eating later tends to take a toll on us at night. So, ideally, we’d want to dine by 6 PM at the latest. I think it would be great to go somewhere nice and light, perhaps Ottolenghi or a place like that.
**What are you drinking?**
At the concert, we’ll likely stick with gin and tonics, but—if I may share a dream—I’m no longer into drugs, yet my fantasy would be to take some that I could turn off at will. I could click my fingers or press a button on an imaginary Apple watch—or whatever it may be. It’s only a matter of time before we have wearable biotech that allows you to download the specific drug experience you want. As I describe this, I realize how intriguing it sounds! You’d download the drug you desire, set the duration, and pay accordingly, kind of like WiFi. If you pay a certain amount, it stops abruptly, or you might pay a bit more for it to fade away slowly. The crucial aspect is being able to turn it off, which is often a significant issue with drugs, as far as I’ve observed. I never extensively used drugs, but I did have a few brief encounters that made me feel unwell, even though I caught glimpses of why they are appealing to others. I’ve experienced a handful of wonderful moments, but overall, the discomfort overshadowed the fun. That's essentially me—too cautious to fully surrender to an experience like that,
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