↑ Intro montage 1'20" ✂
David Barnard is a British independent director best known for his music documentaries and live multi-camera filmmaking. As principal director of the acclaimed series From The Basement, he has forged a distinctive cinematic approach to live performance — capturing artists in flow and embracing the unpredictability of the moment.
David began his career at pioneering production company Medialab, where he was mentored by Godley & Creme. Since then, he’s gone on to collaborate with many of the world’s leading artists, working across television, digital platforms and cinema release . His credits include best-selling music titles and landmark broadcasts seen worldwide.
DIRECTOR CREDITS
Live music films & documentaries:
Alice Cooper — Brutally Live [Eagle Rock Entertainment / Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] • Atoms for Peace — Live at the Roundhouse [Digital distribution/streaming] • Björk — Live at the Royal Opera House [Premiered on BBC, worldwide TV/DVD] • Björk — Live in Cambridge [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] • Björk — Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] • Brecon Jazz 2003 & 2004 — Artists including Omara Portuondo, Jamie Cullum and Guy Barker [BAFTA Cymru — Best Music Programme, BBC] • Craig Armstrong — Piano Works [ie:music / Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] • Darfur Voices — UNHCR Concert for Sudan, a multi-artist fundraising event filmed at the Royal Albert Hall [International TV/DVD] • Diana Krall — Live in Paris [Eagle Rock Entertainment / Live concert for worldwide TV/digital distribution] • Diana Krall — Live in Rio [Eagle Rock Entertainment / Live concert and documentary for worldwide TV/DVD/digital distribution] • Dido — Live [Sony Music Entertainment / Worldwide TV/DVD/digital distribution] • Eurythmics — Peacetour [Live concert for ITV, worldwide TV/DVD / 19 Entertainment] • From the Basement Series 1 — Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey, Damien Rice, José González, Autolux, Super Furry Animals [Worldwide TV/DVD / From the Basement TV Ltd.] • From the Basement Series 2 — The Raconteurs, Iggy and the Stooges, The Fall, CSS, White Denim, Fleet Foxes, The Kills, Gnarls Barkley, My Morning Jacket [Worldwide TV/DVD / From the Basement TV Ltd.] • Geese — Getting Killed: Live From The Basement special • Gorillaz — Demon Days Live (Grammy Award nominated) [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD, co-directed with Grant Gee / EMI] • Harry Connick Jr. — An Evening of Romance [Live concert from the Olympia Theatre, Paris, for worldwide TV/DVD] • Jazz Britannia [Multi-artist event from the Barbican for BBC Four] • Lucrezia Borgia — Principal Director [The world’s first live-to-air 3D opera broadcast, live from the English National Opera Coliseum for Sky Arts — live 3D & 2D simulcast and live cinema transmission of Donizetti’s opera] • Manu Dibango — Lion of Africa [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] • Montreux Jazz Festival — three 3D documentary films: Experience Montreux (Prize Winner, LA 3D Film Festival), Quincy Jones & The Global Gumbo All-Stars and Herbie Hancock & The Imagine Project • New Order — Live in Glasgow [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD / Warner International] • Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — The Abattoir Blues Tour [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD / Mute] • Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Distant Sky [Live music film for global theatrical release] • One Direction — Up All Night Live [Syco/Sony / TV & digital distribution] • Paul Weller — Live at the Royal Albert Hall [Universal/Island DVD / worldwide TV] • Luciano Pavarotti — L’elisir d’amore [Live from the Teatro di San Carlo / Stream Italia / TV broadcast] • Pavarotti — Salute Petra [Tribute concert filmed in Petra, Jordan, featuring Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Sting et al.] • Pet Shop Boys — Pandemonium, Live at the O2 Arena London [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD / EMI] • Pet Shop Boys — Cubism Live from Mexico City [Live concert and documentary for worldwide TV/DVD / Warner International] • Pet Shop Boys — Inner Sanctum, Live from the Royal Opera House [Live concert for worldwide TV/digital distribution / Pet Shop Boys Partnership Ltd.] • Pulp — The Park Is Mine [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] • Pulp — At the Eden Project [Production & broadcast / BBC] • Radiohead — In Rainbows: Live From the Basement special [Courtyard Management / Worldwide TV & streaming] • Reading Festival 1998 — Artists including Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Beastie Boys and The Dandy Warhols [ITV] • Red Hot Chili Peppers — I’m With You, Live From the Basement Series 3 special • Rex Orange County with Pino Palladino [Live session for worldwide digital distribution] • Spice Girls — Live in Istanbul [DVD & worldwide TV / premiered on ITV Christmas Day / EMI] • Travis — More Than Us, Live in Glasgow [Live concert for worldwide TV/DVD] ~
[ GRAMMY-NOMINATED / BAFTA CYMRU WINNER / BROADCAST DIGITAL AWARD WINNER / KERRANG! AWARD WINNER ~]
Geese — Getting Killed
From The Basement
↑ Geese - Getting Killed - From The Basement [excerpt] ✂ 100 Horses
Max Bassin - Drums / Dominic DiGesu - bass / Emily Green - guitar / Cameron Winter - vocals, keyboards, guitar / Joined by Sam Revaz on keys.
[ View the full session on FROM THE BASEMENT’s YouTube channel ]
↑ PET SHOP BOYS - DREAMWORLD
THE GREATEST HITS LIVE AT THE ROYAL ARENA COPENHAGEN.
New Order — Power Corruption & Lies
↑ NEW ORDER - POWER, CORRUPTION AND LIES. ✂ 8’11” excerpt from the documentary film.
Power, Corruption and Lies unravels the creative process behind New Order's 1983 album of the same name, as well as the standalone single "Blue Monday." It explores the themes within the album - a band finding a new direction and moving on from its past.
Premiered Saturday prime time on Sky Arts.
FROM THE BASEMENT — SEASON 4
↑ IDLES - CAR CRASH.
FROM THE BASEMENT [S.4] ✂ 4”12’
Adam Devonshire - bass
Joe Talbot - vocals
Mark Bowen - guitar
Lee Kiernan - guitar
Jon Beavis - Drums
Joined by Colin Webster on saxophone
↑ SQUID - G.S.K.
FROM THE BASEMENT [S.4] ✂ 4”05’
Ollie Judge - drums & lead vocals
Louis Borlase - guitar, bass guitar, vocals
Anton Pearson - guitar, bass, vocals, percussion
Laurie Nankivell - bass guitar, brass, percussion
Arthur Leadbetter - keyboards, strings, cello, percussion
↑ SONS OF KEMET - THINK OF HOME.
FROM THE BASEMENT [S.4] ✂ 4”52’
Shabaka Hutchings - saxophone, clarinet
Tom Skinner - drums
Theon Cross - tuba
Eddie Hick - drums
Eric Clapton — The Lady In The Balcony
↑ ERIC CLAPTON - LADY IN THE BALCONY.
Excerpt ✂ 5”43’ of theatrical release feature documentary
In the spring of 2021, when a run of shows at the Royal Albert Hall are cancelled owing to Covid, Eric Clapton endeavours to “keep the fires burning” for musicians and audiences alike. He gathers his band at a safe house in the English countryside, where they form a bubble and lock down together, with the aim of creating a rare and intimate performance while the cameras rolled.
FROM THE BASEMENT — (previous seasons)
↑ FLEET FOXES - BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS.
FROM THE BASEMENT ✂ 4”08’
Robin Pecknold - guitar & lead vocals
Skyler Skjelset - guitar, mandolin & backing vocals
Christian Wargo - bass, guitar & backing vocals
Casey Wescott - keyboards & backing vocals
Josh Tillman - drums, percussion & vocals
Fleet Foxes’ previously unseen live performance of Blue Ridge Mountains is now released. Filmed at Capitol Studios Los Angeles, September 2008, their standout complete set is currently available to view on From The Basement’s Youtube channel.
↑ RADIOHEAD - WHERE I END AND YOU BEGIN. ✂ 4'22"
IN RAINBOWS LIVE - FROM THE BASEMENT
Thom Yorke - vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
Jonny Greenwood - guitar, keyboards, other instruments
Colin Greenwood - bass
Ed O'Brien - guitar, backing vocals
Philip Selway - drums, percussion
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Distant Sky
Live in Copenhagen
Filmed at Copenhagen’s Royal Arena, Distant Sky captures an extraordinary and triumphant live concert from Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Performing beautiful compositions from their last album, Skeleton Tree, alongside songs from their core catalogue, the show provoked an ecstatic response in fans, critics and band alike. The concert film was delivered primarily for a one-night-only theatrical release into cinemas worldwide - then rolled onto international release for ongoing TV broadcasts, streaming and digital distribution.
PET SHOP BOYS — INNER SANCTUM
LIVE AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE LONDON.
↑ PET SHOP BOYS ‘INNER SANCTUM - LIVE AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE LONDON.