David Byrne brought his energetic band to NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series, performing a mix of new tracks from his recent album and classic Talking Heads songs. The intimate set featured four songs, showcasing Byrne's ability to blend old and new material without relying on nostalgia. The performance highlights his ongoing tour in support of 'Who Is the Sky?'.
Performance Details
David Byrne and his large ensemble of blue-clad musicians performed at NPR's offices for the Tiny Desk Concert. The four-song set opened with 'Everybody Laughs' and 'Don’t Be Like That' from Byrne's September 2025 album 'Who Is the Sky?', his first solo release since 2018's 'American Utopia'. The group then tackled Talking Heads favorites '(Nothing But) Flowers' from the 1988 album Naked, ending with a cappella harmonies, and 'Life During Wartime' from 1979's Fear of Music. While the confined space limited choreography, the performance maintained high energy.
Tour and Context
Byrne has been touring extensively this fall to promote 'Who Is the Sky?', with the U.S. leg concluding on December 6, 2025, in Miami. Additional dates are scheduled for 2026 in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and Europe. In a Rolling Stone interview, Byrne addressed incorporating Talking Heads material into his shows, including a rare performance of 'Psycho Killer' after 19 years. He emphasized avoiding the 'legacy act' pitfalls.
“I can mix and match and have it adapt to the sound that I’m doing at the moment without completely destroying the integrity of the older songs,” Byrne said. “But I’m also aware that there’s a real trap. If you do too much of the older material, you become a legacy act that comes out and plays the old hits. You cash in really quick, but then you’ve dug yourself a hole.”
Byrne has ruled out a full Talking Heads reunion, despite recent promotional events with bandmates Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison for the Stop Making Sense re-release.