David Byrne Begins Solo Tour With Talking Heads Classics Including 1st ‘Psycho Killer’ Since 2006

David Byrne’s tour supporting his new solo album, Who Is The Sky?, staged its first concert Tuesday at Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center for the Performing Arts. Opening night’s setlist featured an array of songs from Byrne’s solo catalog, a Paramore cover and several choice selections from his time with Talking Heads, including Byrne’s first public performance of “Psycho Killer” in over 15 years.

Byrne and the musicians and dancers joining him onstage wore matching (normally sized) suits designed by Veronica Leoni. An impressive visual display surrounded the performers who traversed the stage, untethered to gear, in choreographed movements throughout the concert.

Based on the Setlist.fm listing, around half of the songs off Who Is This Sky? were played in Pittsburgh. Byrne also played “Everybody’s Coming to My House” from his previous solo album, 2018’s American Utopia. Among the Who Is The Sky? songs picked for the tour opener was “What Is the Reason for It?,” which features Paramore’s Hayley Williams on the studio version. Byrne premiered a cover of Paramore’s “Hard Times” as part of Tuesday’s concert.

The setlist also pulled in “Like Humans Do” from 2001’s Look Into The Eyeball and purportedly the first “Independence Day,” from 1989’s Rei Momo, performed by Byrne since 1992. “Strange Overtones” from Byrne’s 2008 collaborative album with Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, was part of Tuesday’s show.

Watch clips of David Byrne’s tour opening performance shared by attendees of last night’s concert:

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