David Byrne launched his Who Is the Sky? Tour on Tuesday (9/16) at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh.
The beloved musical legend, forever tied with the Talking Heads, recently released the album the tour is named after earlier this month on Matador Records. It is Byrne’s first solo studio album since the critically acclaimed American Utopia in 2018.
The Benedum is a restored 1920s movie palace in the Downtown Cultural District with a capacity of nearly 3k.
The historic venue sits a block from Liberty Avenue and a short walk to Heinz Hall, the O’Reilly Theater, and the riverfront at Point State Park nearby.
Byrne’s setlist at the first show featured 21 songs, blending new tracks from Who Is the Sky? with classics from the Talking Heads catalog starting with "Heaven."
Byrne live debuted new songs including “Don’t Be Like That,” "I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party," “My Apartment Is My Friend,” and an unknown t-shirt song.
Ten tunes were Talking Heads classics from “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody),” to “Once in a Lifetime” and “Burning Down the House.”
He even brought out "Psycho Killer" for the first time in nearly two decades.
Paramore fans will probably like to know that his cover of "Hard Times" is firmly in the set.
The touring band is an ensemble of 13 musicians, dancers and singers, many of whom Byrne worked with during his well-received American Utopia Tour.
They are once again untethered from traditional stage setups, moving freely while performing, which has become a signature of Byrne’s recent live productions and just may start a trend.
Key players in the group include percussionist Mauro Refosco, who has collaborated with Byrne for decades, drummer Tom Skinner, and multi-instrumentalist David Cossin, who handles marimba and other percussion. Then there's guitarist Brandon Seabrook, bassist Chris Lightcap, alongside Matt Bauder on saxophone, Sara Caswell on violin and Sara Schoenbeck on bassoon.
Tell me: when was the last time you saw a bassoon at the rock show?
On stage Byrne alternated between acoustic and electric guitar, while also contributing to the synthesizer parts.
At 73, he remains physically active throughout the performance, leading the ensemble through choreographed movements and narrating songs with his deadpanned style and unique flair.
His love of blending performance art with edgy pop music remains central to the show’s concept, echoing the creative risks he took with Talking Heads during their trailblazing run.
Byrne will be traveling around the world for this tour which will carry on through 2026 and include an appearance at Coachella on Justin Bieber Day. Get your tix on David's website.
Who Is the Sky? 2025 Tour
9/19 Akron, OH Akron Civic Theatre
9/21 Schenectady, NY Proctors
9/23 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre
9/25 Buffalo, NY Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
9/27-9/28 Washington, DC The Anthem
9/30-10/1 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
10/3-10/4 Boston, MA Boch Center Wang Theatre
10/7 Wallingford, CT Toyota Oakdale Theatre
10/8 Portland, ME Merrill Auditorium
10/10 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
10/14 Richmond, VA Altria Theater
10/16-10/18 Philadelphia, PA The Met Philadelphia
10/21-10/22 Toronto, ON Massey Hall
10/25 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
10/28-11/1 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theatre
11/3-11/4 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre
11/6-11/7 Denver, CO Bellco Theatre
11/11-11/13 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
11/16-11/18 San Francisco, CA Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/20-11/21 Los Angeles, CA Dolby Theatre
11/25-11/26 Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall
11/28-11/29 Dallas, TX Music Hall at Fair Park
12/2-12/3 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
12/5 Miami Beach, FL The Fillmore Miami Beach
