David Byrne Revives “Psycho Killer” After 19 Years at Tour Opener
David Byrne, photo by Shervin Lainez
David Byrne embarked on his Who Is the Sky? Tour on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with a performance at Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center for the Performing Arts that featured more than a few surprises. After months of supporting the release of his ninth solo studio album with appearances that bridged his legacy into his next chapter, the icon’s tour opener testified to their relation by showcasing classics from throughout his five-decade discography. The undeniable highlight within the mix was “Psycho Killer,” which marked Byrne’s first treatment of the song in 19 years.
Byrne kicked off his Pittsburgh show with Talking Heads’ Fear of Music essential “Heaven,” then moved into “Everybody Laughs,” the first of five entries from his new album, preceding “What is the Reason for It?” and the live debuts of “Don’t Be Like That,” “I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party” and “My Apartment Is My Friend.” Talking Heads signatures, all tweaked to fit his 13-member ensemble of musicians and dancers, accounted for 11 of the show’s 21 songs, including “And She Was,” “Strange Overtones,” “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody),” “Once in a Lifetime” and an encore of “Burning Down the House.”
“Psycho Killer” arrived towards the end of Byrne’s performance as a shock, as the Talking Heads: 77 standout has famously been absent from the artist’s repertoire since 2006. The track’s long-awaited resurrection, offered with a prominent choir and strings by a blue jumpsuit-clad Byrne, followed a year of expansions on the song. In June, Talking Heads unveiled a new music video for the song, starring Saoirse Ronan and directed by Mike Mills, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first performance at CBGB. Last September, the band shared a new deluxe reissue of their debut album that included a wealth of archival gems from their origins, including an early acoustic version of “Psycho Killer” featuring cello from Arthur Russell.
Other cuts in Byrne’s Pittsburgh show included solo favorites like “Strange Overtones,” “Everybody’s Coming to My House” and his first performance of “Independence Day” since 1996, as well as a live debut of his cover of Paramore’s “Hard Times” and an unreleased solo song. He’ll return to the stage tomorrow, Sept. 19, for a set at Akron, Ohio’s Mershon Auditorium. Find tickets and more information on the ongoing Who Is the Sky? Tour at whoisthesky.davidbyrne.com
