Concert information
| Artist | David Byrne |
| Tour name | Who Is The Sky? |
| Date | 02/15/2026 |
| Venue | AFAS Live |
| City | Amsterdam |
| Country | The Netherlands |
Rating
The last time I saw David Byrne was on November 4, 2018, before corona, before the lockdown, before the fascist wave. The opening sentence of my review back then was: “David Byrne was the master of ceremony in a show that was so different, unique and pure regniues that it really can’t be put into words.” And it was. When I heard that Byrne would return with more or less the same concept, I obviously wanted to go. But could it be just as good and legendary as it was then?
The answer was a resounding “yes.” From the very opening, the beautifully understated Heaven, it was clear that this would be an evening full of goosebumps. Just like nearly 7.5 years ago, the band entered the stage: no regular band setup, with all instruments portable and wireless. It became an impressive show, in which Byrne also drew from his collaboration with Brian Eno (a deeply moving performance of Strange Overtones). Once again, the roof truly comes off when his Talking Heads material is played.
But this time, his new work is also received as if they were already true classics. The music is uptempo, inspiring, and even cheerful and positive. The current times call for optimism and an unwavering belief in people. Byrne delivers it convincingly. New songs from his most recent album Who Is The Sky? fit perfectly between the Talking Heads classics. It truly becomes apparent this evening just how timeless Byrne’s music really is.
The set closes with Psycho Killer, a rousing Life During Wartime, and an overwhelming performance of Once In A Lifetime. The encore is effective, sending your audience home with Burning Down The House can hardly get any better. Tonight once again highlighted how strong Byrne’s voice still is. His enthusiasm and cheerfulness are infectious. His anecdotes are entertaining and funny. He appears relaxed, and rightly so. He must surely realize that what he is delivering is of exceptional quality.
From beginning to end it was beautiful, groovy, moving, and frighteningly good and professional, without losing its spontaneity. Let’s just hope it won’t take another 7.5 years before Byrne returns with another show.
Setlist
Heaven / Everybody Laughs / And She Was / Strange Overtones / Houses In Motion / T Shirt / (Nothing But) Flowers / This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) / What Is The Reason For It? / Like Humans Do / Don’t Be Like That / Independence Day / Slippery People / Moisturizing Thing / My Apartment Is My Friend / Hard Times / Psycho Killer / Life During Wartime / Once In A Lifetime
Encore:
Everybody’s Coming To My House / Burning Down The House
Concert ticket
Poster
