David Byrne’s Performance Burned Down the House

One thing that is great about music is its ability to uplift, even when — especially when — shit is bleak. Renaissance man David Byrne doesn’t shy away from the bad in the world; in fact, his songs often meditate on life’s complexities and the conflicting emotions they bring.  At Coachella, he and his untethered musicians and dancers marked those highs and lows not to avoid or escape it, but in reveling in our shared humanity — flaws and all — find some hope.

After a bit of a late start, Byrne and Co. transported those at the Outdoor Theatre out of the desert and into an immersive, theatrical world where a whole lot of dancing, hope, and common ground amid life’s uncertainties were found. His recent concert runs are an elaborate, perfectly choreographed experience, as those who might’ve caught his first time at Coachella in 2018 or any of his tour run at the time in support of American Utopia know.

This time around was just as spectacular. The musician appeared solo at first in an orange jumpsuit, before kicking things off with “Everybody Laughs” from his latest album, Who Is the Sky? as his bandmates joined him onstage. They also performed “When We Are Singing” and “What Is the Reason for It?” from his recent LP, and his collaboration with Brian Eno “Strange Overtones.” But the set leaned heavily on Talking Heads classics, including “And She Was,” “This Must Be the Place,” and “Psycho Killer,” to the delight of the audience who sang along to every word.

Before launching into “What Is the Reason for It?”, which contemplates the meaning of love, he shared a story from actor-director John Cameron Mitchell, who told him, “Love and kindness are the most punk thing we can do right now.” He said at the time, he didn’t get right away, but that now he understood it. “Love and kindness are a form of resistance.”

Later during “Life During Wartime,” video footage from the resistance against ICE were projected on the screens that surrounded the musicians onstage, which drew extensive cheers from the crowd.

Closing with the one-two punch of “Once in a Lifetime” and “Burning Down the House,” it was an unforgettable, fiery ending to one of the best sets of the weekend.