David Byrne
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
November 17, 2025
Photos by Raymond Ahner
David Byrne has always existed in a world slightly left of center, and his opening night performance during a three-show run at the Bill Graham Civic in San Francisco recently proved once again that he remains one of the most innovative, unpredictable, and delightfully eccentric figures in modern music. From the moment the lights dimmed and Byrne and three members of his twelve-piece band walked onstage in matching royal blue outfits, the audience knew they were in for something far beyond a conventional concert.
Backed by an ensemble of mobile, wireless musicians, Byrne constructed the show like a living art piece. Instead of a traditional stage setup with fixed instruments, every performer moved freely, creating shifting patterns of rhythm and choreography that felt both organic and meticulously orchestrated. Drummers marched in geometric lines, guitarists circled Byrne like orbiting satellites, and vocalists drifted across the stage as if pulled by invisible tides. Combined with the collage of photos and visuals behind him, the effect was mesmerizing, turning each song into a kinetic sculpture of sorts.
The setlist blended new material with Talking Heads classics, and Byrne’s renditions carried both reverence and reinvention. “Psycho Killer” earned one of the night’s loudest sing-alongs, and “Once in a Lifetime” had the crowd dancing in the aisles. Songs from his recently released Who Is the Sky? record, including “My Apartment Is My Friend” and “I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party” showed Byrne’s ability to fuse pop hooks with philosophical introspection.
Other highlights from the evening included “And She Was,” (Which Byrne introduced by telling a story of he and a girl lying on the grass near a Yoohoo factory and the girl wanting to drop acid) “Slippery People,” and “Don’t Be Like That.” By the time Byrne and his cast of musicians wrapped up the main set with “Once In a Lifetime,” the entire crowd in the near capacity venue were on their feet.
Of course the show wasn’t over quite yet, as the band returned to the stage for “Everybody’s Coming to My House” and the Talking Heads classic “Burning Down the House.”
On this evening, David Byrne didn’t just perform a concert—he crafted an experience. Equal parts theatre, dance, and sonic exploration, his show was a reminder that live music can still surprise, challenge, and completely transport. For fans old and new, it was nothing short of exhilarating.
