Into Live Music Review: David Byrne

Concert: David Byrne 
Venue: Glasgow, Armadillo
Dates: 7 March 2026

Heaven, heaven is a place…………….and for just under two hours on Saturday night in Glasgow, David Byrne invited the audience into his own personal nirvana, a kaleidoscopic show that was visually and sonically spectacular. Taking to a stage that resembled a solar system and accompanied by only four musicians – the backing ensemble would rise to twelve as the night progressed – Byrne laid down an impressive marker with that 1979 Talking Heads classic. Indeed, a lump formed in my throat as the song concluded, a giant earth rising in the background, Byrne extolling “there she is, our heaven, the only one we have got“. As everything seems to be going to shit, with World War Three a distinct possibility and with c##ts still running the world, Byrne’s prescient words stopped me in my tracks. Later on he also mentioned a recent conversation where love and kindness was considered the most punk thing in the world right now. He’s correct, of course and you might well ask yourself, how did we get here?

The choreography throughout was outstanding. If you have have watched any of the available YouTube performances of the artist, you’ll already know. Dancers, percussionists and multi-instrumentalists weaving in, out and around each other, using the space on the stage where nothing was haphazard but with a looseness and carefree abandonment that was enthralling to experience. If that wasn’t enough, the background visuals were just as captivating. At various points we experienced a forest, an ocean, the rooftop of an NYC block and the inside of Byrne’s apartment.

This was a show that was part theatrical, part musical but never less than a full on extravaganza. With a solid smattering of Talking Heads tracks, a few songs from last year’s Who is the Sky? album and some other choice cuts, the set was suitably varied to suit all and sundry. We got the funk, the punk, gospel, the salsa/rumba of What Is The Reason For This? and the cajun strains of Independence Day.

Byrne also took some time out to share some photos he’d taken when in Glasgow and also reminisced about Overtoun House in Dumbarton where he was born some seventy-four years ago. He may have left these shores when still a toddler but we like to think he is one of our own.

The band were all decked out from head to toe in orange and I have to say, they are by far the best marching band I have ever seen play in Glasgow, simply the best, all culture, not kkkulture. The thud, thud bassline (delivered by Kely Pinheiro) of Psycho Killer was the cue for many to get up off their seats and dance. While the audience didn’t have the space afforded the band, they did their best to swivel, swing and boogie on down to the post-punk classic that announced Byrne and the Talking Heads to the world in 1977.

The magnificent Once In A Lifetime closed the set before a victory lap consisting Everybody’s Coming To My House and Burning Down The House – perhaps it should be Byrne-ing Down The House – the Armadillo rocked and shook to one of the best shows Glasgow has ever witnessed.

Make no mistake, this was an event and one that will live long in the memory of all who were blessed to attend it. Heaven indeed.

Review by John Welsh
@welshjb

All photos (taken at 6 March 2026 Glasgow show) copyright/courtesy of Trevor Pake @trevorpake