I took a paid day off on Tuesday to drive up to Kansas City for a concert that I had been looking forward to for some time: David Byrne of Talking Heads. I’ve been to Kansas City a few times, but this trip landed me away from the downtown area and into the more suburban area of town, an area covered in greenery. This was my first time seeing a show out here since Primus last summer, only this time, my travels took me to the Starlight Theater, an outdoor venue whose architecture reminded me of a castle. The seating and overall vibe also reminded me of a couple of outdoor theaters back in SoCal, namely the Greek Theater and the John Ford Amphitheater, the latter of which I’ve only visited once. I’ll be back at this venue in a few weeks for Claypool Gold!
This was my vantage point for the night. This venue is unfortunately not one of those that lets you pick your individual seat. Your only option is to select which section you’d like to sit in, and then you’re assigned a random seat. Being on the shorter side, I hate sitting smack in the middle of any row or section. I go for the aisle whenever possible, because even if the rows are at an incline, there’s always a possibility that a human giraffe will be in front of me, thereby blocking my view of the stage.
The show started about ten minutes after eight. Shortly before, we were greeted with an audio message from David Byrne himself, encouraging us to be present and limit our phone use, and to, instead, get up and dance. Since I wasn’t in the aisle and, instead, surrounded by people, I took extra care to be mindful of my phone use, a habit I’m working on anyway.
There was no epic musical introduction or visual display when the lights finally dimmed. Byrne and a few of his epic band of musical humans simply just walked onto the stage. This show was in support of Byrne’s latest solo album, Who Is The Sky?, which I still have yet to hear in full, but a good portion of the set was dedicated to the Talking Heads tunes many of us know well (“Once in a Lifetime” “Life During Wartime,” “This Must Be the Place”), with “Heaven” being the opening song. In between songs, Byrne would tell simple, but memorable stories that would lead into the next song, like about a school friend of his who took LSD (“And She Was”) or how he spent his days during the pandemic (“My Apartment Is My Friend”).
It was just under two hours of music, talent, and most of all, fun. This was a fun show. You could tell that everyone on stage was having the time of their lives jamming out those songs. I was particularly struck by how good Byrne sounded. I’ve never thought much of his vocal style, but he was exceptional here. The sound of this show was excellent, so much so that I didn’t need my earplugs. I can’t remember the last concert I went to where I was able to leave my earplugs in my pocket the whole time.
If you’re familiar with David Byrne’s style of live shows in the recent years, then you’ll know that this was one that challenged us to observe a band as we typically don’t. This band moved about the stage the entire time and wore their instruments while sporting blue jumpsuits. If someone wasn’t wearing an instrument, they were dancing, jogging in place, and everything in between. So, naturally, the crowd was up and grooving the majority of the show. This presented a bit of a problem for me, though, as I had two significantly taller men standing in the two rows right in front of me. This gave me limited opportunities for photos and videos, and left me with no choice but to stand even when I would have preferred not to, as sitting when those guys stood would have blocked the entire stage from my view. I did manage to get a few shots, though.
I’ve always loved David Byrne’s tendency to look at life and the human experience while making very simple, but profound observations. It’s proof to me that you don’t have to use complicated language to be an intellect. There were different phrases and quotes that appeared on the screen, but one spoke to me so strongly that I quickly tapped it out in the Notes app on my phone: I wish more people were fluent in silence. That phrase has been around for a long time, but it made me feel so seen as an introvert and someone who has felt antagonized at times for being on the quiet side. I think that’s another reason why I’m drawn to characters like Byrne. People like him are, in my view, the very definition of the word “artists.” They are what make music an art form. They achieve stellar musicianship and an original way of viewing the world. The fact that the music of Taking Heads continues to reach people of all age groups today gives me hope that people will remain receptive to the weird folks out there.
I have a number of shows coming up for the rest of the year, but as it stands now, this is my favorite show of 2026. Can’t recommend it enough!
The Girl in the Scarf 
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