David Byrne Performs Talking Heads Classics, New Material at Coachella 2026

David Byrne took the stage at Coachella on Saturday. The Outdoor Theatre crowd watched as he opened with "Everybody Laughs" from Who Is the Sky? His set blended fresh tracks with older hits that fans had been waiting to hear.

The show pulled from his recent LP, featuring "When We Are Singing" and "What Is the Reason for It?" He also performed "Strange Overtones," which he created with Brian Eno. But the classics stole the spotlight — "And She Was," "This Must Be the Place," and "Psycho Killer" got the crowd singing along.

Before launching into "What Is the Reason for It?", Byrne told a story that actor-director John Cameron Mitchell had shared with him. "Love and kindness are the most punk thing we can do right now," Mitchell said, according to Rolling Stone. "Love and kindness are a form of resistance," he added.

Musicians and dancers filled the stage in a choreographed production. "Once in a Lifetime" and "Burning Down the House" closed things out. The finale sealed what many considered one of the weekend's standout performances.

His latest album asks big questions, such as what love means, why humans connect, and what gives life its purpose. The songs don't always answer, but they make you think.

The show started late, but once it began, the desert heat faded. Band members walked onstage after the opening number, and the crowd was transported somewhere else entirely.