DAVID BYRNE RELEASES NEW TRACK
‘THE AVANT GARDE’
NEW ALBUM
OUT SEPTEMBER 5
WORLDWIDE TOUR DATES
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR STARS NEXT MONTH
David Byrne releases ‘The Avant Garde’, the latest offering from his forthcoming album Who Is The Sky?, out September 5 through Matador Records. ‘The Avant Garde’ wrestles with the merits of art for art’s sake, “it’s ahead of the curve / it’s deceptively weighty, profound, absurd / it’s whatever fits”.
Byrne says: “Some people will hear this and say, “David is calling bullshit on his friends” but it’s more nuanced than that. Anyone who knows me knows that I go to plenty of shows that might be classified as avant-garde or experimental. Edgy and untraditional work is hugely inspiring to me, as it often changes the way I think and influences what I do (without me simply appropriating the ideas, I hope). That said, trying something unproven and radically new is risky. Sometimes, as with anything risky, it doesn’t quite hit the bullseye. There’s no guarantee that it will achieve what it aims to do, but when it does, the emotional and intellectual rewards are worth it. That is the risk one takes while making something new and unconventional. So yes, there are times when it doesn’t mean shit, but often there are times when something wholly original comes into being and it’s all worth it. I love that the Ghost Train folks and Kid Harpoon took what could have been a fairly conventional song I’d written (musically at least), and steered it into something that to me sounds like Led Zeppelin meets Dirty Projectors.”
Off kilter, chaotic yet consuming, everything a Byrne track carries. This new release shows another step of fearless progression from the album, it displays a fun injection into exploration and keeps you captivated from start to finish.
Who Is the Sky? is Byrne’s first album since releasing the acclaimed 2018 American Utopia, which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and HBO film. It was produced by the Grammy-winning Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), while its 12 songs were arranged by the members of New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. Guests include Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner. Click here to pre-order.
In September, David Byrne will kick off a massive world tour. The European leg commences February 12th in Berlin, and includes UK shows in Cardiff, London, Glasgow and Manchester in March. A full rundown can be found below and tickets are available at davidbyrne.com.
The new album was introduced by the infectious first single ‘Everybody Laughs’, which sets the tone for Who Is the Sky? with its universal themes of human connection and the potential for societal unity against the chaotic backdrop of the world. Click here to watch the video, directed by multimedia artist Gabriel Barcia-Colombo. Last month, David revealed the second single from the album, ‘She Explains Things to Me’, which taps into some of the deeper themes of Who Is the Sky? and was partially inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s book Men Explain Things to Me.
“At my age, at least for me, there’s a ‘don’t give a shit about what people think’ attitude that kicks in,” Byrne says about the spirit behind Who Is the Sky? “I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I’m doing. That said, every new set of songs, every song even, is a new adventure. There’s always a bit of, ‘how do I work this?’ I’ve found that not every collaboration works, but often when they do, it’s because I’m able to clearly impart what it is I’m trying to do. They hopefully get that, and as a result, we’re now joined together heading to the same unknown place.”
Who Is the Sky? tracklist:
1.Everybody Laughs
2. When We Are Singing
3. My Apartment Is My Friend
4. A Door Called No
5. What Is the Reason for It?
6. I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party
7. Don’t Be Like That
8. The Avant Garde
9. Moisturizing Thing
10. I’m an Outsider
11. She Explains Things to Me
12. The Truth
WORLDWIDE TOUR DATES
North America:
14 September 2025 – Providence, RI – Veterans Memorial Auditorium
16 September 2025 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center PAC
17 September 2025 – Columbus, OH – Mershon Auditorium
19 September 2025 – Akron, OH – Akron Civic Theatre
21 September 2025 – Schenectady, NY – Proctors
23 September 2025 – Syracuse, NY – Landmark Theatre
25 September 2025 – Buffalo, NY – Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
27 September 2025 – Washington D.C. – The Anthem
28 September 2025 – Washington D.C. – The Anthem
30 September 2025 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
1 October 2025 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
2 October 2026 – Boston, MA – Boch Center Wang Theatre
3 October 2025 – Boston, MA – Boch Center Wang Theatre
4 October 2025 – Boston, MA – Boch Center Wang Theatre
7 October 2025 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre
8 October 2025 – Portland, ME – Merrill Auditorium at City Hall
10 October 2025 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
11 October 2025 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
14 October 2025 – Richmond, VA – Altria Theater
16 October 2025 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
17 October 2025 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
18 October 2025 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
21 October 2025 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Massey Hall
22 October 2025 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Massey Hall
23 October 2025 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Massey Hall
25 October 2025 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
28 October 2025 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium
29 October 2025 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium
31 October 2025 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium
1 November 2025 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium
3 November 2025 – Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theatre
4 November 2025 – Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theatre
6 November 2025 – Denver, CO – Bellco Theatre
7 November 2025 – Denver, CO – Bellco Theatre
11 November 2025 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
12 November 2025 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
13 November 2025 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
16 November 2025 – San Francisco, CA – The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
17 November 2025 – San Francisco, CA – The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
18 November 2025 – San Francisco, CA – The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
20 November 2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Dolby Theatre
21 November 2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Dolby Theatre
25 November 2025 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
26 November 2025 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
28 November 2025 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park
29 November 2025 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park
2 December 2025 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
3 December 2025 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
5 December 2025 – Miami, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
6 December 2025 – Miami, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
Australia & New Zealand:
14 January 2026 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena
17 January 2026 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Center
21 January 2026 – Sydney, Australia – ICC Sydney Theatre
22 January 2026 – Melbourne, Australia – Sidney Myer Music Bowl
24 January 2026 – Adelaide, Australia – Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena
27 January 2026 – Perth, Australia – RAC Arena
Europe & United Kingdom:
12 February 2026 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom
15 February 2026 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live
16 February 2026 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live
18 February 2026 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National
21 February 2026 – Milan, Italy – Teatro degli Arcimboldi
22 February 2026 – Milan, Italy – Teatro degli Arcimboldi
24 February 2026 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle
26 February 2026 – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal Main Hall
27 February 2026 – Zurich, Switzerland – The Hall
2 March 2026 – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
3 March 2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
4 March 2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
6 March 2026 – Glasgow, UK – SEC Armadillo
7 March 2026 – Glasgow, UK – SEC Armadillo
9 March 2026 – Manchester, UK – o2 Apollo
10 March 2026 – Manchester, UK – o2 Apollo
11 March 2026 – Manchester, UK – o2 Apollo
13 March 2026 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
15 March 2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
16 March 2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
18 March 2026 – Paris, France – La Seine Musicale
19 March 2026 – Paris, France – La Seine Musicale
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