‘Everybody' Dance: David Byrne Details New Album, Tour
It has been nearly seven years since David Byrne released his last album, American Utopia, which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and HBO film. Fresh off a surprise appearance with Olivia Rodrigo over the weekend at New York's Governors Ball festival, the artist has detailed his next moves, which include a fresh LP and a world tour.
Due Sept. 5 from new label Matador Records, the album, Who Is the Sky?, was produced by Kid Harpoon, who is best-known for his past work with pop stars such as Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus. Each song features arrangements crafted by members of the New York-based Ghost Train Orchestra, with whom Byrne became intrigued after hearing their 2023 tribute album to the blind New York composer/street poet Moondog.
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The album's infectious lead single, 'Everybody Laughs,' is out now, as is a Gabriel Barcia-Colombo-directed video. Other guest contributors include Paramore's Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, the Smile drummer Tom Skinner and percussionist Mauro Refosco, who has played with Byrne since the mid-1990s.
With titles such as 'My Apartment Is My Friend,' 'I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party' and 'Moisturizing Thing,' listeners can expect songs with a bit more of a personal bent than usual for Byrne, whose gift for storytelling propelled the most memorable Talking Heads songs and was at the core of American Utopia.
'I suspected that intimate orchestral arrangements would bring out the emotion I sense is there in these songs,' Byrne explains. 'It's something that folks don't always hear in my work, but this time for sure I thought it was there. At the same time, I also see myself as someone who aspires to be accessible. I imagined that Kid Harpoon would help with that, as well as being a set of trusted ears, since there was a lot going on. People think of producers as people who mainly make a record sound good, and Kid Harpoon did that, but he was also aware of how important the storytelling is.'
'It took me a second to realize, oh yeah, these songs are personal, but with David's unique perspective on life in general,' says Kid Harpoon, who was introduced to Byrne at a Los Angeles party. 'Walking around New York listening to the demo of 'Everybody Laughs' was so joyous, because it made me feel like we're all the same – we all laugh, cry and sing. The thing about David that resonates with a lot of people is that he's in on the joke. He gets the absurdity of it all, and all of these personal observations are his perspective on it.'
For the Who Is the Sky? tour, Byrne is re-teaming with members of the American Utopia band as part of a 13-strong group of onstage performers, all of whom will move freely around the stage. Dates begin Sept. 14 in Providence, R.I., and will keep Byrne in North America through mid-December, with an Australia/New Zealand leg set for January 2026 and a U.K/European run to follow. See all dates below.
All this activity comes simultaneous to Talking Heads' 50th anniversary celebration, which last week saw the release of the first official video for the group's 1977 single 'Psycho Killer.'
Everybody LaughsWhen We Are SingingMy Apartment Is My FriendA Door Called NoWhat Is the Reason for It?I Met the Buddha at a Downtown PartyDon't Be Like ThatThe Avant GardeMoisturizing ThingI'm an OutsiderShe Explains Things to MeThe Truth
9/14/2025 – Providence, RI – Veterans Memorial Auditorium9/16/2025 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center PAC9/17/2025 – Columbus, OH – Mershon Auditorium9/19/2025 – Akron, OH – Akron Civic Theatre9/21/2025 – Schenectady, NY – Proctors9/23/2025 – Syracuse, NY – Landmark Theatre9/25/2025 – Buffalo, NY – Shea's Buffalo Theatre9/27-28/2025 – Washington D.C. – The Anthem9/30, 10/1/2025 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall10/3-4/2025 – Boston, MA – Boch Center Wang Theatre10/7/2025 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre10/8/2025 – Portland, ME – Merrill Auditorium at City Hall10/10/2025 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall10/14/2025 – Richmond, VA – Altria Theater 10/16-17/2025 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark10/21-22/2025 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Massey Hall10/25/2025 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre10/28-29, 31/2025 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium11/3-4/2025 – Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theatre11/6-7/2025 – Denver, CO – Bellco Theatre11/11-12/2025 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre11/16-17/2025 – San Francisco, CA – The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium11/20-21/2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Dolby Theatre11/25-26/2025 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall11/28-29/2025 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park12/2-3/2025 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre12/5-6/2025 – Miami, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre1/14/2026 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena1/17/2026 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Center1/21/2026 – Sydney, Australia – ICC Sydney Theatre1/22/2026 – Melbourne, Australia – Sidney Myer Music Bowl1/24/2026 – Adelaide, Australia – Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena1/27/2026 – Perth, Australia – RAC Arena2/12/2026 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom2/15-16/2026 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live2/18/2026 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National2/21-22/2026 – Milan, Italy – Teatro degli Arcimboldi2/24/2026 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle2/27/2026 – Zurich, Switzerland – The Hall3/2/2026 – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena3/3-4/2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo3/6-7/2026 – Glasgow, UK – SEC Armadillo3/9-10/2026 – Manchester, UK – o2 Apollo3/13/2026 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena3/15/2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo3/18-19/2026 – Paris, France – La Seine Musicale
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But losing an accrued season and amassing $40,000 fines would be moot if Cook can wrangle that big extension. He is entering the final season of a four-year rookie contract worth about $5.8 million. He posted on social media in February that he wanted $15 million a year. Michael Ginnitti, founder of sports contract analysis site Spotrac, calculates Cook is worth $10 million a year. 'I'm very, very proud that he's here and he's working as hard as he is being on the field with us, and a lot of guys wouldn't do that,' quarterback Josh Allen said. 'But he's out there and working hard and showing everybody that he is here for the right reasons and hopefully that can get solved. Advertisement 'I love Jimbo. I think the whole team does. He's one of the best backs in the league, and hopefully that can be reflected soon.' The Bills meticulously have built a successful culture within their walls, but they also are hyper-vigilant about defending the way they're viewed by outsiders, protective of their revamped reputation as a destination franchise after decades of ridicule and no longer that frigid, forlorn outpost that free agents avoid and young talent flees. Unlike questions that arose during the drought under previous management, Buffalo is grateful to be known today as an organization that takes care of its own. The Bills this offseason signed receiver Khalil Shakir, edge rusher Gregory Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford to extensions — yet not Cook, who plays a position Beane doesn't value as much as others. Running backs league-wide regained some lost prominence last season, with Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley amassing insane stats with new teams. Cook doesn't have to look far for an example of fighting for your worth before it's too late. His big brother, Dalvin Cook, got tough with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. Dalvin Cook had been to two Pro Bowls and threatened to hold out if his rookie contract wasn't extended before the season. But he showed up to training camp, got a five-year, $63 million contract and made two more Pro Bowls before his production plummeted at 28 years old. Running backs must get paid before an expiration date nobody can peg for certain. Cook, who turns 26 in September, had thoughts about why running backs sometimes need to fight for what they believe they're worth. 'Because we do a lot and I think we should be valued for that — all the hard work we put in on the ground, pass blocking, and all those types of things,' James Cook replied. 'I think we should be valued more.' Advertisement Some fans and analysts wonder if Buffalo would be fine simply to let Davis take over, perhaps even wise to trade Cook rather than risk losing him as a free agent in nine months. Those willing to turn the backfield page reason that Davis (with greater opportunity) and Allen (with more tush pushing) could make up Cook's production. The problem with that premise is Cook had +13.9 EPA last year, while Davis posted a -19.3 EPA. Davis, although entering just his second NFL season, also will turn 26 in November. Buffalo needs Cook. The issue general manager Brandon Beane must weigh is how important Cook's happiness is. 'Behind the scenes, when that was going on, I was talking to those guys every day,' Edwards said of Johnson and Bowe. 'And I was talking to the team about, 'Hey, when these guys come back it's open arms. One day, you might have to go through what these guys are going through. It's not like they don't want to be here. It's business.' And I told the team leaders, 'Make sure you're calling our guys.' When you're left at home, negotiating a contract, you want him to know he's part of the team.' There's added value to keeping contenders content. The Jets in 2010 were considered on the cusp of glory. As a wild card, they'd reached the AFC Championship Game in coach Rex Ryan's rookie season and, in trying to get over that hump, were desperate to topple the New England Patriots from atop the division. 'For me, it was always about doing whatever we could within reason to win right now,' Tannenbaum said. 'That was always my mindset. 'Darrelle checked every box, and we wanted to get a deal done as quickly as possible, but it was more because he deserved it more than any other pressure we may have felt.' With Revis satisfied, the Jets returned to the AFC title game as a wild card, beating Tom Brady and Peyton Manning on the road before bowing to the Pittsburgh Steelers one game shy of the Super Bowl. The Bills have avoided these situations in the past, and although everything looked hunky-dory Tuesday, Cook's contract issue is far from settled. 'Hard Knocks' will work that angle for all it's worth.
