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David Byrne has revealed his new song, “The Avant Garde,” the third preview of his upcoming album, Who Is the Sky? Stream it below.
Produced by Grammy winner Kid Harpoon with arrangement from New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra, the track takes on the idea of whether one should create art for art’s sake, with lyrics like: “It’s a passionate life, it’s ahead of the curve/ It’s deceptively weighty, profoundly absurd/ Well, it’s whatever fits/ It’s the avant garde.”
“Some people will hear this and say, ‘David is calling bullshit on his friends’ but it’s more nuanced than that,” Byrne said in a statement about the song. “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).”
He continued, “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.”
Byrne is set to celebrate the album’s release with a multi-leg world tour across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe beginning in September. See the full schedule below, and get tickets here.
Who Is the Sky? marks Byrne’s first album since 2018’s critically acclaimed American Utopia. Out September 5th via Matador Records, it features previous singles “She Explains Things to Me” and “Everybody Laughs.” Pre-orders are ongoing.
David Byrne 2025-2026 Tour Dates:
09/14 – Providence, RI @ Veterans Memorial Auditorium
09/16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Center PAC
09/17 – Columbus, OH @ Mershon Auditorium
09/19 – Akron, OH @ Akron Civic Theatre
09/21 – Schenectady, NY @ Proctors
09/23 – Syracuse, NY @ Landmark Theatre
09/25 – Buffalo, NY @ Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
09/27 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
09/28 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
09/30 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/01 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/02 – Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
10/03 – Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
10/04 – Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
10/07 – Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
10/08 – Portland, ME @ Merrill Auditorium at City Hall
10/10 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/11 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
10/14 – Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater
10/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
10/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
10/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
10/21 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall
10/22 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall
10/23 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall
10/25 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
10/28 – Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
10/29 – Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
10/31 – Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
11/01 – Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium
11/03 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
11/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
11/06 – Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre
11/07 – Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre
11/11 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/12 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/13 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
11/16 – San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/17 – San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/18 – San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Dolby Theatre
11/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Dolby Theatre
11/25 – Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
11/26 – Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
11/28 – Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park
11/29 – Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park
12/02 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
12/03 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
12/05 – Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
12/06 – Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
01/14 – Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena
01/17 – Brisbane, AU @ Brisbane Entertainment Center
01/21 – Sydney, AU @ ICC Sydney Theatre
01/22 – Melbourne, AU @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl
01/24 – Adelaide, AU @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena
01/27 – Perth, AU @ RAC Arena
02/12 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom
02/15 – Amsterdam, NL @ AFAS Live
02/16 – Amsterdam, NL @ AFAS Live
02/18 – Brussels, BE @ Forest National
02/21 – Milan, IT @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi
02/22 – Milan, IT @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi
02/24 – Frankfurt, DE @ Jahrhunderthalle
02/26 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal Main Hall
02/27 – Zurich, CH @ The Hall
03/02 – Cardiff, UK @ Utilita Arena
03/03 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/04 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/06 – Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo
03/07 – Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo
03/09 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
03/10 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
03/13 – Dublin, IE @ 3Arena
03/15 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/16 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/18 – Paris, FR @ La Seine Musicale
03/19 – Paris, FR @ La Seine Musicale
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