David Byrne visited The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to talk about his oversized suit in the Stop Making Sense concert film and writing music, among other topics. He also performed the song "Like Humans Do" with his Broadway American Utopia castmates.
"When Omicron came, during the holidays, as it did here in this show, we were decimated," says the Talking Heads vocalist in his signature gray suit introducing his musical number. "Half the band was in quarantine, the crew, everybody. At one point, some of the band said to me, 'David, we can throw a show together.' It won't be our show, it won't be this show, but we can learn to do other songs. Songs that we can do, even with missing members."
Byrne goes on to explain that they spent "a week or ten days" performing their "Unchained" show. Watch the clip from their performance above.
During the performance, Byrne was joined by several of his band members, including multiple guitarists, drummers, and dancing back-up singers. They all performed barefoot in matching gray suits.
Originally slated to close in March, David Byrne's American Utopia announced a "final extension" earlier this year. The Tony Award-winning musical is now set to run through April 3 at the St. James Theatre.
American Utopia is a concert-styled theatrical production led by Byrne along with international musicians Jacquelene Acevedo, Gustavo Di Dalva, Daniel Freedman, Chris Giarmo, Tim Keiper, Tendayi Kuumba, Karl Mansfield, Mauro Refosco, Stéphane San Juan, Angie Swan, and Bobby Wooten III.
Watch Byrne chat with Fallon below.