Modern alt-rock posterchild Olivia Rodrigo had something special in mind for her headlining performance at Gov Ball this past weekend. After the New York festival’s Saturday start time was delayed by four hours due to the weather, Rodrigo took the stage ready to satisfy the fans that stuck around to see her. The set trucked along smoothly with her gut-wrenching balladry and punchy guitar riffs. That was until she surprised her audience with a guest appearance from Talking Head’s legendary frontman David Byrne.
After being introduced by a starstruck Rodrigo, Byrne took the stage to duet the Heads’ 1983 smash hit “Burning Down the House”. The now 73-year-old frontman even showed up in uniform, matching Rodrigo’s two-piece with a red set of overalls. Rodrigo matched Byrne’s infectious energy perfectly; trading off lines and awkward dance moves in a charming and kooky performance that will stick with fans of both artists for a long time.
Saturday’s performance capped off a busy week for Byrne. On Thursday, June 5th, Talking Heads released the long-anticipated music video for their 1977 track “Psycho Killer” featuring Lady Bird and Little Women star Saoirse Ronan.
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