Posted on: Wednesday, December 12, 2001

Ex-Talking Heads frontman plans show

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

Recent shows by former Talking Heads lead singer David Byrne have featured much Central American- and African-inspired music. Advertiser library photo • 1998

And you may have asked yourself, "Well, when will he get here?"

Ask no more.

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne will be make his Honolulu solo concert debut Feb. 8 at World Cafe.

Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert, at $20 each, will go on sale Jan. 12 at outlets yet to be announced by promoter Goldenvoice.

As lead singer, co-founder and conceptual mastermind behind the arty, unabashedly New Wave quartet Talking Heads, Byrne led the unit through 10 albums of relentlessly funky, propulsive world beat-inspired pop rock, most notably on classic recordings,"Talking Heads '77" and "Remain In Light."

The band officially disbanded in 1989, with Byrne carting his growing fascination with varying world music styles and musicians to his own Luaka Bop boutique label.

Performances on Byrne's current "Look Into The Eyeball Tour," supporting his similarly titled May 2001 release, have been heavy on work from Byrne's almost two-decade strong catalogue of Central American- and African-inspired solo wanderings in pop melody. However, fans of Byrne's past glories with his now estranged bandmates will appreciate the inclusion of Heads' favorites such as "Life During Wartime," "And She Was" and "Once In A Lifetime," all of which he has been tossing into recent concert appearances.

Ever the musical oddball, Byrne is even reportedly doing a surprisingly heartfelt cover of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."

This ain't no foolin' around.