Throwback: Talking Heads at The Capitol Theatre (11.04.80 - Full Video) January 7, 2016 16:17

Today we look back on a killer performance from the Talking Heads, recorded live at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey on November 4th, 1980.  This performance boasts arguably the best Heads lineup of all time, featuring original members David Byrne (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Frantz (drums), Tina Weymouth (bass), and Jerry Harrison (keyboards, guitar), as well as King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew, Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Busta Cherry Jones (bass), Steve Scales (percussion), and Dollette McDonald (vocals).  

This show occurred just four weeks after the release of the band's fourth studio album, Remain in Light, making much of the material performed brand new.  Many groundbreaking Talking Heads' tunes such as "Once In A Lifetime," "Crosseyed and Painless," "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)," and "Houses in Motion" were in their freshest stages, having been played live very few times.  This material was a reflection of Byrne's interest in "world music," therefore the band had expanded in order to perform these more complex arrangements.

The album peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 in the US and at number 21 on the UK Albums Chart. Two singles were released from Remain in Light: "Once in a Lifetime" and "Houses in Motion" as well as promotional single "Crosseyed and Painless". The record was certified Gold in the US and in Canada during the 1980s.

Watch the full performance here:

Setlist: Psycho Killer, Warning Sign, Stay Hungry, Cities, I Zimbra, Drugs, Once In A Lifetime, Animals, Houses In Motion, Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), Crosseyed And Painless, Life During Wartime

Encore: Take Me To The River

2nd Encore: The Great Curve

Talking Heads was an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Frantz (drums), Tina Weymouth (bass), and Jerry Harrison (keyboards, guitar). Former art school students who became involved in the 1970s New York punk scene, Talking Heads integrated elements of punk, art rock, funk, and dance music with avant-garde sensibilities to become a pioneering post-punk and new wave group. Fronted by the anxious stage persona of frontman Byrne, the group produced several commercial hits and a number of multimedia projects throughout its career, and often collaborated with other artists, such as musician Brian Eno and director Jonathan Demme.