1980 was an incredible time to see the Talking Heads live. Two months after Remain in Light hit the record stores, the band was on the road and having more fun than probably ever. Their 1980 Rome performance deserves all the hype, with Bernie Worrell, keyboardist of Parliament-Funkadelic, and future King Crimson guitarist and mastermind Adrian Belew also performing in the band and setting the stage afire.
While their 1983 Speaking in Tongues tour made fame through their Stop Making Sense documentary, fans would agree that the subject would have been stronger in these 1980 performances. The entire Rome concert, featuring hits like “Psycho Killer,” “Once In A Lifetime,” “Cities,” and the Heads’ famous rendition of “Take Me To The River,” is available to watch on YouTube here.
Specifically, this performance of “Crosseyed & Painless” features an introduction more recognized at Phish concerts than on popularized mixes of the Remain in Light tune. The song rubs off all sorts of authentic funk, holding the original vibe one wonders about when hearing the hit loop through the radio. Pop this in your headphones:
This concert footage features David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Steve Scales, Bernie Worrell, Dolette MacDonald, Buster Jones, Adrian Belew as the Talking Heads. Watch the full performance below:
Talking Heads in Rome 1980 Setlist:
01 Psycho Killer.
02 Stay Hungry.
03 Cities.
04 I Zimbra.
05 Drugs.
06 Take Me To The River.
07 Crosseyed And Painless.
08 Life During Wartime.
09 Houses In Motion.
10 Born Under Punches.
[H/T RS]