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Its been a few days, but David Byrne still hasnt felt the need to watch hisSNL50performanceback again.
Maybe I will now, he says.
Ive been busy taking some dance classes in preparation for a tour.
It was a jam-packed week, he reflects.
But I was very happy.
When were you approached?A couple of months ago.
They said they were doing this concert and a bunch of artists were already confirmed.
Mark Ronson was the music wrangler and coordinator.
He isnt the usual person who does that forSNL.They brought him in just for this.
Is there a house band?
Oh, the Roots are the house band?
I know them, thats good.
Ive seen her videos where shes dancing all over the place.
I have also known Arcade Fire for a long time.
Win Butler reached out to me and said, Hey, would you sing with us?
Soon enoughIwas becoming the Mark Ronson.
Tell me more about the choreography you and Robyn put together when she agreed to the performance.
I brought in a choreographer whom I worked with in the past, Celia Rowlson-Hall.
There was another section where Robyn was spinning around.
The pink-and-blue strobe effects were so striking on the gray suits.
Did you oversee the lighting?I didnt officially oversee it, but I had suggestions.
I thought it would be appropriate and help tell the story.
I never turned around to look, so I dont know if they did that.
They did, on the screen!
Your request was granted.Oh, good.
Its really nice they could pull that together so quickly.
You seem elated, like youre taking it all in.
What was going through your mind?The audience stood up and were dancing the entire time we performed.
I thought,This is kind of incredible.I didnt expect that reaction.I knew who was there.
During the dress rehearsal, there were those cardboard cutouts that they do for whos sitting where.
You seewhere Lady Gaga is sitting.
But they were up and dancing with huge smiles on their faces.
You had previously put Dancing on My Own ona playlisttitled songs that make me cry.
When was the last time you cried to it?Recently, Im sure.
There are some lines in the song that I find very moving.
I love that line.
It gets me every time.
What was the environment like backstage at Radio City?
Did you share any memorable encounters with the fellow musicians?It was collegial.
Everybody took it in stride.
I got a selfie with Lady Gaga.
I got to shake hands with Cher.
I didnt expect that to happen.
There were so many people everywhere!
In his introduction, John Mulaney described you as the only music icon that I can dance like.
What do you dance like, David?
[Laughs for several seconds.]
Long ago, I realized I couldnt dance like some of the slicker, great dancers in pop music.
Besides, why should I try that?
Ill do my own geeky thing.
Because I didnt have any!
Youve appeared as a musical guest onSNLthree times.
Do you think you would be a good host?Maybe.
I did a stand-up performance about a year or so ago.
When I didAmerican Utopia,I talked a lot between songs and got a fair amount of laughs.
Fred Armisen told me I should try stand-up, so I did.
Its a night Fred does at a place in Los Angeles called Largo.
Hes the only person on the bill, but he always invites other people.
Of course, thats an audience whos primed to be open-minded to what theyre going to see.
Mulaney and Sarah Silverman were also there.
Its set up as a place for comedians to test out new material.
He said, sure.I got a fair number of laughs.
