On Stage
David Byrne’s Night is a genre-defying celebration of two Scottish icons: Robert Burns and David Byrne (born in Dumbarton, look it up!), founded by Dundee native Lola Stephen.
What began in 2023 at Hackney’s glittering MOTH Club quickly became one of London’s most talked about live music events, with its debut selling out within days and attracting a four figure waiting list.
The concept is simple: supergroups formed from musicians across the indie, punk and experimental scenes and beyond, perform Talking Heads and David Byrne classics and deep cuts, interspersed with recitals of Robert Burns’ poetry. On paper it sounds completely unhinged. In practice, it somehow feels like a match made in heaven.
Now an annual Burns Night fixture, Byrne’s Night has grown far beyond its East London roots. Following appearances closing the second stage at Wide Awake Festival and taking over Green Man’s After Dark programme, 2026 saw the project embark on its first ever UK Byrne’s Night tour. Across four sold-out shows in Glasgow, Manchester and London, including its biggest production to date at KOKO – alongside its annual MOTH Club residency – the tour brought together more than 150 musicians, with each city featuring local singers and artists, creating a different show every night while celebrating the communities that make each music scene unique.
The magic lies in its eclectic, ever-changing house bands. Far from an ordinary tribute act, past editions have featured members of Black Country, New Road, Bodega, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Dream Wife, Fat Dog, Goat Girl, Lambrini Girls, The Last Dinner Party, Los Bitchos, Lynks, Mary In The Junkyard, Model/Actriz, shame, Sorry, Squid, Wunderhorse and many more. Byrne’s Night creates collaborations between artists who might never otherwise share a stage, resulting in performances that are spontaneous, joyful and completely one of a kind.
Adding to the spectacle is drag performer Ash Kenazi, whose theatrical presence injects another layer of camp, celebration and glorious unpredictability into the evening. Playing on the Byrne/Burns name swap, each year Kenazi unveils a new “Burns” incarnation, with past appearances including Pete Burns and Mr. Burns. It’s become one of the event’s favourite running gags, and audiences never quite know which Burns will turn up next.
This year’s sold-out KOKO spectacular welcomed around 100 musicians alongside guest appearances from Adam Buxton, Lynks, Gina Birch, Spider Stacy (The Pogues), Antony Szmierek, Imogen and the Knife, Lime Garden, Clara Mann, DEADLETTER, English Teacher, Fat Dog, Black Country, New Road, Mary In The Junkyard, Los Bitchos and many more, earning widespread critical acclaim. The Times awarded Byrne’s Night five stars, calling it “the most impassioned tribute you’ll ever see”, while DIY described the KOKO show as “a triumphant victory lap”, writing: “This isn’t just a tribute, but a living celebration.”
More than a tribute, Byrne’s Night is a celebration of collaboration, artistic freedom and the joy of creating something gloriously unpredictable. By bringing together music, literature and an ever-expanding community of artists, it has become a cultural event in its own right, one that feels as fresh, communal and exhilarating as the songs that inspired it.