It's the end of an era, and David Byrne is here to set it ablaze.
Stephen Colbert welcomed the Talking Heads icon as one of the final musical guests on The Late Show during Tuesday's May 19 episode, with Byrne delivering a rendition of the classic "Burning Down the House." The performance was striking.
Byrne took the stage alongside his Why Is The Sky? band, all in matching blue suits while flames raged across the screen behind them. Colbert then joined the musical lineup in an identical blue suit, turning the farewell into a full performance.
It's a fitting goodbye for a show that's had plenty to say over its run. The Late Show is heading toward its series finale on May 21, marking the end of Colbert's tenure behind the iconic desk.
CBS announced the cancellation last July, calling it "purely a financial decision." The network's parent company, Paramount, was navigating a merger with Skydance Media while simultaneously settling a $16 million dispute with Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes editing controversy. Colbert, never shy about his political commentary, had been a frequent target of Trump's online tirades.
Still, as The Late Show counts down to its finale, performances like Byrne's remind audiences why this show mattered. A Talking Heads legend in a blue suit, setting the stage on fire one last time—that closes the book.
