It’s fair to say that David Byrne, the solo artist, hasn’t exactly set the world on fire like the way he did as the creative force behind Talking Heads, a clear candidate for any of the top ten rock bands of all time lists.

If Byrne is going to regain the commercial and critical plaudits that made him one of the musical giants of the 70s and 80s, it might be through “Love This Giant,” his recent collaboration with Annie ‘St. Vincent’ Clark. At the Centre For Performing Arts in Vancouver on Saturday night, the two of them ended their North American tour with a performance that dripped class and charisma from the first note to the last.

They kicked off with the likeable single “Who”, but the fun really started with the second track, “Why So Mysterious”. That’s when Byrne and Clark’s eight-piece brass band began their intricately crafted choreography, a novel selection of moves and poses that didn’t let up the entire show.

David Byrne, it should be noted, looked amazing. The shock of grey hair was the only clue that he turned 60 this year. Dressed throughout in a pristine white jacket, he still had the unique jerks and moves that made Talking Heads a puzzling but mesmerising live experience.

He was also an incredibly generous performer. Although the majority of the audience were Byrne disciples first and foremost, both the album and the concert were genuine collaborations. Even after a cry of “We’re not worthy!” rang from the crowd, Byrne never pulled rank, letting Clark shine on “Save Me From What I Want” and settling into a slot in a tunnel of brass as she ripped a mighty guitar solo at the end of the excellent “Marrow”.

The moment of the night followed, as Byrne took centre stage for “This Must Be The Place”, the first of only three Talking Heads songs to be unveiled. The crowd was instantly out of its seats, gently grooving as Byrne recreated elements of his dance from the “Once In a Lifetime” video while the horn section blared behind him.

“Cheerleader,” another visit to the St. Vincent archives, was another highlight; its wall of sound presented by Byrne and the band performing their parts either slouched or prone on the stage.

As impressive as the selections from the St. Vincent and Byrne back catalogues were, what made this concert such a triumph was its unwavering commitment to entertainment. The was never a dull moment as the brass section continually put new twists on the marching band concept. Clark wrung new tones from her guitar and Byrne bobbed joyfully. The pair of them battled over who would could get the weirdest sounds from a Theremin at the end of the “Northern Lights”, while minutes later, a beaming Byrne dedicated “Outside Of Space and Time” to the Higgs Boson particle.

A pair of encores followed, each containing a wonderful brass-bolstered trip back to Talking Heads’ glory days; “Burning Down the House” and “Road To Nowhere” both getting the entire venue up and dancing.

A third encore, the second ever outing for “Open The Kingdom”, a collaboration between Byrne and minimalist composer Philip Glass, was the only misstep of the night. Nothing kills a party like a 20th century classical jam.

Still, this was a minor bummer at the end of a magical night where the brass section shone and grins trumped gravity. Trans-generational collaboration sounds terribly serious. Apparently, it’s really just a study in the art of fun.