ellen_datlow (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ellen_datlow) wrote2008-07-24 12:53 pm
ellen_datlow) wrote2008-07-24 12:53 pm
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Homeland by Laurie Anderson
In the busyness of the past few days, I neglected to mention that Rick Bowes and I went to see Laurie Anderson's new show Homeland at the Rose Theater, Tuesday night.
Rick and I haven't talked about it so I don't know if he liked it but I always love whatever she does--I just wish she did more of it more often. I believe I've seen most of her works including the epic United States. She did a benefit right after 9/1l and it's possible that the most recent performance was The End of the Moon in 2004, inspired while she was the first artist-in residence at NASA.
For those who aren't familiar with her work, she's a "performance/multimedia artist," although her work has used fewer props over the past decade. It's always political and to me always entertaining. She sings in her own voice and speaks sometimes in her own voice and sometimes in an artificially created male voice. She plays an electric violin. She tells stories. Stories about America and its place in the world. During this 1 1/2 hour (no intermission) performance she had two female back up singers and four musicians, all excellent. The music ranges from electronic to middle eastern infused, smooth as silk or scratchy strings, eclectic percussion and keyboard. Also an accordion, although I didn't hear it separate from the rest of the music.
Lou Reed joined her and the band for one piece and although he seemed a little uncomfortable, it was nice to see them working together.
C'mon Laurie--I want to see more!
Rick and I haven't talked about it so I don't know if he liked it but I always love whatever she does--I just wish she did more of it more often. I believe I've seen most of her works including the epic United States. She did a benefit right after 9/1l and it's possible that the most recent performance was The End of the Moon in 2004, inspired while she was the first artist-in residence at NASA.
For those who aren't familiar with her work, she's a "performance/multimedia artist," although her work has used fewer props over the past decade. It's always political and to me always entertaining. She sings in her own voice and speaks sometimes in her own voice and sometimes in an artificially created male voice. She plays an electric violin. She tells stories. Stories about America and its place in the world. During this 1 1/2 hour (no intermission) performance she had two female back up singers and four musicians, all excellent. The music ranges from electronic to middle eastern infused, smooth as silk or scratchy strings, eclectic percussion and keyboard. Also an accordion, although I didn't hear it separate from the rest of the music.
Lou Reed joined her and the band for one piece and although he seemed a little uncomfortable, it was nice to see them working together.
C'mon Laurie--I want to see more!
Re: Laurie Anderson
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Ah, well. It's in the hands of the Theatre Gods.
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(Anonymous) 2008-07-24 10:12 pm (UTC)(link)You wrote:
"Lou Reed joined her and the band for one piece and although he seemed a little uncomfortable"
I think it's just him. He's always been an uncomfortable stage presence. While he was onstage Anderson, her band and back-up singers ("The Laurietts"?) played very tightly in support of his lead.
I look forward to the general release of Schnabel's film of Reed's Berlin.
Rick Bowes
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I'd never seen him live before--wait a minute--wasn't he in a collaboration with Wm Burroughs and some other artist of The Blue Rider at BAM's Next Wave festival several years ago? I'll have to go check...
I'm sorry I missed the live performance--I'm sooo annoyed that Liz and Paul didn't tell me about it before they attended it in NYC (sniff).
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We found a nifty video interview with her on YouTube.
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Very nice--if only the sound was synched up with everyone's lips :-)