Only an Expert (Can Solve a Problem)

There's been a gap in my musical/artistic education. Until last night I'd never had the opportunity to see Laurie Anderson live. I've collected her work, the videos (please release Home of the Brave on DVD), the albums, even the video game. But fate intervened until the Boston performance of Homeland, the stark, politically charged "concert-poem" Anderson performed last night at the Opera House.

Homeland is always somber and dark. And static. The only movement during the two hour performance was the swiping of two bows across a cello and Anderson's violin. Her feet remained firmly planted on the floor, and the other musicians moved almost imperceptibly. The songs are often dirge-like and suitable breaks for applause come only every half hour or so.

Anderson uses no multimedia, no projections. Even the lights don't move, though they often shift from stark white to blood red to a cold blue. Whether this was a Boston-only change or a decision for the current leg of the tour isn't clear. As the above vids indicate, Anderson has used projections liberally at other performances of Homeland. The result is cerebral. You tend to sit back, take it in, and think about it, rather than engage on a deeply emotional level. It's a performance to be appreciated.

Interestingly, though, the songs-monologues-poems are all about feelings and emotions we confront as a result of war, economic downturns and cranes crashing down on buildings. The music and they lyrics are almost always stirring, but in a sobering way. And Anderson reveals herself to be the expert she questions (go here) by providing insightful, witty, creative commentary on the human condition.

The Laurie Anderson of the last decades is still there. Homeland feels more like an evolution of Strange Angels than Home of the Brave or Big Science. The current state of the U.S. weighs heavily on Anderson, and the material and the production reflect that.

One last note: The audience really pissed me off. The couple next to me came late, kept their cellphones in action recording the concert and didn't hesitate to leave their seats (for the bathroom, I presume). They weren't alone. More people were heading back and forth to the lobby than I've ever seen. I hope this isn't a trend.