Laurie Anderson is in town this weekend as part of the FirstWorks Festival — the main event being Saturday night’s performance of “Delusion” reviewed last year in the L.A. Times,
As always Anderson plays her electric violin and operates a synthesizer. Besides creating a cushion for narration, music here just as often takes over from talk. There are moments when Anderson hardly seems able to continue speaking and only the violin can continue the thread. The video, such as a stage encased in rain, provides visual mood music.
Anderson can, of course, still be wry and entertaining. Fenway Bergamot, her smarmy male alter ego created by lowering her voice through electronics, turns up. But even old Fenway appears to have developed a bit of an inner life.
Friday — Free, 4pm, October 21, Presentation and Lecture at the Granoff Center, 154 Angell Street. To reserve call FirstWorks at 401.421.4278
Saturday — “Delusion” tickets $18 to $48, 8pm, October 22, The Vets, One Avenue of the Arts (directions)
Sunday — $10, 9:30am, October 23, ‘Coffee and Conversation’, Chace Center, Metcalf Auditorium, 20 North Main Street, continental breakfast, conversation begins at 10am