Antony and the Johnsons February 4, 2009

"When I first heard him I knew I was in the presence of an angel."—Lou Reed

The ethereal beauty of Antony Hegarty's voice and his haunting songs of obsessive love and longing grab listeners in a way few other singers can. Whether he's addressing the trials of discovering romance or coming to terms with transgender identity, his evocatively melancholy lyrics are exquisitely framed by the chamber rock setting of his supremely talented band and lent extra power by his own otherworldly androgynous aura.

Antony clearly feels a deep empathy with the tragic figures who strutted their stuff at Warhol's famed Factory (a photo of transvestite Warhol superstar Candy Darling is featured on the cover of one of his earliest albums and his cover of the Velvets' "Candy Says" is a concert highlight). This linkage makes him an ideal candidate for a return visit in time for our Warhol exhibition. When Antony and the Johnsons first appeared in the Wexner Center's Performance Space early in 2002, their underground reputation had yet to penetrate widely in Columbus. This time we expect that their growing fame will be more than enough to fill the Southern Theatre, where they'll feature new material drawn from The Crying Light, their soon-to-be-released (January 20, 2009) album.

Official Website: http://www.wexarts.org/pa/index.php?eventid=3569