Antony and the Johnsons to Play Southern Theatre

“When I first heard him I knew I was in the presence of an angel.”-Lou Reed 
 

Antony and the Johnsons bring their haunting songs of obsessive love and longing to the Southern Theatre on Wednesday, February 4 at 8 pm in a concert presented by the Wexner Center. Singer and songwriter Antony Hegarty’s melancholy lyrics—whether addressing the trials of discovering romance, coming to terms with transgender identity, or rapturously embracing the beauty of the natural world—are exquisitely framed by the chamber-rock music of supremely talented band, and lent extra power by his own otherworldly androgynous aura.  Downtown’s intimate Southern Theatre will be an ideal venue to showcase their exquisitely wrought songs on their return to Columbus, sponsored again by the Wexner Center.

When Antony and the Johnsons first appeared in the Wexner Center's Performance Space in 2002, their underground reputation had yet to penetrate widely in Columbus. Since then, the British-born, New York based, Hegarty has won Britain’s Mercury Prize and other accolades, and his avid fans are everywhere (local fans are encouraged to secure tickets early). This concert is booked in conjunction with the release of Antony and the Johnson’s highly anticipated new album, The Crying Light, issued on January 20.

EVENT INFORMATION: The Wexner Center presents Antony and the Johnsons in concert Wednesday, February 4 at 8 pm in the Southern Theatre, 21 E Main St. downtown. Tickets are $35 for all audiences. For tickets, call (614) 292-3535, or wexarts.org or ticketmaster.com.

Antony’s concert is also presented as a related event to our popular exhibition Andy Warhol: Other Voices, Other Rooms (on view through February 15). Antony has a deep affinity with the superstars and drag queens that 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).  In many ways it’s clear that Antony’s own image and music show direct traces of Warhol’s enduring legacy.

NOTE: GenWex, the Wexner Center’s young patron group, will be hosting a “warm-up” event before the show from 6:30 to 8 pm at Thurber’s Bar located in the Westin Hotel adjacent to the Southern Theatre.

For Antony and the Johnsons’ most recent music video, click here. For their official site, click here. For a podcast of all upcoming Next @ Wex shows click here.

Major support for the Wexner Center’s 2008–09 performing arts season is generously provided by Huntington Bank and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Accommodations are provided by The Blackwell Inn.

All performing arts programs and events also receive support from the Corporate Annual Fund of the Wexner Center Foundation and Wexner Center members, as well as from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, The Columbus Foundation, Nationwide Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council.