Laurie Anderson is bringing a show originally built as a warning about the rise of fascism in Europe to San Francisco's Curran Theatre on September 25, 2026, backed by the jazz group Sexmob and a cast of downtown-scene collaborators. The Republic of Love plays the Geary Street venue on September 25, folding decades-old Anderson songs and borrowed words from a stack of literary and musical icons into what's billed as a celebration of freedom.
The Curran date features Sexmob and guests alongside Anderson. The setlist draws on Anderson's own catalog, including “Language Is a Virus” and “Big Science,” while also weaving in words and thoughts credited to John Cage, William S. Burroughs, Gertrude Stein, Lou Reed, Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Dylan. The post frames “Language Is a Virus” as carrying new meanings in 2026, though it does not spell out what those new meanings are.
The show's roots trace back further than this tour. The Republic of Love was originally commissioned as a two-hour performance lecture on the relationship between government and love for Austria's Wiener Festwochen, or Vienna Festival, a program that focused on the rise of fascism in Europe, according to BroadwayWorld. Anderson later adapted that assignment into the touring performance now landing in San Francisco, blending music, spoken word, and literary commentary.
Sexmob's Downtown Pedigree Meets Anderson's Signature Sound
Backing Anderson is Sexmob, an instrumental ensemble. The group is led by slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein alongside saxophonist Briggan Krauss, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer Kenny Wollesen, according to footage tied to the Big Ears Festival. For the Curran performance, Sexmob backs Anderson.
For the Curran date, that core quartet expands considerably. The stage lineup for the September 25 performance adds backing vocalists and violinists Mazz Swift and Christina Courtin, along with Doug Wieselman on woodwinds and guitar, according to (((({{a href='https://folkyeah.com/laurie-anderson-san-francisco-925' target='_blank' rel='nofollow noopener'}}folkYEAH!{{/a}}))))
