Weird alien-like robots, miles of half-inch diameter wiring, music stands, violins, a cello, a laptop…and behind the laptop, one J.G. Thirlwell, otherwise known as Foetus, but tonight playing as Manorexia. Or, more accurately, like the mad genius behind it. Interpreting his twisted visions are a handful of musicians and a motley bunch of musical robots created by the LEMUR project, forming an Asimovian orchestra of cyborg surrealism.
The first half of the show consists of manic Manorexia pieces, frantic and frenzied with lulls of disconcerting white space. Violins squeal, quiver and go silent in turns, bringing the cinematic quality of Thirlwell’s work to life. Most notable of these pieces is the haunting “Toxodon Mourning”, which is just as goosebump-inspiring as when I heard the group rehearsing it earlier.
The second portion of the show is billed as Thirlwell with Lemurbots and String Quartet. This time they’re performing various compositions, including some music commissioned for LEMUR by Thirlwell and showcasing the extent of the robots’ instrumental abilities. J.G. now leaves his laptop and takes center stage to conduct. The music isn’t far removed from the style of the Manorexia pieces except for the slew of mechanical gadgets making the music even more fascinating to experience (as if the hypnotizing violinists weren’t enough). The final piece performed is perhaps J.G.’s most well known, and with good reason—“No Vacancy”, otherwise known as Adult Swim’s The Venture Bros. theme is the most frenetic of the evening and zaps the audience with a final bolt of lightning. Excellent show.
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