Week ahead: Laurie Anderson comes to the Birchmere; new single from Panda Bear;

Laurie Anderson tours behind her first album since 2001. )Leland Brewster)

If you go to one concert this week, make it: Performance artist, musician, all-around oddball Laurie Anderson at the Birchmere. She rarely plays proper nightclub concerts anymore; try to keep the corn chip crunching to a minimum when she's on stage.

If you buy one album tomorrow, make it: "Tomboy," the new 7" single from Animal Collective's Panda Bear. "Tomboy" and "Slow Motion" will only have fans salivating even more for the fall follow-up to "Person Pitch."

And if you stay up late to watch one artist on TV this week, make it: M.I.A. when she performs on "Letterman" Tuesday. She's a popular punching bag these days but will that just make her more confrontational? She also visits "Fallon" on Wednesday.