Conspiracy · Dream
Yellow Pony
Yellow Pony was a performance project built around Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, billed as The Yellow Pony and Other Songs and Stories. It ran as two short European tours in 2009, one in July and one across August and September, eight cities in all: Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Santiago de Compostela, Madrid, Copenhagen, Manchester, Helsinki, Frankfurt and Paris.
The two titans faced each other – Anderson (standing) on violin and electronics, and Reed (seated) on various guitars – with electronic sound manipulator Sarth Calhoun between them.
Dave Simpson on the Manchester night, The Guardian, July 20, 2009
What I did there
In 2009 I had the unique opportunity to do two short tours with Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. I played continuum fingerboard and did live resampling of their voices. Also, I got to stand in the center of the stage, like a drummer. It was a wonderful experience, and it is also when I fell in love with Spain.
My role on that tour was to act as a bridge between the wildness of Lou and the grace of Laurie.
It was a lovely two part tour that included outdoor performances in northern Spain, as well as my first visit to Copenhagen where I bought a really awesome plaid jacket that I wore until it was in tatters.
The dates
Eight shows are documented; the billing at Salle Pleyel listed me as “claviers et électronique.” The full run is on Sightings.
As announcedJuly 10, Porta Ferrada, Spain. July 12, Santiago de Compostela. July 14, Madrid. July 16, Copenhagen. July 18, Manchester. August 30, Helsinki. September 2, Frankfurt. September 4, Paris. loureed.com
The creditSarth Calhoun, Continuum Fingerboard and live resampling of Lou Reed’s and Laurie Anderson’s voices, on the Yellow Pony tours of July and August to September 2009. Billed “claviers et électronique” at Salle Pleyel, Paris.
Passen alguns minuts de les 10 del matí al Curhotel Hipócrates de Sant Feliu i Lou Reed i Laurie Anderson, amb Sarth Calhoun sense dir res al seu costat, són el centre d’una multitudinària roda de premsa.
El Punt Avui, July 2009
The press conference
The first tour opened at the Festival de la Porta Ferrada in Sant Feliu de Guíxols on July 10, 2009. That morning the three of us sat a press conference at the Curhotel Hipócrates. El Punt Avui noted me beside them, saying nothing.
My account is from the Yellow Pony page of my old WordPress site, recovered from the Wayback Machine, and from what I added on September 23, 2026. The dates are Lou Reed’s own announcement.
Santiago de Compostela
The clip“Halloween Parade” in the Plaza del Obradoiro, Santiago de Compostela, July 12, 2009, the second night of the first tour: Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson and Sarth Calhoun. Five minutes, filmed from the audience and posted to YouTube by 1713cristina1713.