The forecourt of the Sydney Opera House has come alive with the sound of high-pitched music and howling dogs at the world's first concert performed for dogs.
The concert was the brain child of acclaimed US music artist Laurie Anderson and rock legend husband Lou Reed.
Anderson wrote the 20-minute piece Music for Dogs, describing it as "an inter-species social gathering on a scale never seen before in Australia".
"It was really so fantastic. All the dogs were really grooving on the music. They really seemed to enjoy themself," Anderson said. Big dogs, small dogs, dogs dressed up for the occasion and even a 15-year-old arthritic dog, whose owner pushed him in a makeshift dog wheelchair, attended the performance.
"I thought it would be a great opportunity for Kim, because he's old and he can't walk very far. He does like music, classical music," said the owner of border collie 'Kim Beastly'.
As the winter sun beamed down, the white sails of the Opera House shaded the audience, some perched on the steps overlooking the stage and more enthusiastic dog owners closer to the stage to make the most of the performance.
While dog owners could hear the music, some of the strange tones and high pitches were certainly geared for the dogs to appreciate rather than their two-legged owners.
With so many sizes and breeds of dogs in one spot, a local Sydney vet was on site in case there was any brawling. But with only one minor injury to report, he was able to have a laugh about the incident.
Well I'll reserve judgement but . . . barking mad comes to mind! Long weekend for us Aussies, God Save the Queen and her lovely birthday. Also the first World Cup game for the Soccaroos so wish us luck, we're playing a pathetic little team and are sure to win . . Germans can't play football can they?
"It's fantastic! It's a testament to Laurie and her reputation and the organisers of the event," Geoff Golovsky said.
"There's been no problem with the dogs. Everyone's been responsible. Someone stood on a dog's leg and is a little bit sore." The performance was part of the Vivid light festival which runs in Sydney from May 27 to June 20.
Oh and just so you know, I have a new responding to comments thing. Make sure your comment name links back to your email. I'll respond individually. Gets a bit tedious commenting on the blog . . leave a link and I'll talk yer sox off.
27 comments:
That's completely mental. What will they think of next?
And as for the world cup? All I have to say is bugger, frankly. Sharing a house with two boys, I will lose my television for the next few weeks and have to endure them all shouting at the TV. But still, COME ON, ENGLAND!!
that's a lovely video...had to click on it when i saw Bowie...good write up on the dog concert--Toby would've been too excited seeing the other dogs to even care about the music...
I'm not at all interested in football (typical woman), but if they are playing against Germany;
GO AUSSIES!!!!
The dogconcert thing was on the news here. Fun!
take me take me pant pany sk
Amy quite fancies that concert. Isn't it odd how you get a long weekend to celebrate the Queens' Birthday but we don't! As for the footy - Germany can't play (just remember 1966).
what will they think of next? i think the surprise is starting to wear off on me...hope you have a great wekend baino!
Hi there,
I thought the doggy thing was so cute but being allergic to dogs I would never be able to go to it. It sucks being allergic to dogs.
And the guy in the pic sure does look so old with all those wrinkles, see what I mean about staying out of the sun.
Anyway I hope you have a perfect weekend and each one is a perfect day.
God bless.
Laurie Anderson has held up a LOT better than Lou Reed!
I believe dogs enjoy ANYTHING where it gets them out of the backyard and around other dogs equally pleased to be out of the backyard. I think the howling was simply a "In the name of all things Fido, please stop the music and let me sniff all these rear ends!!!".
I've been listening to Laurie Anderson from way back in the '70s, she came out of that whole Soho/Velvet Underground/Andy Warhol scene in NYC, and she's considered a legend in the electronic music and performance art areas. I have a lot of her stuff here, and I've been to some of her concerts over the years. Even got in a brief conversation with her years ago; I have some fairly strong links to that crowd down in New York, and I occasionally get to rub shoulders with some extraordinary people. The music for dogs project sounds interesting.
Great video. It's interesting to see Emmylou Harris and Tammy Wynette show up in that bunch!
Haha - a dog concert? Really? My Elvis would be great in that - he's a howler!
Enjoy your weekend!
The doggies may have looked as if they were enjoying themselves, but I saw a lot of comments on the doggie blogs later (Doglog, HangDog, DogEatDog etc) along the lines of "WTF was that all about?" and "Well, it kept the humans happy for a bit". Don't believe everything you read in the human papers.
My pug girls would love that concert...and so would I.
Lou is turning in2 Keef!
I hope you will be supporting England when the Aussies are knocked out?
any way to pull yet another copper outta some unsuspecting doofus' purse/wallet, no doubt... as if they did not already have more money than time to spend it all GRRRRRRRRRRRR
I think the doggie concert was a fun idea. Would loved to see how Lily responeded. Enjoy your long weekend.
Hahaha! Sounds fun ... I wonder what Sid would have made of it? LOL!
Still, some people play nursery rhyme songs to their dogs to soothe them during thunder storms, so perhaps there's something in it, huh?
I've stolen your Friday Fuckwit theme today. It was just too perfect to pass up. ;)
Lou and Laurie, they would make great next door neighbours.
Hello,
I came here for FukWit and found BarkWit.
Anything with Dogs is cool in my book!
Thanks for the post!
Man....have those two had too many drugs or what? What a pair - soulmates I guess.
I could however see my Shelby going barking made at just the thought of a doggy concert!!!!
Go the Roos!!!!! God how unlucky - bloody germany....could be worse, could be spain!
ooooo the world cup - I am currently sitting in the office 6 hours away from the first England game and can you tell I am positively excited?!! Very very excited... Oh, don't forget to cheer for Greece too for Mec's sake ;0)
I'll skip the doggie concert and the footiefest. Can someone wake me when it is all over.
I'd imagine all that high-pitched music would set off a pack of dogs baying like crazy.
Who on earth are that wizened old couple on the leather couch?
That David Bowie & others vid used to come on practically every day, back "in" the day...
There was something else I was gonna say but it's evapourated like fresh morning dew.
Anyway, I hope yer having a cheery weekend.
xx
O yeah: speaking of supersonic high pitch. Did you hear about an invention called the Mosquito? It emmitted constant unpleasantly invasive noise, audible only to teenagers and those younger, but not proper people. Hence it was let off full blast on street corners, outside malls and in all places unpleasant youths are wont to gather.
What a fantastic idea! I hate teenagers.
Torture the fuckers, I say!
Hopefully it causes them much aural distress...
... next thing I hear the fucking thing's been BANNED ~ civil liberties, human rights or whatever. Terrible.
What a world we live in
Helen: You MUST let us know when this is available on YouTube so we may upload and play for our own four legged wonders. Mine are both howlers so it should be quite grand.
Wir spielen besser, ja! HA! But try tellin' tha' to the Brazilian limpador where I work! Double HA!
Think I'll go take a walk on the wild side ;)
I didn't know that Lou Reed was married to Anderson.... you learn something new everyday ;)
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