Laurie Anderson performed a concert specifically for dogs late this past Monday evening in Times Square.
The Guardian reports that the legendary performance artist and musician drew a crowd of about 50 canines and 100 or so of their humans to the steps of Duffy Square close to midnight in below-freezing weather for a set composed, and played at a lower frequency, for dogs as part of the Times Square Alliance's Midnight Moment program.
Dogs were given priority seating on the steps nearest the speakers. Humans were provided headphones similar to those worn at a silent disco so they could hear Anderson play her tape-bow violin, an instrument she invented in the '70s.
Anderson concluded the concert by conducting a canine chorus of barking, yipping and yapping, FACT Magazine reports. "It was a beautiful sound," she said. "They barked for five minutes. That was one of the happiest moments of my life."
Apparently, Anderson has always dreamed of playing a concert for dogs. The New York Times reports that she recently recalled in an interview sharing a dream with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, saying, "I have this fantasy where I look out, and the whole audience is dogs." The cellist replied: "Are you kidding? I have the same fantasy."
Watch some clips from the Times Square performance below.
The Midnight Moment initiative will continue to show a three-minute excerpt of Anderson's documentary Heart of a Dog -- the artist's reflections on death, love and dogs -- on Times Square billboards at 11:57 p.m. each night through the rest of January, Gothamist reports.
The film's soundtrack features Anderson's late husband, Lou Reed, and the stories in the documentary feature their rat terrier, Lolabelle.
A European TV network had commissioned Anderson to make the film. It screened at the New York Film Festival and is on the short-list for Oscar feature documentaries.
