Sarth Calhoun

Conspiracies / Lou Reed spring 2008 U.S. tour

Conspiracy · Dream

Lou Reed
spring 2008 U.S. tour

Lou Reed toured the United States in April and May 2008 with his song band, playing the Northeast first and then working south by bus as far as Memphis. The tour was not tied to a new album.

It was my first tour with Lou. I played electronics and processed the other musicians live. The dates are listed on Sightings.

Lou Reed’s band on a club stage under red curtains, left to right: Rob Wasserman, Mike Rathke, Lou Reed, Sarth Calhoun, Tony “Thunder” Smith, John Zorn, Steve Hunter, Kevin Hearn.
Lou Reed’s band at the Highline Ballroom, New York, May 5, 2008, the last night of the tour, with John Zorn. Left to right: Rob Wasserman, Mike Rathke, Lou Reed, Sarth Calhoun, Tony “Thunder” Smith, John Zorn, Steve Hunter, Kevin Hearn. Photo: Mark McGauley.

The creditSarth Calhoun, electronics and live processing, in Lou Reed’s band on the spring 2008 U.S. tour, with Rob Wasserman, Kevin Hearn, Mike Rathke, Steve Hunter and Tony “Thunder” Smith. Jesse Jarnow, reviewing the last night for The Village Voice: “Sarth Calhoun’s invisible Macbookery.”

The route I remembered

What I remembered was Massachusetts, Northampton or something, then taking a bus south, and Beale Street.

It began with rehearsals at SIR in New York on April 14. The route ran from Philadelphia and Northampton through Washington, Asbury Park, Norfolk, Richmond, Durham, Asheville, Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis, then home to the Highline Ballroom on May 5.

The people on the bus

Lou was singing and playing guitar. Rob Wasserman played bass; Kevin Hearn keyboards; Mike Rathke and Steve Hunter guitars; Tony “Thunder” Smith drums. I did electronics and live processing.

Rob was always one of my heroes. How he treated the new guy in the band is on his page.

Beale Street

We reached the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis on May 3.

The route is from the Lou Reed papers and contemporary listings: Northampton on April 20, Beale Street on May 3, New York on May 5, 2008. My recollection of it is from an interview on August 25, 2026.