Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
14 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
opening act: The Aislers Set
comedian: David Cross
mix CD: Gruff Rhys
benefiting: Freedom For Immigrants
It’s Hanukkah Time (Al Johnson) (with CJ Camerieri on trumpet/French horn & Mike McGinnis on saxophone/clarinet)
Before We Run (with CC & MM)
Moby Octopad (with CC & MM)
Mr. Tough (with CC & MM)
Eight Candles (Sam Elwitt) (with CC & MM)
Let’s Do It Wrong
The Crying of Lot G
Shades of Blue
Apology Letter (with CC & MM)
Black Flowers (with CC & MM)
Patty Baby (Freddie Cannon) (with CC & MM)
86-Second Blowout
Decora
Blue Line Swinger
Earth Anthem (The Turtles) (with CC, MM, & the Aislers Set)
*(encore)*
The Kid with the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell)
I’m Into Something Good (Carole King & Gerry Goffin) (with Vicki Peterson on guitar/vocals & John Cowsill on vocals)
I Can Hear Music (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector) (with VP & JC)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
13 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
opening act: Foggy Notion
comedian: David Sedaris
mix CD: James
benefiting: Trust Women Foundation & Abortion Care Network)
Foggy Notion:
European Son >
Waiting For the Man
Venus In Furs
Femme Fatale
Run Run Run
Heroin
I’ll Be Your Mirror
Foggy Notion
whole set (minus “Miles Away” & “Alyda”) with Ryan Sawyer on drums.
Miles Away
Tiny Birds
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop (with Steve Gunn on guitar)
Ballad of Red Buckets (with Gunn)
One PM Again (with Gunn)
Can’t Forget (with Gunn & Sue Garner on vocals guitar)
Rose Colored Glue (Sue Garner) (with Gunn, Garner, & Alan Licht on guitar)
Other You (Steve Gunn) (with Gunn, Garner, & Licht)
Alyda
Last Days of Disco (with Licht)
Double Dare (with Licht)
I Was the Fool Beside You For Too Long (with Licht)
Styles of the Times (with Licht)
We’re An American Band (with Licht)
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss (with Licht)
*(encore)*
Take A Giant Step (Carole King & Gerry Goffin)
The Boxer (Paul Simon) (with Damon Krukowski on guitar/vocals & Naomi Yang on vocals)
(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Beastie Boys) (with Damon & Naomi)
Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste (Jonathan Richman) (with Damon & Naomi)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
12 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
opening act: Beach House
comedian: Todd Barry
mix CD: Georgia
benefiting: Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
“Our Way To Fall” through “Everybody Loves A Clown” with Danny Tunick (vibraphone) & Joe McGinty (keyboards), except as noted.
Our Way To Fall
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Is That Enough
Coffee House (The Poets) (minus DT)
If It’s True
Did I Tell You
Aselestine
Count Me In (Gary Lewis)
Everybody Loves A Clown (Gary Lewis)
Here To Fall
Cherry Chapstick >
The Story of Jazz >
Sugarcube
Little Honda (The Hondells) (with JM)
*(encore)*
We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (Velvet Underground) (with Todd Barry on drums)
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
I Heard Her Call My Name (Velvet Underground)
Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground) (with Victoria Legrand on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
11 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
opening act: Meg Baird
comedian: Mia Jackson
mix CD: Ira
benefiting: Violence Policy Center
Big Day Coming (fast)
My Heart’s Reflection
Ashes
I’m On My Way
From A Motel 6
Beanbag Chair
The Point of It (with Charlie Saufley on guitar)
Sorrow (The McCoys) (with CS & Meg Baird on vocals/percussion)
Goin’ Back (Carole King & Gerry Goffin) (with CS, MB, Damon Krukowski on drums, Naomi Yang on keyboards/vocals)
Two Trains (with CS & MB)
Damage (with CS & MB)
This Stupid World (with CS & MB)
Nothing To Hide (with CS)
Tom Courtenay (with CS)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind (with CS)
*(encore)*
Bus Stop (The Hollies) (with CS & MB)
Drug Train (The Cramps) (with Ben Gibbard on guitar/vocals)
You Make My Dreams Come True (Hall & Oates) (with BG)
The Ghosts of Beverly Drive (Death Cab For Cutie) (with BG)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
10 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
opening act: The Feelies (acoustic)
comedian: Ronny Chieng
mix CD: Kelly Reichardt
benefiting: Groundwork USA
The Feelies (acoustic):
When Company Comes
Sunday Morning (Velvet Underrgound)
Egyptian Reggae (Jonathan Richman)
In Between
Everyday (Buddy Holly)
The Undertow
Let’s Go
Nobody Knows
Find A Way
Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (Bob Dylan)
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide (Except Me & My Monkey) (Beatles)
Original Love
Crazy Rhythms
whole set & encore (minus last 2 songs) with Stan Demeski (drums) & Dave Weckerman (percussion)
Center of Gravity
You Are Here
Tonight’s Episode
Everyday
Until It Happens
The Summer
A Worrying Thing
Forever
Nowhere Near
Song For Mahlia (with Bill Million on guitar)
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with BM)
False Alarm
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Deeper Into Movies
Sister Ray (Velvet Underground) (with BM & Brenda Sauter on organ)
*(encore)*
The Empty Pool (Yung Wu) (with BM, BS, & Glenn Mercer on guitar)
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Bob Dylan) (with BS & GM)
Good Shepherd (traditional, arr. Jorma Kaukonen) (with GM)
Pretty In Pink (Psychedelic Furs) (with GM)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
9 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
opening act: Lambchop
comedian: Dina Hashem
mix CD: DJ King Joe
benefiting: Advocates For Children
Lambchop (with Ira on saxophone):
Nine
Your Fucking Sunny Day
The Theme From the Neil Miller Show
My Face Your Ass
All Smiles & Mariachi
I Sucked My Boss’s Dick
Soaky In the Pooper
For Which We Are Truly Thankful
The Man Who Loved Beer
Alumni Lawn
It’s Not Alright
Up With People
Theone
The Pack-Up Song
“Night Falls on Hoboken” through “Slow Learner” & “I Heard You Looking” with Lambchop; whole set with Matt McCaughan on drums.
Night Falls on Hoboken >
This Stupid World (drone) > (with Kurt Wagner on vocals)
Always Something
Green Arrow
Group Grope (The Fugs) (with KW)
Readymades (Bonzo Dog Band) (with KW)
Slow Learner
Shadows (with Jonathan Marx on trumpet)
Satellite
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King & Gerry Goffin) (with William Tyler on guitar & Paul Niehaus on pedal steel)
The Race Is On Again (with WT & PN)
I Should Have Known Better (with Matt Swanson on bass)
Drug Test
Today Is The Day (fast)
I Heard You Looking
*(encore)*
20th Century Boy (T. Rex) (with Dina Hashem on drums)
Next Big Thing (The Dictators) (with Andy Shernoff on bass/vocals)
Loyola (The Dictators) (with AS)
Slow Death (Flamin’ Groovies) (with AS)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
8 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
opening act: Jimmy Flemion
comedian: Janeane Garofalo
mix CD: Howie Rose
benefiting: Doctors Without Borders
Stupid Things
Fallout
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Here You Are
The Cone of Silence
Periodically Double or Triple
Winter A Go Go
I Threw It All Away (Bob Dylan)
I Feel Like Going Home
I’ll Be Around
Sudden Organ
Stockholm Syndrome
Some Kinda Fatigue
Ohm
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Weird On The Avenue (The Frogs) (with Jimmy Flemion on guitar/vocals)
Life’s A Gas (T. Rex) (with JF)
Tapioca Tundra (Michael Nesmith) (with JF)
Lord Grunge > (The Frogs) (with JF)
Imagine (John Lennon/Yoko Ono) (with JF)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
7 December 2023
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
opening act: Sun Ra Arkestra
comedian: John Early.
mix CD: Clay Pigeon
benefiting: Anera.
“Shaker” through “Nuclear War” with Sun Ra Arkestra horns: James Stewart (saxophone), Knoel Scott (saxophone), Cecil Brooks (trumpet), Dave Davis (trombone), Michael Ray (trumpet)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Mark Luecke on whistling)
Sinatra Drive Breakdown
Autumn Sweater
For You Too
Madeline
Lewis
Shaker
Don’t Have To Be So Sad
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
Artificial Heart
Unmask the Batman (Sun Ra)
Brain Capers
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (boogie version)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
*(encore)*
Suspicion (Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman) (with Gary Olson [vocals/trumpet] & Julia Rydholm [keyboards] of Ladybug Transistor)
(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me (Burt Bachrach & Hal David) (with GO & JR)
I Have A Little Dreidel (Samuel S. Grossman & Samuel E. Goldfarb) (with John Early on vocals)
Where Or When (Richard Rogers & Lorenz Hart) (with JE)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
25 December 2022
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
opening act: Sun Ra Arkestra
comedian: Carole Montgomery.
mix CD: DJ Stashu
benefiting: Word of Life International.
“Speeding Motorcycle” through “Nuclear War” with Sun Ra Arkestra horns: James Stewart (saxophone), Knoel Scott (saxophone), Cecil Brooks (trumpet), Dave Davis (trombone)
It’s Christmas Time (Sun Ra)
Autumn Sweater
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
The Point Of It
Forever
Alyda
Nowhere Near
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Upside Down
Speeding Motorcycle (Daniel Johnston)
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
All the Glitter is Gone
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (boogie version)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
*(encore)*
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
3/5 Of A Mile In 1/10 Of A Second (Jefferson Airplane)
I Can’t Stand It (Velvet Underground)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Fallout
Our Way To Fall
Beanbag Chair
Ashes
Black Flowers
Don’t Have To Be So Sad
Keep It Warm (Flo & Eddie)
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1) (with Ava Mendoza on guitar)
The Last Days of Disco (with AM, Mac McCaughan on percussion)
Serpentine (with AM)
False Alarm > (with AM)
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with AM)
Outsmartener (with AM)
We’re An American Band > (with AM)
I Heard You Looking (with AM, MM on organ)
*(encore)*
Dawn Bends (Mac McCaughan) (with MM on guitar/vocals)
You Angel You (Bob Dylan) (with MM)
Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag) (with MM)
Fishing (Superchunk) (with MM)
Safe In The Rain (The Clean) (with MM)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
23 December 2022
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
opening act: Mali Obomsawin
reading: Calvin Trillin
mix CD: James
benefiting: Legal Services For Children San Francisco
“Night Falls On Hoboken” through “Let’s Be Still” with Mali Obomsawin Quintet
Night Falls on Hoboken
Damage
Swing For Life
The Summer
Let’s Be Still
Tired Hippo
Cherry Chapstick
Did I Tell You
I’ll Be Around
I Should Have Known Better
From A Motel 6
Today Is The Day (fast)
Deeper Into Movies
Frenzy (The Fugs)
Blue Line Swinger
*(encore)*
Right Side Of My Mind (Angry Samoans)
Candy Says (Velvet Underground)
Heaven Only Knows (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
You Are Here >
Green Arrow
Shades of Blue
Mr. Tough
Big Day Coming (acoustic)
As the Hour Grows Late (with Travis Good on guitar/vocals)
The Race Is On Again (with TG)
The River of Water (with TG)
One PM Again (with TG)
Kicks (Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil) (with TG)
Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Dessert By Mistake (with TG)
Sudden Organ
Let’s Compromise (Information)
Decora
Little Honda (The Hondells) (with TG)
*(encore)*
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King/Gerry Goffin) (with TG)
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (Bob Dylan) (with TG)
She Cracked (Jonathan Richman) (with TG)
A Good Flying Day (The Sadies) (with TG)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
21 December 2022
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
opening act: Angel Dean & Sue Garner
comedian: Aparna Nancherla
MC: Tom Kenny as Kenzie Matthews
mix CD: Dawn Richard
benefiting: Sunset Sparks
Blitzkrieg Bop (instrumental) (The Ramones)
Stockholm Syndrome
Little Eyes (with Greg Peterson on guitar/keyboards)
Walking Away From You (with Cheryl Kingan on baritone saxophone/percussion & GP)
Today Is The Day (with CK & GP)
Ice Tea (The Shams) (with Angel Dean & Sue Garner on vocals, CK & GP)
Je T’Aime… moi non plus (Serge Gainsbourg) (with AD, SG, CK, & GP)
Tears Are In Your Eyes (with CK & GP)
Apology Letter
Periodically Double or Triple (acoustic)
For You Too
Out the Window
Double Dare
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
I Found A Reason (Velvet Underground)
*(encore)*
Rockaway Beach (The Ramones) (with Marky Ramone, the real one, on drums & Tom Kenny on vocals)
Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones) (with MR & TK)
Be My Baby (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector) (with MR & TK)
I Wanna Be Sedated (The Ramones) (with MR & TK)
Loudmouth (The Ramones) (with MR & TK)
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (The Ramones) (with MR & TK)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
20 December 2022
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
opening act: Burnt Sugar Arkestra
comedian: David Cross as Rabbi Sugarman
mix CD: Dave Lombardo
benefiting: Southern Environmental Law Center
Ryan Sawyer on drums, Lee Ranaldo on guitar/bells, Bill Nace on taishōgoto for whole set except as indicated.
Turn On Your Lovelight > (Bobby “Blue” Bland)
Everyday
Demons
Let’s Do It Wrong
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Satellite
I’m On My Way (minus guests)
Paul Is Dead (minus guests)
Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Bob Dylan)
My Heart’s Reflection
Run Run Run (Velvet Underground)
Nothing To Hide
Tom Courtenay
Artificial Heart
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
*(encore)*
Take A Giant Step (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
Walking In The Rain (Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil/Phil Spector) (with Lucy Dacus on vocals)
First Time (Lucy Dacus) (with LD on vocals/guitar)
Home Again (Carole King) (with LD on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
19 December 2022
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
opening act: Gina Birch
comedian: Brittany Carney
mix CD: Ira
benefiting: One Acre Fund
Steve Shelley on drums for whole show
The Story of Jazz
Radar Eyes (The Godz)
Here To Fall
Here You Are >
I Was the Fool Beside You For Too Long
Madeline
Song For Mahlia
Shadows
Detouring America With Horns (acoustic)
Sunday Morning (Velvet Underground)
Stupid Things
Big Day Coming (fast)
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell)
Drug Test
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Tell Me When It’s Over (Dream Syndicate)
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (Carole King/Gerry Goffin) (with Gina Birch on vocals)
Solitary Man (Neil Diamond) (with Corin Tucker on vocals)
Shape of Things To Come (Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil) (with CT)
The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana) (Mark Barkan/Ritchie Adams) (with GB, CT, & Vicki Peterson on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
18 December 2022
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
opening act: Barrence Whitfield & the Savages
comedian: Liz Miele
mix CD: Nick Lowe
benefiting: Attic Youth Center
Seven Day Weekend (Doc Pomus) (sung as “Eight Day Weekend”) (with CJ Camerieri & Mike McGinnis on horns)
Moby Octopad (with CJC & MM)
Before We Run > (with CJC & MM)
She May, She Might >
Tiny Birds
Aselestine (with CJC)
Eight Candles (Sam Elwitt) (with CJC & MM)
Or Thousands of Prizes (Lambchop) (with Kurt Wagner on vocals, CJC & MM)
Season of the Shark
The Ballad of Red Buckets
Styles of the Times
Some Kinda Fatigue
Sugarcube
Ohm
Point That Thing Somewhere Else (The Clean) (with Mark Ibold on bass)
*(encore)*
Long Gone (The Customs) (with Peter Greenberg on guitar & vocals)
I Smell A Rat (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) (with Barrence Whitfield on vocals, Steve Lagrega on saxophone, & PG)
One Bad Stud (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) (with BW, SL, & PG)
Shopping For Clothes (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) with BW, KW, SL, & PG)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
5 December 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
opening act: Eleventh Dream Day
comedian: Joe Pera
mix CD: Patty Schemel
benefiting: Letters To Santa & One Simple Wish
From Me To You (The Beatles, sung as “From Me to Jews”)
Today Is The Day (slow version) (with Janet Beveridge Bean/drums, Mark Greenberg/keyboards, James Elkington/guitar, Doug McCombs/bass)
Stockholm Sydrome (with Rick Rizzo/guitar, JBB, MG, DM)
The Crying of Lot G (with JE, DM, JBB, MG)
Avalon or Someone Similar (with RR, JBB, MG, DM)
Season of the Shark (with JE, JBB)
Two Trains (with JE, JBB, DM)
When It’s Dark (with JE, JBB, DM, MG)
Goin’ Back (Carole King & Gerry Goffin) (with JE, RR, JBB, MG)
Group Grope (The Fugs) (with JE, RR, JBB, MG, DM)
Some Kinda Fatigue (with RR, JBB)
Autumn Sweater
Deeper Into Movies (with JBB)
Sister Ray (Velvet Underground) (with MG, RR, JBB, DM)
Our Way To Fall
*(encore)*
The Whole of the Law (The Only Ones)
Dum Dum (Bush Tetras) (with Cynthia Sley and Pat Place)
Run Run Run (Velvet Underground) (with CS & PP)
Too Many Creeps (Bush Tetras) (with CS & PP)
Here Comes My Baby (Cat Stevens) (with Marilyn Kaplan/vocals & Mark Luecke/whistling)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard, Lee Pockriss) (with MK)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
4 December 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
opening act: Natural Information Society
comedian: Hari Kondabalu
mix CD: Georgia
benefiting: National Alliance on Mental Illness
Green Arrow (with Natural Information Society)
I Can’t Stand It (Velvet Underground)
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Mr. Tough
Did I Tell You
Is That Enough
Swing For Life (with Natural Information Society)
The Last Days of Disco (with Natural Information Society)
The Room Got Heavy (with Natural Information Society)
False Alarm
Too Animalistic (Angry Samoans) (with Dutch Worthington)
Drug Test
Upside Down
We’re An American Band
Blue Ling Swinger
*(encore)*
I Threw It All Away (Bob Dylan)
I Don’t Care (The Ramones) (with Jon Langford & Sally Timms)
Dan Dare – Out of Space (It’s A Really Nice Place) (The Mekons) (with JL & ST)
Keep on Hoppin’ (The Mekons) (with JL & ST)
Dan Dare – Out of Space (It’s A Really Nice Place) (The Mekons) [take 2] (with JL & ST)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
3 December 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
opening act: Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die
comedian: Dina Hashem
mix CD: Ira
benefiting: Abortion Access Front
whole set from “Tired Hippo” onwards with Chad Taylor on drums
Cherry Chapstick
Nothing To Hide
She May, She Might >
Ack Ack Ack Ack (The Urinals) >
She May, She Might
Pablo and Andrea
Have You Seen My Baby (Randy Newman)
Tired Hippo
I’m On My Way
I’ll Be Around
As the Hour Grows Late (with Jaimie Branch/trumpet, Jason Ajemian/bass, Lester St. Louis/cello)
Let’s Be Still (with JB/JA/LSL)
The Summer (with JB/JA/LSL)
Moby Octopad (with JB/JA/LSL)
Right Side of My Mind (Angry Samoans)
From A Motel 6
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
*(encore)* with the Dream Syndicate
Definitely Clean (Dream Syndicate)
Too Little, Too Late (Dream Syndicate) (without Ira & James)
Hero Takes A Fall (The Bangles)
Some Kinda Itch (Dream Syndicate)
Tell Me When It’s Over (Dream Syndicate)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
2 December 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
opening act: Low
comedian: Fred Armisen
mix CD: James
benefiting: Environmental Advocates NY
whole show minus 1st 3 songs with Fred Armisen on drums
Surfin’ With the Shah (The Urinals)
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Forever
Detouring America With Horns
Center of Gravity
Black Flowers
Fog Over Frisco
Don’t Have To Be So Sad
Nowhere Near
Baby Strange (T-Rex)
I Should Have Known Better
Big Day Coming (fast version)
Sugarcube
Ohm
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Sorrow (The McCoys)
Orange Song (Antietam) (with Tara Key on guitar/vocals)
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (The Clash) (FA on guitar/vocals, Joe Puleo on harmonica)
I Am, I Said (Neil Diamond) (with Alan Sparhawk & Mimi Parker of Low on guitar/vocals)
Keep It Warm (Flo & Eddie) (with AS & MP)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
1 December 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
opening act: Cup (Nels Cline & Yuka C. Honda)
comedian: Jo Firestone
mix CD: Blockhead
benefiting: NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund
whole show with Nels Cline on guitar & Yuka C. Honda on electronics
Out of the Pool
Little Eyes
One PM Again (without YH)
Can’t Forget (without YH)
Lewis (without YH)
Tears Are In Your Eyes
The Race Is On Again (without YH)
Above the Sound
I Found A Reason (Velvet Underground) (with John Cameron Mitchell on vocals)
Waves of Fear (Lou Reed) (with JCM)
Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Desert By Mistake (Jad Fair)
Out the Window
Styles of the Times
Tom Courtenay
Little Honda (The Hondells)
*(encore)*
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
Cool Metro (David Johanson/Syl Sylvain)
Hanky Panky Nohow (John Cale) (without YH & NC)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
30 November 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
opening act: Marisa Anderson & William Tyler
comedian: Roy Wood Jr.
mix CD: Jeff Parker
benefiting: Texas Civil Rights Project
Georgia, Ira, and James joined Marisa Anderson & William Tyler for “Something Will Come.”
whole show (minus encore) with Marisa Anderson & William Tyler on guitars/keyboards
You Are Here >
The Fireside >
Damage
The Point Of It
Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Bob Dylan)
The Ballad of Red Buckets
Shades of Blue (minus MA)
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Satellite
Tears Are In Your Eyes (instrumental) (minus MA)
Shaker
She Cracked (Jonathan Richman)
Double Dare
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind >
Blues Stay Away From Me (Delmore Bros.)
*(encore)* with Ivan Julian on guitar/vocals
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell)
Going, Going, Gone (Bob Dylan) (Richard Hell arrangement)
Blank Generation (Richard Hell)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
29 November 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
opening act: Sun Ra Arkestra
comedian: Todd Barry
mix CD: Monica Lynch
benefiting: The Trevor Project
Stupid Things
Ashes
Awhileaway
Tiny Birds
Madeline
Paul Is Dead
I Was the Fool Beside You For Too Long
86-Second Blowout
Here You Are >
My Heart’s Reflection (with Sun Ra Arkestra horns)
Dreaming (Sun Ra) (with Arkestra horns)
Principal Punishes Students With Bad Impressions (Jad Fair) (with Arkestra horns)
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers) (with Arkestra horns)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (boogie version) (with Arkestra horns)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra) (with Arkestra horns)
*(encore)*
This Ain’t the Summer of Love (Blue Oyster Cult) (with Todd Barry on drums)
Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones)
TV Set (The Cramps)
Heaven Only Knows (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
28 November 2021
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
opening act: Amy Rigby
comedian: David Sedaris
mix CD: Sharon Van Etten
benefiting: HIAS
Back in the New York Groove (KISS) (sung “Back With the New York Jews”)
Today Is The Day (fast)
For You Too
Let’s Do It Wrong (acoustic)
Serpentine
Shadows (with CJ Camerieri on French horn & trumpet)
Beanbag Chair (with CJC)
Eight Candles (Sam Elwitt) (with CJC & Kevin Micka on drums)
Walking Away From You (with CJC)
1-2-3 (Len Barry) (with CJC)
Before We Run (with CJC)
Sudden Organ
Artificial Heart
Decora
I Heard You Looking (with Steve Gunn on guitar)
*(encore)*
At the Well (Last Roundup) (with CJC & Amy Rigby on guitar/vocals)
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
It’s All Right (The Way That You Live) (Velvet Underground)
I Heard Her Call My Name (Velvet Underground)
Always and Forever (Heatwave) (with DJ Time Traveler on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at SummerStage
New York, NY
1 October 2021
jam >
Who Loves The Sun (Velvet Underground) >
Before We Run
For You Too
Beanbag Chair
Tiny Birds >
Ashes
I’ll Be Around
Big Day Coming (fast) >
Autumn Sweater
Deeper Into Movies
Decora
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
*(encore)*
Bomber (Motorhead)
Tom Courtenay (Georgia version)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Woodsist Fest
Accord, NY
25 September 2021
jam >
Little Honda (The Hondells)
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
She May, She Might >
Ack Ack Ack Ack (The Urinals) >
She May, She Might >
Ashes
Black Flowers
The Summer
Tired Hippo
Shades of Blue
Stupid Things
False Alarm
For You Too
Double Dare
Time Fades Away (Neil Young)
Sugarcube
Blue Line Swinger
Our Way To Fall
*(encore)*
Big Day Coming (acoustic)
Griselda (Antonia)
Yo La Tengo at White Eagle Hall
Jersey City, NY
24 September 2021
Set 1:
You Are Here >
Forever
The Ballad of Red Buckets
The Point of It
I’m On My Way
Polynesia #1 (Michael Hurley)
Deeper Into Movies
Nowhere Near >
Here You Are
Set 2:
Stockholm Syndrome
The Story of Jazz
Little Eyes
For You Too
Mr. Tough
Sudden Organ
Autumn Sweater
From A Motel 6
Ohm
Blue Line Swinger
*(encore)*
Government Center (Jonathan Richman)
What’cha Gonna Do About It (Small Faces)
You Tore Me Down (Flamin’ Groovies)
The Freewheeling Yo La Tengo at TV Eye
Ridgewood, NY
23 September 2021
Satellite
Let’s Do It Wrong
Right of My Mind (Angry Samoans)
Gotta Get the First Plane Home (The Kinks)
Upside Down
Double Dare
Barnaby, Hardly Working
(What’s So Funny) ‘Bout Peace Love and Understanding (Nick Lowe)
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Sex Beat (Gun Club)
Blue Line Swinger
Did I Tell You?
Ack Ack Ack Ack (The Urinals)
Black Flowers
*(encore)*
Door Into Summer (The Monkees)
Tom Courtenay (Georgia version)
Yo La Tengo at TV Eye
Ridgewood, NY
15 September 2021
You Are Here >
Ashes
False Alarm
Paddle Forward
Season of the Shark
If It’s True
The Crying of Lot G
The Point of It
Move To California (Times New Viking)
I’ll Be Around
For You Too
Stockholm Syndrome
Sugarcube
Time Fades Away (Neil Young)
Decora
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
*(encore)*
Bomber (Motorhead)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams)
By The Time It Gets Dark (Sandy Denny)
Yo La Tengo at TV Eye
Ridgewood, NY
14 September 2021
This Is Where I Belong (The Kinks)
The Story of Yo La Tango
Double Dare
Shades of Blue
Tiny Birds
She May, She Might >
Ack Ack Ack Ack (The Urinals) >
She May, She Might
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Is That Enough
One PM Again
Roll On Babe (Derroll Adams)
The Summer
Sudden Organ
Tom Courtenay
Prisoners of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Neil Young)
Before We Run
I Heard You Looking
*(encore)*
Feel A Whole Lot Better (Gene Clark)
Black Hole (The Urinals)
Candy Says (Velvet Underground)
Thanks to AJP, @GenerationLoss, & @ckhesq for the total coverage!
Yo La Tengo at Greene Space
18 December 2020
*(Hanukkah, night 9)*
opening act: Amy Rigby
comedian: David Sedaris
benefiting: National Independent Venue Association
Here You Are >
The Hour Grows Late
Saturday
From A Motel 6 >
We Travel the Spaceways (Sun Ra)
I Want To Be With You (Bonzo Dog Band)
Before We Run
New Pleasures (Richard Hell)
For You Too
Roll On Babe (Derroll Adams)
Smile A Little Smile (The Flying Machine)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (acoustic version)
Shades of Blue
Autumn Sweater (piano version)
Stockholm Syndrome
I Heard You Looking (with Ivan Julian on guitar)
*(encore)*
Aba Dabba Do Dance (The Tradewinds) (with Todd Abramson on vocals)
Keep It Warm (Flo & Eddie)
Outside Chance (The Turtles) (with Wreckless Eric on guitar & vocals)
Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric) (with WE & Amy Rigby on vocals)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
29 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
opening act: Jon Spencer & the Hit Makers
mentalist: Zebrecky
mix CD: Georgia
benefiting: Equal Justice USA
whole set minus opener with Bill Frisell on guitar
Seven Day Weekend (Doc Pomus) (sung as “Eight Day Weekend”)
Return To Hot Chicken
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven
Super Kiwi
Barnaby, Hardly Working
Ashes
Detouring America With Horns
The Summer
Awhileaway
The Days of Wine and Roses (Dream Syndicate) (with Rob Zebrecky on vocals)
Little Eyes
We’re An American Band
Drug Test
I Heard You Looking (with Joe Puleo on organ)
I Feel Like Going Home
*(encore)*
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Paul Simon) (drone) (with Laurie Anderson on violin)
Venus In Furs (Velvet Underground) (with LA)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
28 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
opening act: Snail Mail
comedian: Matt Walsh
mix CD: YoshimiO
benefiting: RIP Medical Debt
Dream Dream Away
Cherry Chapstick
Avalon or Someone Very Similar
Beanbag Chair
The Race is On Again (with Dave Schramm on guitar)
Pablo and Andrea (with DS)
Season of the Shark (with DS)
From Black to Blue (with DS)
I’ll Be Around
For You Too
False Alarm
Autumn Sweater
The Story of Jazz
From A Motel 6
Blue Line Swinger
*(encore)* with Robyn Hitchcock on guitar/vocals
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (Bob Dylan)
Kill Your Sons (Lou Reed)
Drug Train (The Cramps)
I Wanna Destroy You (Robyn Hitchcock)
Love (Robyn Hitchcock)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
27 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
opening act: Sylvan Esso
poetry/music: Luc Sante & William Parker
comedian: Brittany Carney
mix CD: James
benefiting: National Abortion Federation
entire set with Brian Chase on drums
Out of the Pool
And the Glitter is Gone
The Last Days of Disco
Don’t Have To Be So Sad (with William Parker on bass)
Outsmartener (with WP on horn)
Song For Mahila
Above the Sound (with Nick Sanborn on electronics)
The Crying of Lot G (with NS)
Satellite (with NS)
Center of Gravity
Mr. Tough
Styles of the Times
Shaker
Decora
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Shock Me (Lenny Kaye)
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
Secret Agent Man (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with Allen Hill on vocals)
Hanky Panky (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich) (with Amelia Meath on vocals & Brian Chase on drums)
Fourth Time Around (Bob Dylan)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
26 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
mentalist: The Amazing Kreskin
organist: Josh Kantor
opening act: Sir Richard Bishop
mix CD: Mary Halvorson
benefiting: Alliance For Justice
You Are Here
The Ballad of Red Buckets (with Sir Richard Bishop on guitar & Josh Kantor on organ)
Damage (with SRB & JK)
Upside Down (with JK)
Did I Tell You (with JK)
You Baby (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with JK & Sam Elwitt on guitar)
Eight Candles (Sam Elwitt) (with JK, SE, & Kevin Micka on drums)
When It’s Dark (with JK)
If It’s True (with JK)
I Should Have Known Better (with JK)
Paddle Forward (with JK)
Government Center (Modern Lovers) (with JK)
Ohm
Our Way To Fall
*(encore)*
Beautiful World (Devo)
That’s Cool, That’s Trash (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with JK, SE, & Todd Abramson on vocals)
Tom Courtenay (acoustic version)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
25 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
comedian: Todd Barry
opening act: Christmas
mix CD: Laurie Anderson
benefiting: Community Musicworks & Eva’s Village
Santa Claus Goes Modern (Sven Swanson) (plus Ira as Santa)
Big Day Coming (slow)
Can’t Forget
Let’s Do It Wrong
Point and Shoot
Laisse Tomber Les Filles/Chick Habit (France Gall/April March) (with Christmas’s Liz Cox on vocals & Michael Cudahy on guitar)
Moby Octopad (with C.J. Camerieri on trumpet & French horn)
Shadows (with CC)
Black Flowers (with CC)
Before We Run (with CC)
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell)
Nothing To Hide
Double Dare
Heroin (Velvet Underground, Roky Erickson arrangement) (with Lee Ranaldo on guitar & vocals)
*(encore)*
Junk (Christmas)
This Ain’t the Summer of Love (Blue Oyster Cult) (with Todd Barry on drums)
Temptation Inside Your Heart (Velvet Underground) (with LR & TB)
Temptation Inside Your Heart reprise (Velvet Underground) (with LR & TB)
Maggie’s Farm (Bob Dylan) (with LR)
Mary-Christ (Sonic Youth) (with LR)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
24 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
comedian: David Cross
opening act: Sun Ra Arkestra
mix CD: Ira
benefiting: National Immigration Law Center
Sun Ra Arkestra horns enter during “Speeding Motorcycle” & stay for rest of set.
Here To Fall
Stupid Things
Forever
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Walking Away From You
The Weakest Part
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Speeding Motorcycle (Daniel Johnston)
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Dessert By Mistake (Jad Fair)
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers)
Big Day Coming (fast)
Little Honda (The Hondells)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
*(encore)*
This Diamond Ring (Gary Lewis)
Walk Away Renee (The Left Banke)
I’ll Be Your Mirror (Velvet Underground)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
23 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
comedian: Fred Armisen
opening act: Lucinda Williams
mix CD: Lariane Newman
benefiting: Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
whole set with Janet Weiss on drums/percussion
Rock and Roll Santa (Jan Terri)
Green Arrow
Sudden Organ
I Was the Fool Beside You Too Long
She May, She Might
Madeline
I’m On My Way
Wallflower (Bob Dylan) (with Lucinda Williams on vocals)
Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground) (with LW)
Get It On (T-Rex) (with LW, and Fred Armisen on drums)
Deeper Into Movies (with FA on keyboard)
Artificial Heart (with FA on drums)
Sugarcube (with FA on drums)
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss (with FA on drums)
*(encore)* with Lenny Kaye (guitar/vocals), Bruce Bennett (guitar), Miriam Linna (percussion)
Yesterday’s Numbers (Flamin’ Groovies)
Have You Seen My Baby (Randy Newman)
Teenage Head (Flamin’ Groovies)
Slow Death (Flamin’ Groovies)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
22 December 2019
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
comedian: Jon Glaser as the Man in the Green Mask
opening act: Steve Gunn and William Tyler
mix CD: Duane Harriott
benefiting: GLAD
whole set minus opener with William Tyler on guitar
whole set and encore with Fred Armisen on drums
From Me To You (The Beatles, sung as “From Me to Jews”)
Everyday
Here You Are
Stockholm Syndrome
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
The Point Of It
Swing For Life
Tears Are In Your Eyes (guitar instrumental version)
Shades of Blue
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1) (with Steve Gunn on guitar)
Wharf Rat (Grateful Dead) (with SG on keyboard)
Today Is The Day (fast) (with SG on guitar)
Tom Courtenay (with SG on guitar)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind (with SG on guitar)
*(encore)*
Live Fast Die Young (Circle Jerks) (with Greg Hetson on guitar)
S&M Party (Red Cross) (with GH)
Chinese Rocks (Dee Dee Ramone/Richard Hell) (with GH)
Carbona Not Glue (The Ramones) (with GH)
White Christmas (Irving Berlin) (with “Jon” on vocals)
The Condo Fucks
4 August 2019
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY
with 75 Dollar Bill
Experiment In Terror (Harry Mancini)
Bermuda (Roky Erickson)
Grey Hats (The Glands)
Look Back in Anger (Television Personalities)
Come See Me (Pretty Things)
Wild Honey (Beach Boys)
I Want You To Be My Boyfriend (Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers)
Just In Case You Wonder (Ugly Ducklings)
Stoned Out Of My Mind (The Chi-Lites)
With A Girl Like You (The Troggs)
Former Airline (Wire)
Sorry Suzanne (The Hollies)
Too Late (The Kinks) (with Rick Brown on vocals)
Get Down (Half-Life)
Frenzy (The Fugs) (with 75 Dollar Bill on horns)
The Condo Fucks also sat in with 75 Dollar Bill for “Friends & Neighbors” (Ornette Coleman)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
9 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
comedians: Todd Barry, and Toddophonic Todd
opening act: Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet
mix CD: Dave Weckerman
benefiting: New York Civil Liberties Union
Tell Me When It’s Over (Dream Syndicate)
For You Too
The Evil That Men Do (Craig’s Version) (with Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet)
She Cracked (Jonathan Richman) (with SMOSP)
You Don’t Own Me (Lesley Gore) (with SMOSP)
Pablo and Andrea
Polynesia #1 (Michael Hurley) (with Peter Stampfel on fiddle/vocals)
Lewis (with PS)
Is That Enough (with PS)
Walk Away Renee (The Left Banke) (with PS)
New Amphetamine Shriek (The Fugs) (with PS & Jeffrey Lewis on vocals)
Autumn Sweater
Tom Courtenay
Blue Line Swinger
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
*(encore)*
That’s What You Always Say (Dream Syndicate) (with Steve Wynn on guitar/vocals)
Glide (Dream Syndicate) (with SW)
Apple Suckling Tree (Bob Dylan) (with SW & Dallas Good of SMOSP on organ)
The Days of Wine and Roses (Dream Syndicate) (with SW)
Griselda (Antonia) (with PS & Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hillard & Lee Pockriss) (with MK)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
8 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
comedian: Joe Pera
opening act: Heron Oblivion
mix CD: Georgia
benefiting: Environmental Defense Fund
Dream Dream Away
Satellite
Here To Fall
Barnaby, Hardly Working
Green Arrow
Moby Octopad
The Weakest Part
Mr. Tough
Nowhere Near
Goin’ Back (Carole King & Gerry Goffin) (with Meg Baird of Heron Oblivion on vocals & Kevin Micka on drums )
I Should Have Known Better
Out the Window
Sudden Organ
Heroin (Velvet Underground) (Roky Erickson version) (with Charlie Saufley of Heron Oblivion on guitar)
*(encore)* with Steve Gunn on guitar
Puss ‘n’ Boots (New York Dolls)
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell)
Turning Time Around (Lou Reed) (with John Cameron Mitchell on vocals)
Let’s Call the Whole Thing (George & Ira Gershwin) (with JCM & Preservation Hall Jazz Band)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
7 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
comedians: David Cross (as Rabbi Alan Sugarman)
opening act: Oneida
mix CD: Ira
benefiting: Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice
James played bass with Oneida for their set. Georgia & Ira sat in on drums & organ for “Each One, Teach One” & “Sheets of Easter.”
whole set with Oneida (Baby Jane/guitar, Showtime/guitar, Kid Millions/drums, Bobby Matador/organ & bass, Snaps London/keyboards)
You Are Here
Night Falls on Hoboken
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
The Point of It
Little Eyes
Don’t Say A Word (Hot Chicken #2)
Damage
Big Day Coming (fast)
The Room Got Heavy
We’re An American Band
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss >
Dream Baby Dream (Suicide)
*(encore)*
To Sir, With Love (Don Black/Mark London) (with David Cross on vocals)
Swallow My Pride (The Ramones)
Pet Sematary (The Ramones) (with Clay Pigeon on vocals)
Don’t Come Close (The Ramones) (with Sharon Van Etten on vocals)
One Day (Sharon Van Etten) (with SVE on guitar/vocals)
The Dolphins (Fred Neil) (with SVE on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
6 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
comedians: Jon Benjamin & Jon Glaser (as Dave Franz & Dave Farina), and John Oliver
opening act: Bill Callahan with Jim White
mix CD: Yuka Honda
benefiting: Center For Constitutional Rights
Noise (Paul Simon, as Jerry Landis; Tico & The Triumphs)
Forever >
Stupid Things >
She May, She Might
Season of the Shark
I Found A Reason (Velvet Underground)
I Feel Like Going Home
I’ll Be Around
Shaker >
Styles of the Times
From A Motel 6 >
Drug Test
I Heard You Looking (with Joe Puleo on organ)
Our Way To Fall
*(encore)*
Touched By The Sun (Carly Simon) (with Bill Callahan on guitar/vocals)
Way Out West (Big Star) (with Jody Stephens of Big Star on vocals)
Baby Strange (T-Rex) (with JS on drums)
September Gurls (Big Star) (with JS on drums)
Blue Moon (Big Star) (with JS on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
5 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
comedian: Jim Gaffigan
opening act: Matmos
mix CD: Kid Congo Powers
benefiting: Union of Concerned Scientists
whole set (minus “Awhileaway”) with Matmos on electronics.
Everyday
Let’s Do it Wrong
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1) >
Saturday
Above the Sound >
The Ballad of Red Buckets (with Dave Schramm on guitar)
Awhileaaway (with DS)
The Summer (with DS)
Cherry Chapstick >
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) (with Dutch Worthington on bass)
Little Honda (The Hondells)
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)* with Dave Schramm on guitar/vocals
The Way Some People Die
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
Then He Kissed Me (Phil Spector/Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry) (with LaLa Brooks of the Crystals, Kevin Micka on acoustic guitar, & horn section)
I Wonder (Phil Spector/Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry) (with LB, KM, & horns)
Da Doo Ron Ron (Phil Spector/Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry) (with LB, KM, & horns)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
4 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
comedian: Jo Firestone
opening act: Nancy
mix CD: James
benefiting: Reproductive Health Access Project
Bridge Over Troubled Water > (Paul Simon) (drone)
Big Day Coming (quiet)
Before We Run
House Fall Down
Ashes
Black Flowers
What Can I Say (NRBQ)
Sorrow (The McCoys)
Artificial Heart
Some Kinda Fatigue
Nothing To Hide
Sugarcube
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
*(encore)* with the Strangeloves & Matt Fiveash (bass)
Cara-Lin (The Strangeloves)
Night Time (The Strangeloves)
Hang On Sloopy (The McCoys)
I’m On Fire (The Strangeloves)
I Want Candy (The Strangeloves)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
3 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
comedian: Roy Wood Jr.
opening act: Blind Boys of Alabama
mix CD: Perfume Genius
benefiting: Committee to Protect Journalism
Ohm (acoustic) (with the Blind Boys of Alabama)
Jesus (Velvet Underground) (with the Blind Boys of Alabama)
False Alarm
Stockholm Syndrome
The Last Days of Disco
Beanbag Chair
Shades of Blue
The Story of Jazz
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen) (Minutemen arrangement)
Decora
Double Dare
Ohm (electric)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (boogie version) (with Blind Boys of Alabama)
*(encore)* with Jon Langford of the Mekons on guitar/vocals
The Plans We Made (Lonesome Bob)
Girl From the North Country (Bob Dylan) (Nashville Skyline version)
Where Were You (The Mekons)
Hard To Be Human Again (The Mekons)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
2 December 2018
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
comedians: Bridey Elliot & Rebecca Robles
opening act: Sun Ra Arkestra
mix CD: Joe Belock
benefiting: HIAS
whole set & encore with Jim White on drums. members of the Sun Ra Arkestra enter during “Dreaming” and stay for rest of set.
From Me To You (The Beatles, sung as “From Me To Jews”)
Here You Are > (with Arkestra’s Danny Ray Thompson on voicemail greeting)
I Was The Fool Beside You For Too Long >
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Out of the Pool >
Upside Down
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
My Heart’s Reflection
Deeper Into Movies
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers)
All the Glitter Is Gone
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
*(encore)*
For Your Love (Graham Gouldman) (with Matt Clarke on keyboard)
Look Through Any Window (Graham Gouldman) (with Graham Nash on vocals & Matt Clarke on guitar)
Bus Stop (Graham Gouldman) (with Graham Nash on vocals/guitar & Matt Clarke on guitar)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
19 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
comedian: Jon Glaser (as Beer Joe)
opening act: Sun Ra Arkestra
mix CD: Derrick Carter
members of the Sun Ra Arkestra enter during “I Feel Like Going Home” outro and stay through rest of set: Michael Ray, Knoel Scott, Vincent Chancey, Danny Ray Thompson, Dave Davis
Big Day Coming (quiet)
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Today Is The Day (fast)
Upside Down
Is That Enough
The Weakest Part
I’ll Be Around
I Feel Like Going Home
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
Sudden Organ
Emulsified (electric) (Rex Garvin & the Might Cravers)
Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Desert By Mistake >
And the Glitter Is Gone >
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
*(encore)*
Rock and Roll Santa (Jan Terri)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
18 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
comedians: Josh Gondelman, Chris Gethard
opening act: 75 Dollar Bill
mix CD: Georgia
whole show with Fred Armisen on drums.
Here To Fall
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Satellite
Let’s Compromise (Information) (with Rick Brown on drums/vocals & Che Chen on guitar of 75 Dollar Bill)
The Ballad of Red Buckets (with RB & CC)
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with RB & CC)
Nowhere Near
Wonderful Again (Hypnolovewheel) (with Stephen Hunking of the XL Kings on guitar/vocals)
Autumn Sweater
The Story of Jazz >
Nothing To Hide
Heroin (Velvet Underground) (Roky Erickson arrangement) (with Tara Key of Antietam on guitar)
*(encore)*
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen) (Minutemen arrangement)
Walk Away Renee (The Left Banke)
Ghost Rider (Suicide) (with Michael Shannon on vocals)
Griselda (Antonia/Peter Stampfel)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
17 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
comedian: Eugene Mirman
opening act: Tweedy
mix CD: James
whole show with Jeff Tweedy on guitar/vocals/bass and Spencer Tweedy on drums.
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
Little Eyes
The Point Of It
Season of the Shark
Mr. Tough
Did I Tell You
If I Ever Was A Child (Wilco) (JT on vocals)
When It’s Dark
My Heart’s Not In It (Russ Titelman/Gerry Goffin)
My Back Pages (Bob Dylan) (JT on vocals)
I Should Have Known Better
Drug Test (minus JT & ST)
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss (minus JT & ST)
*(encore)*
I’m A Believer (Neil Diamond) (minus JT & ST)
Jeepster (T-Rex) (with Todd Barry on drums)
Just What I Needed (The Cars)
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
whole set with Amy Garapic on vibraphone/drums and Mac McCaughan on keyboard/guitar/drums/vocals.
Our Way to Fall
My Heart’s Reflection
Stockholm Syndrome
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Damage
The Summer
Oh No Not My Baby (Carole King/Gerry Goffin) (MM on vocals)
False Alarm >
Styles of the Times
Deeper Into Movies
Double Dare
Blue Line Swinger (minus MM)
*(encore)*
Paul Is Dead
I Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones) (with Jon Wurster as Marky Ramone)
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (The Ramones) (with JW/MR)
Detouring America With Horns (acoustic)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
15 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
comedian: John Hodgman
opening act: Half Japanese
mix CD: John McEntire
Cherry Chapstick
Beanbag Chair
Shades of Blue (debut)
Black Flowers
Don’t Have To Be So Sad
Attack on Love (with Jad Fair on guitar)
Circus Strongman Runs For PTA President (with JF on vocals)
Principal Punishes Students With Bad Impressions and Tired Jokes (with JF on vocals)
Velvet Monkey Theme Song (Velvet Monkeys) (with Don Fleming on guitar/vocals and Jay Spiegel on floor tom/snare)
Run Run Run (Velvet Underground) (with DF & JS)
Decora
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
*(encore)* with Marshall Crenshaw on guitar/vocals
You’re My Favorite Waste of Time (Marshall Crenshaw)
Take Me For What I’m Worth (P.F. Sloan)
A Must To Avoid (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri)
Don’t Dream It’s Over (Neil Finn)
Whenever You’re On My Mind (Marshall Crenshaw)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
14 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
comedians: Jon Benjamin & Jon Glaser as the Brothers Italiano
opening act: The Sadies
mix CD: Ira
Sugarcube
Seven Day Weekend (Doc Pomus) (sung as “Eight Day Weekend”)
Awhileaway
Song For Mahlia
Ashes (debut)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams) (with SQÜRL: Jim Jarmusch on guitar/vocals & Carter Logan on electronics)
Two Trains (with JJ & CL)
Shaker (with JJ & CL)
Out the Window > (with JJ & CL)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry > (Hank Williams) (drone version) (with JJ & CL)
Ohm (with JJ & CL)
Little Honda (The Hondells) (with JJ & CL)
*(encore)*
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (Bob Dylan) (with Travis & Dallas Good of the Sadies on guitars/vocals)
A House is Not A Motel (Love) (with TG & DG)
Tom Courtenay (Georgia version)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
13 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
comedian: Neil Hamburger
opening act: Los Straitjackets
mix CD: Dave the Spazz
whole set (after 1st 3 songs) with Mary Lattimore on concert harp.
The Evil That Men Do (Craig’s Version)
Run Run Run (Velvet Underground) (surf instrumental version) (with Los Straitjackets)
For You Too (debut)
Green Arrow
Today Is The Day
Gentle Hour (Snapper)
Pablo and Andrea
The Sea Horse
Stupid Things
Big Day Coming (fast)
We’re An American Band
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)* with John Doe of X on vocals/guitar/bass
The New World (X)
My Darling, Blue Skies (John Doe)
Pressing On (Bob Dylan)
Let’s Get Rid of New York (The Randoms)
Adult Books (X)
Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
12 December 2017
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
Todd Barry, Bob Odenkirk, and Miriam & Nobody’s Babies opened
mix disc by Mike Watt
benefit for New York Stem Cell Foundation & the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
whole set with Mary Halvorson (guitar) and Zeena Parkins (harp), entering during “Before We Run” outro jam.
Back in the New York Groove (KISS) (sung “Back With the New York Jews”)
Before We Run >
Everyday
From A Motel 6
Walking Away From You
Last Days of Disco
Saturday
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell)
Moby Octopad
Artificial Heart
Tom Courtenay
I Heard You Looking
*(encore)*
So Easy Baby (The Zantees) (with Miriam Linna on percussion/vocals & Bruce Bennett on guitar/vocals)
Cruel To Be Kind (Nick Lowe) (with Nick Lowe on guitar/vocals)
Baby, It’s You (Burt Bacharach/Luther Dixon/Mack David) (with NL)
Here Comes the Night (Bert Berns) (with NL)
Shake That Rat (Nick Lowe) (NL on bass)
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding? (Nick Lowe) (with NL)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
15 December 2012
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
Norman Blake and Gaylord Fields opened
benefit for the Jersey Shore Relief
mix disc by Yoni Wolf
whole set (minus “Ohm”) with Norman Blake on guitar, organ, and vocals
Ohm
Did I Tell You
Cone of Silence
Goin’ Back (Carole King & Gerry Goffin)
Avalon or Someone Similar
Season of the Shark
Circling the Sun (Jonny)
Moby Octopad
I Feel Like Going Home
Walking On Ice (The Riot Squad)
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Bob Dylan) (with Don Fleming on guitar)
Evelyn Marble (Velvet Monkeys) (DF on guitar and vocals)
God Knows It’s True (Teenage Fanclub)
I Heard You Looking
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
*(encore)*
Antmusic (Adam & the Ants) (with Ira & James drum procession & audience drummers)
Rice Krispies Jingle/Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones) (with Gaylord Fields on vocals)
Little Red Book (Burt Bacharach & Hal David) (with GF)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
Everyday
One PM Again
How To Make A Baby Elephant Float
Last Days of Disco
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Little Eyes
I Fall In Love Too Easily (Jule Styne & Sammy Cohn) (Andrew Bird on vocals)
When It’s Dark
I’ll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan)
Stupid Things
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven
Heroin (Velvet Underground) (Roky Erickson arrangement)
*(encore)*
Griselda (Antonia)
Song For the North Star (Jorma Kaukonen) (with Devendra Banhart on vocals)
If I Only Had A Match (Lee Morris, Arthur Johnson, & George W. Meyer) (with DB)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
13 December 2012
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
Barbara Manning and Eugene Mirman opened
benefit for the Ali Forney Center
mix disc by Cory Rayborn of Three Lobed Recordings
Big Day Coming (quiet)
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Frenzy (The Fugs)
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Winter A Go Go
I’m On My Way
I’ll Be Around
Cherry Chapstick
Styles of the Times
Sugarcube
Little Honda (The Hondells) (no noise jam)
Blue Line Swinger
*(encore)*
Christmas Is Lonely (When You’re A Jew) (The Yule Logs) (with Barbara Manning on guitar and vocals and Dan Vargas on vocals)
B4 We Go Under (Robert Scott) (with BM & DV)
Tried So Hard (Gene Clark)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
12 December 2012
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
El-P (with James on bass) and John Oliver opened
benefit for the Brooklyn Recovery Fund
mix disc by Georgia
From A Motel 6 >
I Should Have Known Better
Here To Fall
Can’t Forget
I Can Hear Music (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, & Phil Spector)
If It’s True
Mr. Tough
Nowhere Near
Cornelia and Jane
Deeper Into Movies
Some Kinda Fatigue
Sugarcube
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Dog Meat (Flamin’ Groovies)
Hanky Panky Nohow (John Cale)
Spec Bebop
We’re An American Band
The Crying of Lot G
20th Century Boy (T-Rex)
Out the Window
The Point of It
The Summer
Don’t Have To Be So Sad
Double Dare (acoustic)
Big Day Coming (fast)
Nothing To Hide
Decora
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
*(encore)*
Burnin’ For You (Blue Öyster Cult) (with Todd Barry on drums)
Our Way To Fall (with Martin Courtney of Real Estate on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
10 December 2012
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
The Feelies and John Mulaney opened
benefit for the Food Bank of New Jersey
mix disc by James
The Feelies:
Deep Fascination
For Now
Invitation
For Awhile
On the Roof
Let’s Go
Higher Ground
The Final Word
Slipping (Into Something)
Away
Way Down
When You Know
Doin’ It Again
Time Is Right
Raised Eyebrows
Crazy Rhythms
Yo La Tengo:
Paul Is Dead
Time Fades Away (Neil Young) (with Glenn Mercer of the Feelies on guitar)
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with GM)
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Something To Do
The Point of It
Tom Courtenay (Georgia version)
Tired Hippo (with Dave Weckerman and Stan Demeski of the Feelies on percussion)
The Room Got Heavy (with DW & SD)
False Alarm (with DW & SD)
The Story of Jazz (with DW & SD)
Double Dare (with DW & SD)
Little Honda (The Hondells)
*(encore)*
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Bob Dylan) (with The Feelies’ Bill Million on guitar & Brenda Sauter on vocals)
Sister Ray (Velvet Underground) (with GM & BM)
Autumn Sweater
Sudden Organ
Who Loves the Sun (Velvet Underground)
Today Is The Day (fast)
As the Hour Grows Late
Stupid Things
Shadows
Black Flowers
Walking Away From You (with Sabir Mateen and Darius Jones on saxophones)
Shaker (with SM & DJ)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra) (with SM & DJ)
And The Glitter Is Gone > (with SM & DJ)
Our Way To Fall (with SM & DJ)
*(encore)*
Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones)
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
8 December 2012
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
The Raybeats and Emo Philips opened
benefit for Fund to Rebuild Hoboken
mix disc by Tom Scharpling
Night Falls on Hoboken
Seven Day Weekend (Doc Pomus) (sung as “Eight Day Weekend”)
The Evil That Men Do (Craig’s version)
Stockholm Syndrome
Paddle Forward
Before We Run
Beanbag Chair
Big Day Coming (acoustic)
Satellite
Tom Courtenay
Artificial Heart
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell) (with Jody Harris of the Raybeats/Contortions on guitar)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind (with JH)
*(encore)*
Drug Test
Take A Giant Step (Carole King and Gerry Goffin)
(“Don’t Have To Be So Sad” with Chris Corsano and, barely visible behind keys, Glenn Jones.)
7 September 2012
Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh, NC
Hopscotch Festival
(Chris Corsano & Glenn Jones opened)
Time Fades Away (Neil Young)
From A Motel 6
Tears Are In Your Eyes
new song
new song
Beanbag Chair
The Weakest Part
Double Dare (acoustic)
Detouring America With Horns (acoustic)
Black Flowers
new song
Don’t Have To Be So Sad (with Chris Corsano on percussion & Glenn Jones on acoustic guitar)
False Alarm
Shaker (with CC & GJ on electric guitar)
Nothing to Hide
Sugarcube
Little Honda (The Hondells) (with CC & GJ on keyboards)
Enc.
Drug Test
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
***
8 September 2012
Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, PA WHYY Festival
(setlist via Dom)
Big Day Coming (fast)
new song
The Summer
Autumn Sweater
new song
Here To Fall
new song
Black Flowers
Nowhere Near
Nothing To Hide
Decora
Tom Courtenay
Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Enc.
Antmusic (Adam and the Ants)
Griselda (Antonia)
Center Of Gravity (with very drunk audience member celebrating his birthday named Greg on shaker)
Yo La Tengo: Georgia Hubley, Ira Kaplan, James McNew
with
Todd Abramson, current Maxwell’s co-owner, former YLT roommate John Beers, Happy Flowers Bruce Bennett, The A-Bones, auxiliary YLT guitarist during WFMU marathons Nils Bernstein, Matador Records Alan Betrock, New York Rocker founder Fred Brockman, The Kinetics, Snacktime Studios proprietor Rick Brown, Information, Fish and Roses Irwin Chusid, WFMU Byron Coley, writer Clint Conley, Mission of Burma, Ride the Tiger producer, bassist #3 Gerard Cosloy, Conflict, Homestead Records, Matador Records Liz Cox, Christmas Michael Cudahy, Christmas Jim DeRogatis, Jersey Beat writer, Chicago Sun-Times columnist, radio host Jad Fair, Half Japanese Steve Fallon, Maxwell’s co-owner, Coyote Records founder, occasional YLT manager Gaylord Fields, WFMU DJ, former YLT roommate Ken Freedman, WFMU DJ and station director Bobbie Gale, Atlantic Records Sue Garner, Fish and Roses, Run On, The Last Round-Up Karen Glauber, A&M Records Danny Goldberg, Atlantic Records Richard Grabel, New York Rocker, later music biz lawyer Mark Greenberg, The Coctails Tim Harris, Antietam, bassist #14 Michael Hill, New York Rocker, co-booker of Music For Dozens for series Nicholas Hill, WFMU DJ Gene Holder, the dB’s, YLT producer, bassist #11 Peter Holsapple, the dB’s Lyle Hysen, Das Damen, Snacktime Studios proprietor Emily Hubley, filmmaker, Georgia’s sister Stephen Hunking, Hypnolovewheel Adam Kaplan, Ira’s brother, occasional YLT manager Neil Kaplan, Ira’s brother Terry Karydes, A Worrying Thing Tara Key, Antietam David Kilgour, The Clean Hamish Kilgour, The Clean Wolf Knapp, Antietam, bassist #7 Jamie Kitman, YLT manager, 1990-1992 Bob Lawton, booking agent Michael Lewis, Lyres, DMZ, bassist #2 Laura Levine, New York Rocker photo editor Chris Lombardi, Matador Records co-founder Craig Marks, Homestead Records, YLT roadie-pal Mac McCaughan, Superchunk, Merge Records co-founder Mike McGonnigal, Chemical Imbalance Glenn Mercer, The Feelies Bill Million, The Feelies Phil Morrison, filmmaker, YLT roadie-pal Glenn Morrow, New York Rocker, The Individuals, Bar/None Records owner Chris Nelson, New York Rocker, Information Peter Occhiogrosso, SoHo Weekly News Dave Rick, bassist #1, occasional YLT fill-in guitarist, Phantom Tollbooth, Bongwater Will Rigby, the dB’s Rick Rizzo, Eleventh Dream Day Kevin Salem, Yo La Tengo lead guitarist on Fakebook tours Tom Scharpling, WFMU DJ Dave Schramm, Yo La Tengo lead guitarist, 1985-1986 Andy Schwartz, New York Rocker editor Robert Sietsema, Mofungo, photographer, food critic Chris Stamey, the dB’s, occasional YLT fill-in guitarist, bassist #6 Maynard Sipe, The Maynards Jim Testa,Jersey Beat founder Roy Trakin, SoHo Weekly News Brian Turner, WFMU DJ & music director Michael Vickers, Go-Betweens, bassist #9 Janet Waegal, New York Rocker Kurt Wagner, Lambchop Ken Weinstein, Atlantic Records Stephan Wichnewski, bassist #5 Janet Wygal, The Individuals, The Wygals, bassist #13
INTRODUCTION: THE STORY OF YO LA TANGO
p. 2: An Australian promoter achieves the Yo La Tengo typo trifecta, spelling all three words incorrectly.
(see also: Yo La Tengo’s own gallery, Top Billing.)
PROLOGUE: THE ELYSIAN FIELDS
p. 13: Maxwell Tavern in 1974, three years before its purchase by the Fallon family.
p. 53: The voices of Georgia and her older sister Emily star in Windy Day, a 1968 Oscar-nominated short by their parents, Faith and John Hubley.
Georgia and Emily’s voices star again Faith and John Hubley’s Cockaboody, animated circa 1973, but recorded prior to Windy Day.
p. 59: The 1956 Maypo ad by Faith and John Hubley starring Georgia’s brother Mark that became a national sensation, eventually spawning the phrase “I want my MTV.”
p. 61: Faith and John Hubley’s 1962 collaboration with Dizzy Gillespie, The Hole.
p. 67: Emily Hubley’s hand-drawn video for “Big Brown Eyes” by the dB’s, 1982.
CHAPTER 4: MUSIC FOR DOZENS
p. 69: “Gauge-loving” should read “garage-rock loving.”
p. 69: The 1982 video for “Anything Could Happen,” from the epochal Boodle, Boodle, Boodle EP by The Clean, leading lights of Dunedin, New Zealand’s punk scene and longtime Yo La Tengo favorites.
p. 73: An early version of “Crazy Rhythms” performed by The Feelies at CBGB in 1978.
p. 74: Following the 1979 release of Crazy Rhythms, The Feelies morphed into the abstract and Brian Eno-influenced Willies and played around their hometown of Haledon.
p. 80: Bad Brains are (duh!) from Washington, DC, not New York — though they were NYC residents at the time of their first album, for which Ira wrote liner notes.
p. 84: New York Rocker photo editor and birthday girl Laura Levine fronts the newly formed Georgia & Those Guys at the New York Rocker office. (An interview with Laura.)
CHAPTER 5: GEORGIA & THOSE GUYS
p. 93: Some of Georgia’s flyers for the Music For Dozens series at Gerde’s Folk City, booked by Ira and Michael Hill from November 1982 through January 1984.
p. 98: In spring 1983, Ira and Georgia traveled to Boston to see one of the final shows by Mission of Burma, one of their favorite bands.
p. 109: The flyer for the first proper Yo La Tengo show, Maxwell’s–December 2, 1984–a co-bill with close friends Antietam. (Mucho excellent Antietam history at their official site.)
p. 109: The Urinals perform “Surfin’ With the Shah” live in 1983, the first song Yo La Tengo played at their first gig in December 1984.
CHAPTER 6: YO LA TENGO
p. 117: Georgia, visible in barely a single frame in the video for Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days,” shot by filmmaker John Sayles at Maxwell’s, September 1985.
p. 118: “The Hoboken Sound” aired on WNEW, which didn’t become WNYW until a few months later, in January 1986.
p. 119: Yo La Tengo with Mike Lewis (bassist #2) at the River City Fair in Hoboken, August 1985. (Photo by Jim Testa of Jersey Beat.)
p. 127:Mose Allison, not Moses.
p. 128: William Berger, not William Burger, whose “My Castle of Quiet” can still be heard on WFMU.
p. 130: Outtakes from the Ride the Tiger photo shoot. (photos by Carol Addessi)
The Ride The Tiger band with Mike Lewis and Dave Schramm (far left).
The short-lived lineup featuring both Dave Schramm (with baseball bat) and Stephan Wichnewski (bassist #5, far left) at the Stevens Institute near the Elysian Fields in Hoboken.
CHAPTER 7: ROAD FOOD, GOOD FOOD
p. 136: Georgia, Ira, and Stephan Wichnewski (bassist #5) perform “House Fall Down” at Cicero’s in St. Louis, November 1987, the earliest circulating footage of Yo La Tengo, recorded for the local cable access show Psychotic Reaction. (The opening act was Uncle Tupelo, making their first trip the big city from nearby Belleville, IL.)
p. 152: Ira and Georgia perform “Teenager in Love” and Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” in their Hoboken living room, spring 1988.
p. 171: Yo La Tengo’s first video, for “The Summer.” Directed by Phil Morrison, summer 1990.
p. 171: Yo La Tengo with Gene Holder (bassist #11) perform The Kinks’ “Big Sky” in Berlin, August 1990.
CHAPTER 9: AND SUDDENLY…
p. 182: Maynard Sipe was the drummer for the Maynards, not the singer.
p. 187: James, in his solo Dump guise, performs several tracks (including a cover of the Fugs’ “Morning, Morning”) in the Dutch countryside, circa 1995.
p. 256: In fact, Oar Folkjokeopus didn’t close, merely changed its name to Treehouse Records. Stop by on your next trip through Minneapolis.
CHAPTER 14: OUR WAY TO FALL
p. 266: Jon Spencer and Yo La Tengo perform Superchunk’s “Slack Motherfucker” at Matador’s 10th anniversary shows.
p. 268: A complete performance filmed at the Cat’s Cradle in North Carolina with Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan and The Clean’s David Kilgour rotating on auxiliary guitar/vibraphone/keyboards, March 2000.
Yo La Tengo + two drummers + strings perform “You Can Have It All” on Conan O’Brien, June 2000.
p. 272: “Harold” should be “Armando.”
CHAPTER 15: A PLASTIC MENORAH
p. 285: Portraits of Yo La Tengo taken just before the release of 2003’s Summer Sun by photographer Jack Chester.
CHAPTER 17: POPULAR SONGS
p. 309: “1999” from Dump’s redacted album of Prince covers, That Skinny Motherfucker With the High Voice?
p. 312: Yo La Tengo back Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner on “Theone” during an early Freewheelin’ Yo La Tengo tour, Nashville, January 2008.
p. 313: Alex Chilton joins Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s, December 2007, for “Let Me Get Close To You.”
p. 316: Yo La Tengo and Roger Moutenot record Popular Songs at the band’s rehearsal space, 2009. Photo by Liz Clayton (and other photos from the sessions).
p. 321: There were two American installments of All Tomorrow’s Parties before the festival moved to New York, though none in the style of the festival’s British holiday camp roots.
p. 324: Yo La Tengo back Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy on “Jesus, etc.” at Maxwell’s, 3 December 2010
The Elysian Charter School of Hoboken sings “Sugarcube” at Maxwell’s, 3 December 2010
NOTES
p. 327: The list of former Yo La Tengo bassists was accidentally printed alphabetically instead of chronologically.
Terry Karydes (A Worrying Thing, 1982-1983)
Dave Schramm (A Worrying Thing, 1983)
Dave Rick (1984-1985)
Mike Lewis (1985-1986)
Clint Conley (1986)
Steve Michener (1986)
Stephan Wichnewski (1986-1989)
Chris Stamey (1986)
Wolf Knapp (1988)
Tony Maimone (1988)
Robert Vickers (1989)
Al Greller (1990-1991)
Gene Holder (1990)
Wilbo Wright (1990)
Janet Wygal (1990)
Tim Harris (1991)
James McNew (1991-present)
Between the Advance Reading Copies and the final edition of Big Day Coming, the bassist list in the book’s appendix was switched from chronological order to alphabetical. Here is the correct version.
Terry Karydes (A Worrying Thing, 1982-1983) also played with: the Schramms
Dave Schramm (Georgia & Those Guys, 1983) also played with: the Schramms; YLT guitarist 1985-1986
1. Dave Rick (1984-1985) also played with: Phantom Tollbooth, Bongwater; occasional YLT guitarist 1986-1987
2. Mike Lewis (1985-1986) also played with: Lyres, the A-Bones
3. Clint Conley (1986) also played with: Mission of Burma
4. Steve Michener (1986) also played with: Volcano Sons
5. Stephan Wichnewski (1986-1989)
6. Chris Stamey (1986) also played with: the dB’s
7. Wolf Knapp (1988) also played with: Antietam
8. Tony Maimone (1988) also played with: Pere Ubu, They Might Be Giants
9. Robert Vickers (1989) also played with: the Go-Betweens
10. Al Greller (1990-1991) also played with: Peter Stampfel, The Schramms
11. Gene Holder (1990) also played with: the dB’s
12. Wilbo Wright (1990) also played with: Marc Ribot, Ui
13. Janet Wygal (1990) also played with: the Individuals, the Wygals
14. Tim Harris (1991) also played with: Antietam, Babylon Dance Band
15. James.McNew (1991-present) also played with: the Maynards, Christmas
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
27 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
The Trypes and Chris Elliott opened.
benefit for Oasis New Jersey.
Mix disc by Georgia
(YLT backed Chris Elliott on Neil Diamond’s “I Am, I Said”)
As The Hour Grows Late (with Rick Rizzo on guitar and John Baumgartner on accordion)
I Threw It All Away (Bob Dylan) (with RR and JB)
Heroin (Velvet Underground) (Roky Erickson version) (with RR)
I Should Have Known Better
Swing For Life
Damage
Liz Beth (Eleventh Dream Day) (RR on vocals)
Big Day Coming (acoustic) (with RR)
The Empty Pool (Yung Wu) with Glenn Mercer on guitar)
From A Motel 6 > (with GM)
Flying (The Beatles) > (with The Trypes)
It’s All Too Much (The Beatles) > (with the Trypes)
I Heard You Looking (with GM, JB on keyboards, and Stan Demeski on drums)
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
*(encore)*
Blue Line Swinger
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard, Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)
N.B.: Penguin/Gotham will publish my book, Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, on 6 June 2012. Sweet. See also: Twitter.
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
26 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
Kurt Vile & the Violators and Leo Allen opened.
benefit for Pathfinders International.
Mix discs by Ira
(whole show with Dave Schramm on guitar)
Sudden Organ
Can’t Forget
How To Make A Baby Elephant Float
I Can Hear Music (Ellie Greenwich)
When It’s Dark
Here Comes My Baby (Cat Stevens)
Cone of Silence
Little Eyes
I Feel Like Going Home
Griselda (Antonia) (with Peter Stampfel on fiddle and vocals)
One PM Again (with PS)
The One To Cry (The Escorts (with PS)
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) (with PS)
Mr. Tough (with PS)
The Summer
Asparagus Song
Center of Gravity
*(encore)*
I Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones )
Gates of Steel (Devo)
Prisoners of Rock and Roll (Neil Young)
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
25 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
Dump and Kurt Braunhohler opened.
benefit for Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Mix discs by Tim and Eric.
Dump:
How Many Bells?
Dear Betty Baby (Mayo Thompson)
A Plea For Dump
It’s Not Alright
Another Lonely Christmas (Prince)
Daily Affirmation (with Georgia and Ira)
Superpowerless (with Georgia and Ira)
YLT:
Santa Claus Goes Modern (Sven Swanson)
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with Tara Key on guitar)
Black Hole (The Urinals) (with TK)
Fog Over Frisco (with TK)
Sometimes I Don’t Get You
Flying Lesson (with TK and Gil Divine on guitars)
S haker (with TK and GD)
Something To Do (with TK)
I’m Set Free (with TK)
Satellite (with Rachel Blumberg on drums and TK)
Nowhere Near (with RB and TK)
Outsmartener (with TK)
Moby Octopad (with TK)
Nothing To Hide (with TK)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind (with TK)
*(encore)*
Take A Giant Step (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) (with TK)
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
24 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
The Glands and Jon Glaser opened.
benefit for Tommy Brull Foundation.
Mix disc by Mr. Finewine
Big Day Coming (slow) (with Tara Key on keyboards)
Stockholm Syndrome (with TK on guitar for rest of night)
The Crying of Lot G (with TK)
Demons (with TK)
Upside Down (drone version) (with TK)
Beanbag Chair
If It’s True
I’m On My Way (with TK)
Double Dare (alt. arrangement) (with TK)
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck) (with TK)
Orange Song (Antietam) (with TK)
Decora (with TK)
Big Day Coming (fast)
Little Honda (with TK)
*(encore)*
Rock and Roll Santa (Jan Terri) (with TK)
Night Moves (Bob Seger) (with TK and Jon Glaser as ‘Jon’ on vocals)
Yellow Sarong (The Scene Is Now)
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
23 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
Pussy Galore and Todd Barry opened.
benefit for Letha Rodman-Melchior Fund.
Mix disc by Chris Knox.
(whole show with Dave Rick on guitar.)
Detouring America With Horns (DR on bass)
Nothing To Hide
Avalon or Someone Very Similar
Porpoise Song (Carole King) (DR on vocals)
The River of Water
Serpentine
Ben Wa Baby (Phil Milstein)
Don’t Have To Be So Sad (with Rachel Blumberg on drums)
Saturday (with RB)
Coloured (Chris Knox)
Black Flowers
Today Is The Day (fast)
Some Kinda Fatigue
Tom Courtenay
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven
*(encore)*
You Don’t Love Me Yet (Roky Erickson) (with RB)
This Ain’t The Summer of Love (Blue Oyster Cult) (with Todd Barry on drums)
Crush (Chris Knox)
N.B.: Penguin/Gotham will publish my book, Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, on 6 June 2012. Sweet. See also: Twitter.
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
22 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
Lee Ranaldo Band and Ted Alexandro opened.
benefit for Clean Ocean Action.
Mix disc by Kid Koala.
Nutricia
Sugarcube (alt. arrangement)
Madeleine
Lewis
Mr. Tough
Season of the Shark
Periodically Double or Triple
Doesn’t Anybody Love the Dark (Run On) (with Alan Licht on guitar and vocals)
The Last Days of Disco (with AL, Lee Ranaldo on guitar, and Steve Shelley on drums)
Fourth Time Around (Bob Dylan) (with AL, LR, SS)
Decora (alt. arrangement) (with AL, LR, SS)
Double Dare (with SS)
Mote (Sonic Youth) > (with LR & SS)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind (with LR, AL, & SS)
*(encore)*
Andalucia (John Cale)
Mandy (Barry Manilow) (with John Cameron Mitchell on vocals)
N.B.: Penguin/Gotham will publish my book, Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, on 6 June 2012. Sweet. See also: Twitter.
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
21 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
Spent and Bobcat Goldthwait opened.
benefit for International Relief Teams.
Mix disc by James.
Green Arrow (with Smokey Hormel on guitar)
We’re An American Band (with SH)
The Weakest Part (with SH)
Here To Fall (alt. arrangement) (with SH)
Let’s Be Natural (The Rutles) (with Neil Innes on guitar/keys/vocals)
Ouch! (The Rutles) (with NI)
Democracy (Neil Innes) (with NI)
Under the Evening Sun (Neil Innes) (with NI)
I Want To Be With You (Bonzo Dog Band) (with NI)
Where Has All the Money Gone (NI solo)
Bottom of the Pile (Neil Innes) (NI solo)
Doubleback Alley / Good Times Roll / Another Day / Cheese & Onions (NI solo until “C&O”)
My Heart’s Reflection (with SH & NI)
One of Those People (Neil Innes) (with SH & NI)
Tears Are In Your Eyes (with SH & NI)
I’m The Urban Spaceman (Bonzo Dog Band) (with SH & NI)
Autumn Sweater (with SH & NI)
The Story of Yo La Tango (alt. arrangement) (with SH & NI)
*(encore)*
My Little Red Book (Burt Bacharach & Hal David) (with Gaylord Fields on vocals)
Hanky Panky Nohow (John Cale)
N.B.: Penguin/Gotham will publish my book, Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, on 6 June 2012. Sweet. See also: Twitter.
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
20 December 2011
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
The Sea & Cake and Jon Benjamin & Jon Glaser opened.
benefit for Roots & Wings of New Jersey.
Mix disc by Bob Odenkirk.
(entire set with Mac McCaughan on guitar, keyboards, and vocals.)
Night Falls on Hoboken
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
Nothing To Hide
Stockholm Syndrome
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Did I Tell You?
Upside Down
Noisy Night (Portastatic) (Mac vocals)
Styles of the Times (with John McEntire on drums)
Don’t Say A Word (with John McEntire on drums)
Drug Test
Tom Courtenay (Georgia vocals)
I Heard You Looking (with Sam Prekop & Archer Prewitt on guitars)
Our Way To Fall (with Sam Prekop & Archer Prewitt on guitars)
*(encore)*
Aba Dabba Do Dance (The Tradewinds) (with Todd Abramson on vocals & Archer Prewitt on drums)
Somebody’s In Love (Sun Ra)
N.B.: Penguin/Gotham will publish my book, Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock, on 6 June 2012. Sweet. See also: Twitter.
[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/flotsam/ylt ]
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
8 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
The National and Marc Maron opened.
benefit for Transportation Alternatives and City Harvest.
(entire set, minus last two songs, with Hamish Kilgour on percussion/guitar)
Night Falls On Hoboken
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
Madeleine
Mr. Tough
Gentle Hour (Snapper)
Tired Hippo
Demons
Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog (Norma Tanega)
Whatever I Do It’s Right (The Clean)
Sweet Dreams (The Mad Scene)
Sudden Organ
Deeper Into Movies
Nothing To Hide
Blue Line Swinger
Our Way To Fall
*(encore)*
I Can’t Stand It Anymore (Velvet Underground) (with Bruce Bennett on guitar)
We Belong Together (Randy Newman)
Love Power (Mel Brooks) (with Gil Divine on guitar)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
7 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
Bonnie Prince Billy & the Cairo Gang and Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler opened.
benefit for Sudanese of Kentucky & Roots of Music
Mix disc by Georgia.
(whole set with Nels Cline on guitar)
I Feel Like Going Home
All the Glitter Is Gone
Swing For Life
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King)
Season of the Shark
The Last Days of Disco
Shadows
Little Eyes
Black Flowers
Satellite
Big Day Coming (fast) >
Serpentine
Artificial Heart
Tom Courtenay
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
*(encore)*
Pet Cemetery (The Ramones)
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (The Ramones)
Heavenly Arms (Lou Reed) (with Bonnie Prince Billy & the Cairo Gang)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
6 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 6)*
Mofungo and Eugene Mirman opened.
benefit for Visionfest, and others TK
Mix disc by Ira.
My Heart’s Reflection
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with Tara Key on guitar)
Styles of the Times (with TK)
Stockholm Syndrome (with TK)
Tears Are In Your Eyes (with Mikael Jorgenson of Wilco on keyboards)
She May Call You Up Tonight (The Left Banke) (with MJ)
Shut Up (The Monks) (with MJ)
Avalon or Someone Very Similar (with MJ)
If It’s True (with MJ)
You Can Have It All (George McCrea) (with MJ)
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Bob Dylan) (with MJ)
Upside Down (with MJ)
This Ain’t the Summer of Love (Blue Oyster Cult) (with MJ)
Little Honda (Beach Boys) (with MJ and audience members)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (boogie version) (with MJ)
*(encore)*
Red Rubber Ball (Paul Simon)
Do You Remember That? (Amy Rigby) (with Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric)
I Get Out of Breath (The Turtles) (with AR and WE)
Whole Wide World (with AR and WE)
Nothing (The Fugs) (with TK, MJ, AR, Gil Divine, Mofungo)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
5 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 5)*
Mission of Burma and Wyatt Cenac opened.
benefit for International Rescue Committee & Partners In Health
Mix disc by James.
(whole set with Bob Weston of Mission of Burma/Shellac/Volcano Sons mixing/looping/dubbing)
Green Arrow
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
The Crying of Lot G
Periodically Double or Triple
The Room Got Heavy
The Empty Pool (Yung Wu)
Pablo and Andrea
Paul Is Dead
Nowhere Is Near
I’m Your Man (Richard Hell)
Drug Test
Double Dare (fast)
Sugarcube
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
*(encore)*
Astral Plane (Jonathan Richman) (with Jason Kaufman, WFMU auction winner, on vocals and Roger Miller on organ)
Cover (Volcano Sons) (with Peter Prescott on vocals and Bob Weston on bass)
Ben Wa Baby (Phil Milstein) (with Clint Conley on bass, RM, and PP)
Frenzy (The Fugs) (with CC, RM, PP)
So Tough (Dredd Foole) (with CC, RM, PP)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
4 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
Syl Johnson and Jon Glaser (as ‘Rabbi Attitude’) opened.
benefit for Physician’s Reproductive Choice and Health
Mix disc by the Numero Group.
Everyday
We’re An American Band
Cone of Silence
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You (Neil Diamond)
Beanbag Chair
Winter A Go Go
Here To Fall
I’m On My Way
Decora (quiet)
Sudden Organ
Get Down (Half Life)
Out the Window
Tom Courtenay
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Autumn Sweater (with Jon Glaser as ‘Jon’ on vocals)
Ain’t Nothin’ But A House Party (The Show Stoppers) (with Peter Wolf on vocals)
I’ve Had It (The Bell-Notes) (with PW)
Pack Fair and Square (Big Walter Price) (with PW)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard, Lee Pockriss) (with Ira’s mom on vocals)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
3 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
Elysian Charter School of Hoboken Chorus, Jeff Tweedy, and Eugene Mirman opened.
benefit for Elysian Charter School of Hoboken.
Elysian Charter School of Hoboken Chorus:
Stockholm Syndrome
Sugarcube
Mr. Tough
Mix disc by Brian Turner.
Eight Day Weekend (“Seven Day Weekend” by Doc Pomus, performed by Gary “U.S.” Bonds) (with Jeff Tweedy on guitar and vocals)
From A Motel 6 (with JT)
Jesus Etc. (Wilco) (with JT)
Can’t Forget (with JT)
Chords of Fame (Phil Ochs) (with JT)
The Race Is On Again (with JT)
One Of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) (Bob Dylan) (with JT)
Shoppin’ For Clothes (Doc Pomus, performed by the Coasters) (with JT)
I Should Have Known Better (with JT)
Tom Courtenay (Georgia version)
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
Big Day Coming (fast)
Today Is The Day
Nothing To Hide
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
*(encore)*
Windows Hotel (Alex Chilton)
Strychnine (The Sonics) (with Kid Congo Powers of the Cramps)
Drug Train (The Cramps) (with KCP)
I’m Cramped (The Cramps) (with KCP)
For the Love Of Ivy (Jeffrey Lee Pierce) (with KCP)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
2 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 2)*
The Parting Gifts and Jim Gaffigan opened.
benefit for Valerie Fund & Dravet Syndrome Foundation.
Mix disc by Damian Abraham.
Surfin’ With The Shah (The Urinals)
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Periodically Double or Triple
Stockholm Syndrome
Here To Fall
The Weakest Part
The Pain of Pain
The Summer (with Bob Lawton on guitar)
Double Dare (acoustic)
False Alarm
Shaker
A House Is Not A Motel (Love)
Sugarcube
Heroin (Lou Reed, Roky Erickson arrangement)
*(encore)*
Rolling Stones Rice Krispies Jingle (Brian Jones) (with the Great Gaylord on vocals, Greg Cartwright of the Parting Gifts on guitar)
Little Red Book (Burt Bacharach) (with GG and GC)
Stop and Think It Over (Greg Cartwright) (with GC and Dave Amels of the Parting Gifts on keyboards)
Heaven Only Knows (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich) (with GC and DA)
I’ll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan)
By The Time It Gets Dark (Sandy Denny)
Griselda (Peter Stampfel)
Pretty In Pink (Psychedelic Furs) (with Glenn Mercer of the Feelies on guitar/vocals)
White Light/White Heat (Velvet Underground) (with GM and Bill Million of the Feelies on guitar)
Fa Ce La (The Feelies) (with GM and BM)
Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman) (with GM and BM)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
1 December 2010
*(Hanukkah, night 1)*
M. Ward and Todd Barry opened.
benefit for NJ Seeds.
Mix disc by Thurston Moore.
One Night With You (Bartholomew, Bartholomew, King, Steiman) (sung as “Eight Nights With You”) (with Gene DiNapoli/NewYorkElvis.com and horns)
Carnival Time (Al Johnson) (sung as “Hanukkah Time”) (with horns)
Mr. Tough (with horns)
Moby Octopad (with horns and M. Ward on guitar)
Magnet (NRBQ) (with MW)
How To Make A Baby Elephant Float (with MW)
Saturday (with MW)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven
Autumn Sweater
When It’s Dark
Cherry Chapstick
Decora
The Story of Jazz
Nothing To Hide
I Heard You Looking (with MW)
*(encore)*
Angst In My Pants (Sparks) (Todd Barry on drums)
Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon (Neil Diamond) (with Nash Kato on vocals)
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck (Carroll, Moody, Presley) (with GD and MW)
Burning Love (Linde) (with GD, MW, and NK)
(I wasn’t at this show, but I’ve gotten a few requests to post the setlist. Here ’tis, via Choccosalo/Boomy. Feel free to comment with corrections, if you’ve got any.)
Yo La Tengo at Wellmont Theater
Montclair, NJ
31 December 2008
The Vivian Girls and the Feelies opened.
It’s Almost Like Being In Love (Frederick Loewe/Alan Jay Lerner) (karaoke version)
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Madeleine
Stockholm Syndrome
Beanbag Chair
The Weakest Part
Mr. Tough
Our Way to Fall
Nowhere Near
Cast A Shadow (Beat Happening)
From A Motel 6
(midnight)
Big Day Coming (fast)
Tom Courtenay
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Autumn Sweater
Red, Red Rose (David Mallett)
What Goes On (Velvet Underground) (with Glenn Mercer and Bill Million of the Feelies)
Roadrunner (Modern Lovers) (with Glenn Mercer and Bill Million of the Feelies)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
28 December 2008
*(Hanukkah, night 8)*
Metal Mountains and Todd Barry opened.
Mix disc by Zooey Deschanel.
Not A Second Time (The Beatles) (sung as “Not A Ninth Time”)
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Mr. Tough
The Room Got Heavy (with Samara Lubelski on violin)
Swing For Life (with SL, Pat Gubler on guitar, and Helen Rush on keyboards)
4th Time Around (Bob Dylan) (with SL, PG, and HR)
Group Grope (The Fugs) (with SL, PG, and HR)
Saturday (with SL, PG, and HR)
The Way Some People Die (with PG)
Stockholm Syndrome
The Story of Jazz
Tom Courtenay
I Heard You Looking (with Joe Puleo on organ)
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
*(encore)*
Autumn Sweater
This Ain’t The Summer of Love (Blue Oyster Cult) (with Todd Barry on drums)
You Can Have It All (George McCrea)
You’ve Got A Friend (Carole King)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
27 December 2008
*(Hanukkah, night 7)*
Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band and David Cross (as Rabbi Alan Sugarman) opened.
(whole show, minus “Sugarcube,” with David Mansfield on violin, pedal steel, and electric guitar.)
Sugarcube
Let’s Be Still
She May Call You Up Tonight (The Left Banke)
Cone of Silence
One PM Again
Pablo and Andrea
Griselda (Peter Stampfel)
The Crying of Lot G
I Feel Like Going Home
Nowhere Near
Off and Running (Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders)
Barnaby, Hardly Working
Big Day Coming (fast) >
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie >
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
*(encore)*
Long Gone (Customs/Lyres)
Walk Away, Rene (The Left Banke) (with DM and Willie Alexander)
Maybe More Than You (The Lost) (with DM and WA)
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling (Willie Alexander arrangement, Phil Spector/Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil) (with DM and WA)
To Sir, With Love (Don Black/Mark London) (with David Cross)
(set through “Moby Octopad” with William Tyler of Lambchop on guitar.)
Jesus Christ (Big Star)
My Heart’s Reflection
Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Tears Are Your Eyes
Song for Mahlia
Did I Tell You
The Weakest Part
Moby Octopad
Babysitter (The Ramones) (with “Marky Ramone” on drums)
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell) (with “Marky Ramone” on drums)
Cherry Chapstick
Tom Courtenay
Heroin (Velvet Underground, Roky Erickson arrangement)
*(encore)* with Cyril Jordan of the Flamin’ Groovies on guitar/vocals
You Tore Me Down (Flamin’ Groovies)
Absolutely Sweet Marie (Bob Dylan)
Dog Meat (Flamin’ Groovies)
Second Cousin (Flamin’ Groovies)
Shake Some Action (Flamin’ Groovies)
(whole show, minus encore, with Fred Armisen on drums.)
Jesus Christ (Big Star)
False Alarm
I Should Have Known Better
The Last Days of Disco
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Little Eyes (Armisen on guitar)
Season of the Shark
Black Flowers (Armisen on guitar)
Things I Should’ve Said (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri)
Take A Giant Step (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
Demons (with Tara Key on guitar)
Deeper Into Movies (with Tara Key on guitar)
From A Motel 6 >
Nuclear War (Sun Ra) (with Josh Madell on percussion)
*(encore)* with Cyril Jordan of the Flamin’ Groovies on guitar/vocals
You Tore Me Down (Flamin’ Groovies)
Have You Seen My Baby (Randy Newman)
I Can’t Hide (Flamin’ Groovies)
Slow Death (Flamin’ Groovies)
Shake Some Action (Flamin’ Groovies)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
24 December 2008
*(Hanukkah, night 4)*
Jennifer O’Connor and Jon Benjamin opened.
Mix disc by Russell Maer.
Benefit for Mercy Corps.
Big Day Coming (slow)
Beanbag Chair
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Drug Test
The Weakest Part
Mr. Tough
Tiny Birds
Paul Is Dead
Shadows
Angst In My Pants (Sparks)
Upside Down
Autumn Sweater
I Heard Her Call My Name > (Velvet Underground)
Blue Line Swinger
*(encore)*
(I Gotta) Dream On (Herman’s Hermits)
Detouring America With Horns
Cherry Chapstick (slow)
Rock and Roll Santa (Jan Terri)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
23 December 2008
*(Hanukkah, night 3)*
John Zorn & Marc Ribot and Slovin & Allen opened.
Mix disc by Gaylord Fields.
Benefit for Seacology.
(whole show with Smokey Hormel on guitar)
Leaving Home
We’re An American Band
Little Eyes
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Bob Dylan)
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You (Neil Diamond)
The Race Is On Again
Damage
Can’t Forget
Don’t Say A Word (Hot Chicken #2)
Our Way To Fall (swing version)
Out the Window
Styles of the Times
Tom Courtenay
I Heard You Looking (with Yoni Wolf on keyboards)
*(encore)*
Stay With Me (The Dictators)
Center of Gravity
The Weakest Part (slow)
Big Day Coming (fast)
Guess I’m Falling in Love (Velvet Underground)
Stockholm Syndrome
Winter A Go-Go
Sometimes I Don’t Get You
Don’t Have To Be So Sad (with Claudia Gonson, drums, and Sam Davol, cello, of Magnetic Fields)
Alyda
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Autumn Sweater
Double Dare
Decora
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Be Careful, It’s My Heart (Irving Berlin) (Ira & Stephin Merritt duet)
A Foggy Day in London Town (George Gershwin) (with Doug Gillard, guitar/vocals)
No Milk Today (Herman’s Hermits) (with Doug Gillard, guitar/vocals)
The Next Big Thing (The Dictators) (with Doug Gillard, guitar/vocals)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard/Lee Pockriss) (with Ira’s mom, vocals)
Eight Day Weekend (Gary “U.S.” Bonds)
Sugarcube
Everyday
Today Is The Day (fast)
The Summer
Beanbag Chair
Mr. Tough
Heaven Only Knows (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
Shaker
House Fall Down
I Should Have Known Better
Sudden Organ
Tom Courtenay
Little Honda (The Beach Boys)
*(encore)* with Britt Daniel of Spoon on vocals, minus “Ring of Fire”
Ring of Fire (June Carter Cash) (with Paul F. Tompkins on vocals)
Public Image (Public Image, Ltd.)
Mother and Child Reunion (Paul Simon)
Me and Mr. Jones (Amy Winehouse)
This Guy’s In Love With You (Bert Bacharach/Hal David)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
29 September 2008
benefit for Neumann Leather Tenants Association
no keyboards
I Feel Like Going Home
Come On Up (The Young Rascals)
Drug Test
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Stockholm Syndrome
Mr. Tough
Big Day Coming
Time Fades Away (Neil Young)
Mr. Tough (with horns)
C’mon and Swim > (Bobby Freeman) (with horns)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Stockholm Syndrome
Pablo and Andrea
The Weakest Part
Somebody’s In Love (Sun Ra)
Cherry Chapstick
Artificial Heart
Moby Octopad (with horns & “Easley makes the turn…” lyrics)
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
Tom Courtenay
Blue Line Swinger
*(encore)*
Bad Politics (Dead C) (with horns & Titus Andronicus)
Where Eagles Dare (The Misfits) (with Titus Andronicus)
14 March 2008
French Legation Museum
Austin, TX
Other Music party
acoustic
Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi (Jacques Dutronc)
Shaker
I Feel Like Going Home
Autumn Sweater
The Weakest Part
Right Track Now (Roky Erickson)
Sugarcube
The Story of Yo La Tango
13 March 2008
Austin Music Hall
Austin, TX
opening for My Morning Jacket
Cherry Chapstick
Little Eyes
Autumn Sweater
Mr. Tough
The Weakest Part
Beanbag Chair
Tom Courtenay
Decora
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
Sugarcube
The Story of Yo La Tango
11 March 2008
The Parish
Austin, TX
opening for My Morning Jacket
IFC Crossroads Party
Mr. Tough
Beanbag Chair
Demons
Drug Test
Big Day Coming (fast) >
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
I Heard You Looking (with Joe Puleo on organ)
You Can Have It All (George McCrea) (all on drums/percussion)
Please comment with all corrections/additions. (Thx, Neil.)
2 March 2008
WFMU Studios
Jersey City, NJ
no Georgia (home sick), Peter Walsh (ex-Hypnolovewheel) on drums, Bruce Bennett on guitar
Starry Eyes (Roky Erickson)
Badlands (Bruce Springsteen)
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
Run Run Run (Velvet Underground)
Can’t Explain (The Who)
Baby’s On Fire (Brian Eno)
Slow Down (The Feelies)
I’m In Love With A Girl (Big Star)
Critical List (The Fleshtones)
Sweet Leaf (Black Sabbath)
Tales of Brave Ulysses (Cream)
Green-Eyed Lady (Sugarloaf)
Shot Down (The Sonics)
These Boots Are Made For Walking (Lee Hazlewood)
Cowboy Song (Thin Lizzy)
Aba Dabba Do Dance (The Tradewinds)
Our World (Individuals)
What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding (Nick Lowe)
Bridget Because (Hypnolovewheel)
Mannequin (Wire)
Viva Las Vegas (Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman)
Teenage Kicks (The Undertones)
It’s Only Life (The Feelies)
The Passenger (Iggy Pop)
With A Girl Like You (The Troggs)
Mystery Called Love (Ron Davis/Rodd Keith)
See My Friends (The Kinks)
Jesse’s Girl (Rick Springfield)
If I Were A Carpenter (Tim Hardin)
California Sun (The Rivieras)
Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
Different Drum (Mike Nesmith)
Search and Destroy (Iggy and the Stooges)
Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane)
Chantilly Lace (Big Bopper) medley, also featuring: Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks), Yo Yo Bye Bye (Why?), Afternoon Delight (Starland Vocal Band), At Last I Am Free (Chic), Now You Know You’re Black (The Frogs), Girl Don’t Tell Me (The Beach Boys), I’ll Never Fall In Love Again (The Carpenters), I’ll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan), Ode to Billie Joe (Bobby Gentry), MacArthur Park (Jimmy Webb), The Tra La La Song (Cal Tjader), Boogie Wonderland (Earth, Wind and Fire), Star Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key)
“I Wanna Be Your Partner” – Bob Dylan (download)
from Dimestore Medicine bootleg, c. 1966
“Fourth Time Around” – Yo La Tengo (download) (buy)
from I’m Not There OST
(files expire December 21st)
(Re-entry continues…) Yo La Tengo’s two Bob Dylan covers on the soundtrack to Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There — “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and “Fourth Time Around” — constitute a tiny sub-category in Dylan’s work: response songs to the Beatles. The former lifts its chorus from Lennon/McCartney so-cast-off-they-let-Ringo-sing “I Wanna Be Your Man” (supplanting Dylan’s earlier draft, the proto-PC “I Wanna Be Your Partner”). “Fourth Time Around,” meanwhile, is Dylan’s rewrite of “Norwegian Wood,” with a similar plot (cheekily oblique conversation about an affair) set to a similar melody in a similar mood. Dylan’s version is way more sly, of course, with its wry put-downs (“your words are not clear, you better spit out your gum”) and the snotty/Britty crutch/crotch double entendre at its end (“I didn’t ask for your crutch, now don’t ask for mine”). Intentional choice on YLT’s part to mirror Haynes’ meta-textual orgy? Only the nose knows for sure. The nose being Ringo.
“I’ll Keep It With Mine” – Yo La Tengo (download)
recorded 30 December 2005, Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
(file expires December 20th)
Sleep. Soon. In the meantime, to aid in the ever-so-gradual reentry, the Georgia-sung “I’ll Keep It With Mine” from the stunning sleeper show the night before New Year’s, 2005. Purdy Nico arrangement (superior to Dylan’s clunkier demo, oddly), aided by Rolling Thunder/sessionman stringdude David Mansfield. Sleep. Now. But first, maybe headphones. (Thx to Neil & Brandon for the tunes.)
(My now-complete Maxwell’s reports: part 1, part 2.)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
11 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 8)*
Times New Viking and David Cross opened.
Mix disc by Ira.
Night Falls on Hoboken
Eight Day Weekend (Gary “U.S.” Bonds)
Double Dare
Cone of Silence
Shadows
The Weakest Part
Mr. Tough
Paul Is Dead
Stockholm Syndrome
I Should Have Known Better
Autumn Sweater (organless version)
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
Blue Line Swinger
Love Power (Herb Hartic/Norman Blaoman) (with Hanukah shout-outs)
*(encore)* with Howard Kaylan of the Turtles/Flo & Eddie
Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen) (with Beth Murphy of Times New Viking on keyboards)
You Baby (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri)
One Potato, Two Potato (The Crossfires)
Love Songs in the Night (Michael Brown)
Metal Guru (T-Rex)
She’d Rather Be With Me (The Turtles)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
10 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 7)*
The New Pornographers and Andy Blitz opened.
Mix disc by Yoshitomo Nara.
TV Party (Black Flag) (sung as “Dreidel Party”)
Everyday
From A Motel 6
The Room Got Heavy
False Alarm
Beanbag Chair
Mr. Tough
Magnet (NRBQ) (with Jon Wurster of Superchunk on drums)
Saturday (with JW)
Sugarcube
The Story of Jazz
We’re An American Band
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
You Can Have It All (George McCrea) (all on drums)
*(encore)* with Roy Loney of the Flamin’ Groovies on vocals and Bruce Bennett on guitar
Have You Seen My Baby (Randy Newman)
High Flyin’ Baby (Flamin’ Groovies)
Teenage Head (Flamin’ Groovies)
Slow Death (Flamin’ Groovies)
(also: my reviews so far.)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
9 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 6)*
Redd Kross and Heather Lawless opened.
Mix disc by Eye.
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
I Should Have Known Better
Autumn Sweater
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind >
Last Days of Disco
Today is the Day (fast)
Sometimes I Don’t Get You
The Weakest Part
Demons
Out the Window
Drug Test
Tom Courtenay
I Heard You Looking (with Joe Puleo on organ)
Our Way To Fall
*(encore)*
September Gurls (Alex Chilton) (with Redd Kross)
Bus Stop (The Hollies) (with Redd Kross)
Who Loves the Sun (Velvet Underground) (with Redd Kross)
Calling Dr. Love (KISS) (with Redd Kross)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard/Lee Pockriss) (with Ira’s mom)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
8 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 5)*
Dew-Claw, Sarah Vowell, and Amy Poehler opened.
Mix disc by Georgia.
Barnaby, Hardly Working
Shaker
Stockholm Syndrome
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Season of the Shark
Don’t Say A Word (Hot Chicken #2)
Song For Mahlia
The River of Water (with Dave Rick of Dew-Claw/ex-YLT on guitar)
Sometime In The Morning (Carole King/Gerry Goffin) (with DR and Stephen Hunking on vocals/guitar)
E.T.I. (Blue Oyster Cult) (with DR and SH)
Mr. Tough
Big Day Coming
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)* with Alex Chilton on guitar and vocals
I’ve Had It (The Bell-Notes)
The Oogum Boogum Song (Brenton Wood)
Let Me Get Close To You (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
Femme Fatale (Velvet Underground)
Baby Strange (T-Rex)
Hey Little Child (Alex Chilton)
Government Center (Modern Lovers)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
7 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 4)*
Endless Boogie and Todd Barry opened.
Mix disc by James.
Cherry Chapstick
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Little Eyes
The Crying of Lot G
The Summer
The Weakest Part
Beanbag Chair
Detouring America With Horns
I Should Have Known Better
Sugarcube
Tom Courtenay
Heroin (Velvet Underground, Roky Erickson arrangement) (with Jesper Eklow of Endless Boogie on guitar)
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
*(encore)* with Alex Chilton on guitar and vocals
Let Me Get Close To You (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
‘Til The End of the Day (The Kinks)
Time Is On My Side (Jerry Ragovoy) (with Tammy Lynn Michaels on vocals)
Femme Fatale (Velvet Underground)
Hey Little Child (Alex Chilton)
Jeepster (T-Rex) (with Todd Barry on drums)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
6 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 3)*
The dB’s and Eugene Mirman opened.
Mix disc by Todd Abramson.
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
Five Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
The Race Is On Again
Autumn Sweater
The Weakest Part
Mr. Tough
No Water (with Chris Stamey of the dB’s on guitar)
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Bob Dylan) (with CS on organ, Gene Holder on guitar, Will Rigby on 2nd drums)
Cast A Shadow (Beat Happening) (with GH and WR on drums)
Don’t Have To Be So Sad (with WR)
Tom Courtenay
Styles of the Times
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
I Heard You Looking (with Joe Puleo on organ)
*(encore)*
Heart Full of Soul (The Yardbirds) (with CS)
The Question (Will Rigby) (with WR)
Solitary Man (Neil Diamond) (with Jim James of My Morning Jacket on vocals and guitar)
Secret Agent Man (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with JJ)
Hard Luck Woman (KISS) (with JJ)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
5 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 2)*
The Clean and John Oliver opened.
Mix disc by David Cross.
Green Arrow
Eight Day Weekend (Gary “U.S.” Bonds)
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Stockholm Syndrome
The Room Got Heavy
Beanbag Chair
Winter A Go Go
Nowhere Near
This Diamond Ring (Gary Lewis)
Decora
Upside Down
Deeper Into Movies (with Hamish Kilgour of the Clean on 2nd drums)
Big Day Coming (fast) > (with HK)
Little Honda (The Beach Boys) (with HK)
*(encore)*
Blitzkrieg Bop (instrumental) (The Ramones)
Easy Action (T-Rex) (with David Kilgour and Bob Scott of the Clean on vocals)
Seemingly Stranded (David Kilgour) (with DK, BS and Mac McCaughan of Superchunk on organ)
What Am I Gonna Do? (The Dovers) (with DK, BS, and MM)
Blitzkrieg Bop (The Ramones) (with BS)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
4 December 2007
*(Hanukah, night 1)*
Versus and Jon Benjamin and Jon Glaser opened.
Mix disc by Matmos.
Carnival Time (Al Johnson) (sung as “Hanukah Time,” with Mike, Jeff, and Steve on horns)
Mr. Tough (with Mike, Jeff, and Steve on horns)
We’re An American Band
Damage (with James Baluyut of Versus on guitar)
Madeleine
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Alyda (Georgia on keys)
I Feel Like Going Home (Georgia on keys)
From A Motel 6
Sugarcube
Sudden Organ
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore)*
Autumn Sweater (with Jon Glaser as “Kim” on vocals)
What’s My Name (The Clash) (with Mark Arm of Mudhoney on vocals)
Operation (Circle Jerks) (with Mark Arm)
Too Animalistic (Angry Samoans) (with Mark Arm)
Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen) (with Mark Arm)
Cabaret (Fred Ebb/John Kander) (with Mark Arm)
“Ripple” – Yo La Tengo (download)
recorded 19 October 2007, Landmark on Main Street, Port Washington, NY
(file expires October 29th)
Yo La Tengo at Landmark on Main Street
Port Washington, NY
19 October 2007
Chris Brokaw opened.
The Landmark being (as we discovered) across the street from Finn MacCool’s, the watering hole of choice for the 1986 Mets, many of who resided in Port Washington, we naturally had to toast Danny Heep en route to the show. Via Jeff Pearlman’s The Bad Guys Won:
Strawberry did much of his damage at Finn MacCool’s, a tavern in Port Washington where many of the Mets hung out. One night Henry Downing, the bar’s manager, concocted a drink for the Mets that he named The Nervous Breakdown. It was a potent combination of vodka, cranberry juice, tequila, and schanpps, and the twelve Mets sitting around the table eagerly devoured pitcher after pitchers. Among the participants were Ojeda, Mitchell, Dykstra, and Backman — guys who could hold their own. Yet the one who drank the most was Strawberry. ‘I remember he really took to that,’ says Connie O’Reilly, MacCool’s owner. ‘I guess he liked the taste.’ … ‘The next afternoon we were watching the game from the bar, and the broadcaster said Darryl wasn’t playing,’ O’Reilly says. ‘They showed him sitting on tbe bench… something about a twenty-four-hour virus.’
Tom Courtenay
Beanbag Chair
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Fog Over Frisco
Mr. Tough
Ripple (Grateful Dead)
Surfin’ With the Shah (The Urinals)
Cone of Silence
Sloop John B (trad/Beach Boys)
Black Flowers
Luci Baines (Arthur Lee)
Decora
I Found A Reason (Velvet Underground)
Oklahoma USA (The Kinks)
Story of Yo La Tango
Detouring America With Horns
Speeding Motocycle (Daniel Johnston)
You Can Have It All (George McCrea)
*(encore, with Chris Brokaw on guitar)*
A House Is Not A Motel (Arthur Lee)
Tell Me When It’s Over (Dream Syndicate)
I Feel Like Going Home
“Autumn Sweater” – Yo La Tengo (download)
“This Man He Cries Tonight”- Yo La Tengo (download)
recorded 6 October 2007, Brooklyn Lyceum, Brooklyn, NY
(files expire October 15th)
Yo La Tengo at Brooklyn Lyceum
6 October 2007
New Yorker festival
between song Q&As moderated by Ben Greenman
The Cone of Silence
Stockholm Syndrome
Story of Yo La Tango
Magnet (NRBQ)
Madeleine
Autumn Sweater
I Heard You Looking
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
This Man He Cries Tonight (The Kinks) (live debut)
Sugarcube
“End of an Era” – Yo La Tengo (download)
from Old Joy OST (2006)
unreleased
(file expires September 23rd)
I’m not sure what the proper name of this tune is, but it’s one of a few extended Yo La Tengo instrumentals in Kelly Reichardt’s Old Joy. The voice at the top is Bonnie Prince Palace himself, Will Oldham, playing the role of Kurt with perfectly burnt detachment. With little overt drama, just submerged tensions rippling the surface, the picture plays like a short story — no surprise, given that it was based on one by Jonathan Raymond. Like this YLT’s contributions to the score, Old Joy is an extended mood piece, the whole reflected patiently in each of its parts. Absolutely worth seeing.
Yo La Tengo at Winter Garden, World Financial Center
2 June 2007
Bang on a Can Marathon
Ira: keyboards/piano, James: electronics/drums, Georgia: keyboard/crutches (?!), with: Pat Gubler (PG Six, harp), Matt Heyner (No Neck Blues Band, upright bass), Elson Nascimento (Sun Ra Arkestra, percussion), and Britt Walford (Slint, drums)
Set was 20-30 minute improvisation, possibly including bits from one of The Sounds of the Sounds of Science songs (“The Sea Horse,” maybe?). Mostly free and abstract, save for a pulse in the middle when James switched to drums, at which point it became rhythmic and abstract. But also pretty free.
Yo La Tengo at Webster Hall
29 April 2007
Oneida opened
I Feel Like Going Home
From A Motel 6
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Last Days of Disco
The Room Got Heavy
The Weakest Part
Beanbag Chair
Mr. Tough
Song for Mahlia
Don’t Say A Word (Hot Chicken #2)
Sugarcube
Styles of the times
Big Day Coming > (fast version)
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
The Story of Yo La Tango
*(encore 1)*
The Race Is On Again
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
Tom Courtenay (acoustic version)
*(encore 2)*
Gates of Steel (Devo)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss)
Billed as ‘Around the Campfire with Yo La Tengo.’ Ira on acoustic guitar, Georgia on snare/hi-hat, James on bass. Q&A between each song.
Tom Courtenay
Our Way To Fall
You Can Have It All (Harry Wayne Casey)
Tiny Birds
Rocks Off (Rolling Stones)
Better Things (The Kinks)
Now 2000
Nowhere Near
Stockholm Syndrome
Autumn Sweater
Speeding Motorcycle (Daniel Johnston)
“1999” – Dump (download here)
from That Skinny Motherfucker With the High Voice? (1998)
released by Shrimper
(file expires March 29th)
Yo La Tengo’s James McNew reimagines “1999” as an oddly grooved drum machine chill-out. It works, too, mostly thanks to McNew’s boyishly sweet voice. His album of Prince covers, That Skinny Motherfucker With the High Voice? (note the question mark) was sued out of existence by the Purple One himself. I wonder if he ever listened to it. I hope so, if only because I dig the idea of Prince feeling threatened by James McNew. Apparently, Amazon Japan has copies.
(Oh, yeah: and YLT will be on WFMU tomorrow night doing their annual request-a-thon/benefit, though it probably won’t be as good as this.)
“The Weakest Part” (slow version) – Yo La Tengo (download here)
from iTunes Session EP (2007)
released by iTunes (buy
(expires January 17th)
Though you wouldn’t know it by checking YLT.com (at least, as of tonight), there’s a new four-song Yo La Tengo EP this week, available for $4 via the iTunes store. Along with a vaguely surfy instrumental, “El Es Gay” (like “El Es Dee”?), a by-the-books rerecording of “Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind,” and a delighted cover of Love’s tribute to LBJ’s daughter (and “Twist and Shout” rewrite) “Luci Baines,” there’s also a rearrangement of Beat Your Ass‘s “The Weakest Part.”
Sufficently damn understated in its original incarnation, “The Weakest Part” is now practically invisible. As a solo piano ballad (with dab of feedbacky guitar), the slow motion melody stretches to a near flatline. It’s just atmosphere, Georgia Hubley’s voice disappearing into the sound of itself. It’s not much to sing (or even hum) along with, but it is lovely nonetheless.
Well worth the $4 (if only to burn to CD & re-rip to mp3), the iTunes Session EP is a nice addition to the twob-sides Yo La Tengo put out last fall.
“I’m Your Puppet” – Yo La Tengo (download here)
from Mr. Tough 7-inch (2006)
released by Matador
1. Here’s the newest obscura, a literal B-side from the “Mr. Tough” single: a cover of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham’s “I’m Your Puppet.” Presumably a Beat Your Ass leftover, it’s got lovely strings (David Mansfield?), and is a welcome addition to the late-night playlist.
2. To reach the resources of the old YoLaTengo.net, one now has to use the Wayback Machine at archive.org to consult a mirror of the old YLT.net via the now-old version of sunsquashed.com. The URLs get pretty hilarious. It is here (no graphics, so just, like, wave your arrow over the links to find what yer looking for).
3. So, apparently, there was a BBC session, recently? I seemed to have missed this. Some curious covers on the setlist. Anybody end up with a copy?
4. YLT played in Jersey City on Friday.
Yo La Tengo at the Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre
29 September 2006
Why? opened
Sugarcube
Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
The Weakest Part
Sometimes I Don’t Get You
Winter A Go Go
Mr. Tough
Beanbag Chair
I Feel Like Going Home
Stockholm Syndrome
I Should Have Known Better
Watch Out For Me, Ronnie
Tom Courtenay
The Story of Yo La Tango
I Heard You Looking
*(encore 1)*
Oklahoma USA (The Kinks)
Lewis
Rocks Off (The Rolling Stones)
*(encore 2)*
Cast A Shadow (Beat Happening)
Did I Tell You?
“Meet the Mets” – Yo La Tengo (download here)
from Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics (2006)
released by Egon
(file expires on May 31st.)
Every one of the 30 tossed-off covers on the terrible-by-any-objective-standard Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics will be endearing to somebody; the only question is which one. It’s kind of a neat effect, and it makes the band seem that much more personal. For me, it’s “Meet the Mets,” the closest the team (from whose lore YLT drew their name) ever came to a theme jingle. Though it was recently replaced — officially, anyway — by the metallic shit-pop production “Our Team, Our Time,” “Meet the Mets” still gets an early inning airing and sing-along. Young Manhattanite recently posted a delightful mp3 history of the Mets’ various songs over the years.
(Visible under the 7-train tracks is the Casey Stengel bus depot.)
(“Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” 7th inning stretch.)
Yo La Tengo played their annual all-covers pledge drive for WFMU tonight.
Please comment with corrections. Thanks to Google for the help.
7 March 2006
WFMU Studios
Jersey City, NJ
Batman theme
Bertha (Grateful Dead)
City Hobgoblins (The Fall)
The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man (The Rolling Stones)
Instant Karma (John Lennon)
Zig-Zag Wanderer (Captain Beefheart)
Something In The Air (Thunderclap Newman)
Laugh at Me (Sonny and Cher)
Egyptian Reggae (Jonathan Richman)
Rock and Roll Love Letter (Bay City Rollers)
Starry Eyes (The Records)
You Don’t Miss Your Water (Craig David)
Girl of the North Country (Bob Dylan)
Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones)
Blister in the Sun (Violent Femmes)
Lay Lady Lay (Bob Dylan)
Suspect Device (Stiff Little Fingers)
I Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones)
Gut Feeling (Devo)
Holiday (The Bee Gees)
Suzanne (Leonard Cohen)
Don’t Cry No Tears (Neil Young)
I Fought the Law (Bobby Fuller Four)
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding? (Nick Lowe)
Happy Birthday to Bruce Bennett
Pay to Cum (Bad Brains)
Do It Again (Steely Dan)
You Make Me Feel So Good (The Zombies)
Heart of Darkness (Pere Ubu)
Alex Chilton (The Replacements)
Jack and Diane (John Mellencamp)
California Girls (The Beach Boys)
Hello Lucille, Are You A Lesbian? (T. Valentine)
Re-Make/Re-Model (Roxy Music)
Should I Stay or Should I Go? (The Clash)
Slack Motherfucker (Superchunk)
Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon), as medley, with bits of Take Me To The River (Al Green), Life on Mars? (David Bowie), Like A Virgin (Madonna), Dr. Robert (The Beatles), Uptown Girl (Billy Joel) and others.
It’s a good week (for me, anyway) when there are announcements of new projects from Bob Dylan, David Byrne, and — now — Yo La Tengo. Over on ylt.com, Ira reports that the band is working on a new album in Nashville (presumably once again with producer Roger Moutenot). Beauty, eh? Ira also mentions a bunch of movie soundtracks. It’d sure be nice to see some EPs come outta those. And, while we’re on the topic, Brooklyn Vegan posted a few weeks back that YLT will be returning to the Prospect Park Bandshell on July 13th.
Above is “Barnaby, Hardly Working” from the third night of the 2005 Hanukah run. I’ve dorked about it elsewhere, and it’s worth a listen, totally different from the versions on Fakebook and the President Yo La Tengo EP. The band really milks the transitions, stretching out via a long Ira solo in the middle and turning the ending into two separate sections — a reprise of the verse, and finally a dreamy glide through the “face down beside the water” coda. There are all kinds of nifty arrangement touches throughout, too: Tortoise drummer John Herndon’s just-right shaker entrance (around the three minute mark), his drum-off with Georgia coming out of Ira’s solo, James’ sudden organ (pun only slightly intended) during the ending. For all I know, this is how they’ve been playing the song for years, but I’d sure never heard it. For BitTorrenters, the whole show is (hopefully) still available here. Thanks to yltfan for taping.
My mind is on the blink. One more night in Hoboken kept 2005 in suspended animation, so the New Year doesn’t really begin ’til I wake up tomorrow. So it goes. One more night, a few more bust-outs (finally got “Tiny Birds”), one more version of Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je T’Aime.” Happy Hanukah. Thanks, YLT.
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
1 January 2006
*(Hanukah, night 8)*
Lois and FruitBoots opened.
Mix disc by Cornelius.
Holiday (Madonna)
Eight Day Weekend (Gary Lewis)
Cherry Chapstick
Decora
Season of the Shark
The Summer
Autumn Sweater
Satellite
Tiny Birds
Nowhere Near
Sudden Organ
Styles of the Times
Tom Courtenay
Blue Line Swinger
Eight Days A Week (The Beatles)
*(encore)*
Matter of Trust (Billy Joel, with, ahem, Matter of Trust, featuring Jons Benjamin & Glaser, Todd Barry, etc.)
Rocks Off (The Rolling Stones)
Don’t Make My Baby Blue (Cynthia Weill/Barry Mann, with Lois on vocals and Bruce Bennett on guitar)
Je T’Aime (Serge Gainsbourg, with Lois and Gaylord Fields)
Dream A Little Dream of Me (W. Schwant/F. Andre/ G. Kahn, with Lois on vocals)
Never thought I’d be so glad to spend New Year’s in Jersey. Probably some holes below, but so it goes. Lotta strands in ol’ Duder’s head. Fun stuff — falsetto overdrive after midnight (“1999”); costumes; thin, wild mercury music (“I Wanna Be Your Lover”); Georgia balladry (“Gee, the Moon is Shining Bright”); New Year’s resolutions (“Sugarcube”), and the infinitely charming Wreckless Eric eating an apple while crooning Serge Gainsbourg (“Je T’Aime,” untranslatable to tape). Happy New Year’s.
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
31 December 2005
*(Hanukah, night 7)*
The Scene is Now and Fred Armisen opened.
Mix discs by James and RJD2.
(much of set with various members of The Scene is Now and/or Fred Armisen on drums.)
1999 (Prince, Fred Armisen as Prince.)
When U Were Mine (Prince, with Armisen)
Stockholm Syndrome
Upside Down
Tears Are In Your Eyes
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Bob Dylan)
As the Hour Grows Late
Center of Gravity
Xmas Trip (Run-On)
Gee, The Moon is Shining Bright (The Dixie Cups)
Little Eyes
Sugarcube
The Story of Jazz
Big Day Coming (fast version)
Deeper Into Movies
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss
instrumental (Georgia on guitar)
Our Way to Fall
*(encore)*
False Alarm tease >
Let’s Compromise (Information, with everybody)
Red Rubber Ball (Paul Simon, with Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby)
Je T’Aime (Serge Gainsbourg, with Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby)
Yellow Sarong
An utterly surprising set, featuring former Rolling Thunder Revue multi-instrumentalist David Mansfield on violin (“the boy with the Botticelli face” — Allen Ginsberg) and all the quiet folkiness and obscure covers that’ve been conspicously scarce for much of the run. Nearly every selection felt like a forgotten (or newly remembered) treat, from the Camp Yo La Tengo “Tom Courtenay” to a random-ass T-Bone Burrnett cover to Georgia’s beautiful, beautiful, beautiful take on the Blonde on Blonde outtake “I’ll Keep It With Mine.”
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
30 December 2005
*(Hanukah, night 6)*
The Volcano Suns and Raisin opened.
Mix disc by Ira.
(entire set with David Mansfield on violin)
Night Falls on Hoboken
Tom Courtenay (quiet version)
Did I Tell You?
Griselda (Peter Stampfel)
Pablo and Andrea
Black Hole (The Urinals)
Something To Do
We’re An American Band
I’m Coming Home (T-Bone Burnett)
Alyda
From Black to Blue
How Much I’ve Lied (Gram Parsons)
Little Eyes
For Shame of Doing Wrong (Richard Thompson)
Sugarcube
I Heard You Looking
I’ll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan)
*(encore)*
Autumn Sweater
Can’t Make It On Time (The Ramones, with Volcano Suns guitarist)
Definitely Clean (Steve Wynn, with Volcano Suns guitarist and Peter Prescott on vocals)
I wasn’t there, but thanks to the help of Christopher, Neil, OneLouderNYC, and Ira’s diary, I think I’ve reconstructed the setlist for last night’s show. Looks like fun, with a nice seasonal clump in the middle. (No “I Live in the Springtime,” though.) All corrections welcome, of course.
Beautiful World (Devo)
From A Motel 6
Today Is The Day
Detouring America With Horns
Season of the Shark
Winter A Go Go
Autumn Sweater
The Summer
Car Gears Stick in Reverse, Daring Driver Crosses Town Backwards (with Jad Fair)
Principal Punishes Students with Bad Impressions and Tired Jokes (with Jad Fair)
Little Eyes
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Tom Courtenay
Heroin (Velvet Underground, Roky Erickson arrangement)
*(encore)* with David Johansen on vocals
After the Fox (Burt Bacharach)
Out in the Streets (Jeff Berry and Ellie Greenwich)
Doin’ All Right (The Fugs, with Bruce Bennett on guitar)
Chinese Rocks (Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers)
Who Are the Mystery Girls? (New York Dolls).
It’s just a wonder to me that I can see Tortoise and the Sun Ra Arkestra on consecutive nights, on a tiny-ass stage, playing both by themselves and with Yo La Tengo. The Arkestra was in fine form, digging deep and weird, and coming up with “I am Gonna Unmask The Batman,” a cut from the cosmos-spanning Singles anthology that YLT has drawn from repeatedly.
Like the Arkestra, YLT’s set was, by turns, sloppy, inspired, and joyous. Highlights included a gorgeous “Beach Party Tonight” opener, a half-dozen impromptu Stax-on-Saturn horn arrangements, an overdriven “Big Day Coming” (with trombone blowing a mutated Dixieland counterpoint to the two-note riff), and a full-charge segue into an even-more-overdriven “Little Honda.”
I’m, er, skipping tomorrow. So, if anybody goes and wants to pass a aetlist along, I’d be happy to post it.
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
28 December 2005
*(Hanukah, night 4)*
The Sun Ra Arkestra and Jon Glaser and Jon Benjamin opened.
(“Beach Party” through “Double Dare,” and “Clumsy Grandmother” through “Nuclear War” with members of the Arkestra.)
Beach Party Tonight
Georgia vs. Yo La Tengo
Don’t Have To Be So Sad
Out the Window
Double Dare
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Stockholm Syndrome
Walking Away From You
Can’t Forget
Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Dessert by Mistake
Deeper Into Movies
Big Day Coming (fast) >
Little Honda (Beach Boys)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
*(encore)*
I Dream of Jeannie (Hypnolovewheel, with Stephen Hunking on guitar and vocals)
(I Live For) Cars and Girls (The Dictators, with Todd Abramson of Maxwell’s on vocals)
Dreaming (Sun Ra)
Splendid night in Hoboken, and kinda the reason I keep going back to Maxwell’s. Seeing Tortoise on a tiny stage was a treat, and their additions to Yo La Tengo’s set were exactly what guest appearances should be. Switching off on various basses, guitars, and drums, Messrs. Hendon, McCombs, and Parker strengthened the songs in all kinds of subliminal, unpredictable ways, from McCombs and Parker’s spine-like guitar/bass groove underneath “Autumn Sweater,” to McCombs’ one-chord drone below “Last Days of Disco,” to McCombs putting down his guitar altogether after seemingly deciding that “Barnaby, Hardly Working” was working just fine with the core YLT trio (and it was), to Herndon returning to help guide the song through a magnificent coda.
The appearance of Patti Smith Group mastermind and legendary rock scribe Lenny Kaye (on his 59th birthday, no less) was also glorious. The curator of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era — the punk-era equivalent of Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music — led by example, running the Tengos through a handful of, er, nuggets with passion and graceful humor. Happy birthday, dude.
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
27 December 2005
*(Hanukah, night 3)*
Tortoise and Demitri Martin opened.
Mix disc by El-P.
(First three-quarters of the set with various members of Tortoise.)
Bad Politics
Green Arrow
Everyday
False Alarm
Autumn Sweater
The Last Days of Disco
Barnaby, Hardly Working
How To Make A Baby Elephant Float
Madeline (false start)
Sugarcube
Artificial Heart
Decora
Tom Courtenay
I Heard You Looking
*(encore)* with Lenny Kaye on guitar and vocals
Night Time (Strangeloves)
No Time Like The Right Time (Blues Project)
Shock Me (Lenny Kaye)
Pushin’ Too Hard (The Seeds)
Moulty (The Barbarians)
An effervescent Boxing Day at Maxwell’s. First half of the set was particularly graceful. Precise “Pez Drop” opener (the “bah bah bah bah”s were still in my head waiting for the PATH), purdy-like “Our Way To Fall,” neatly swinging “Tony Orlando,” and delicious Acetone action/two-note riffage on “Big Day Coming.”
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
26 December 2005
*(Hanukah, night 2)*
PG Six and Todd Barry opened.
Mix disc by Georgia.
Evanescent Psychic Pez Drop
Our Way To Fall
We’re An American Band
Today is the Day (fast version)
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
Season of the Shark
Little Eyes
The Empty Pool
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
Big Day Coming (fast version)
Drug Test
Tom Courtenay
Blue Line Swinger
Flowers of the Forest (Fairport Convention, no drums, with Patrick Gubler and Bob Banister (sp?) of PG Six)
*(encore)*
Jeepster (T-Rex, with PG & BB, Todd Barry on drums)
Time (Richard Hell) (with PG & BB)
Burning For You (Blue Oyster Cult)
(thanks to Sam for plugging the holes in night 1, all help appreciated…)
Back from vacation just in time for Yo La Tengo’s annual Hanukah run at Maxwell’s. I’ll be hitting a bunch of these in the coming week. Setlists to follow when I feel like it. Tonight’s show was a lot of fun, with a little bit of opening night glitchery, and definitely a bitchin’ way to spend Christmas.
Personal highlights included a quiet/shimmering “Crying of Lot G,” a blistering false ending on “Styles of the Times,” and the lovely acoustic campfire “Big Day Coming” (the third different arrangement of the song).
Also, the band is going to be selling limited run CD-R mixes each night of the run, $10 at the merch table. Tonight’s was made by brilliant Motherless Brooklyn/Fortress of Solitude novelist Jonathan Lethem. I bought it, and will post a tracklist when I can decipher the liner card.
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
25 December 2005
*(Hanukah, night 1)*
The Mad Scene (with Georgia on guitar) & Eugene Mirman opened.
Band in costume for show:
Ira – Santa
Georgia – Robin (as in “Batman and…”)
James – Hasidic Jew (James McJew?)
Holiday (Madonna)
Eight Day Weekend (“Seven Day Weekend” by Doc Pomus, covered by Gary “U.S.” Bonds)
Little Eyes
The Crying of Lot G
Double Dare
Shaker
Stockholm Syndrome
Lewis
Don’t Have To Be So Sad (James couldn’t get the synth beat going right, so the guitar tech dude played drums)
Sudden Organ
Autumn Sweater
Styles of the Times
Decora
Deeper Into Movies (Hamish Kilgour from Mad Scene on snare)
I Heard You Looking (Kilgour on Acetone)
*(encore)*
Big Day Coming (acoustic, Georgia lead)
Je T’Aime (Serge Gainsbourg, with Kilgour and Lisa Siegel on vocals)
My Little Corner of the World (Ira’s mother on vocals)