Yo La Tengo‘s 2024 Hanukkah celebration rolls on and is still just getting started. Thursday’s Night 2 festivities presented a very expanded version of the band with Fred Armisen, who made it down to Bowery Ballroom after performing as part of the cast of Broadway’s All In (with John Mulaney), on drums for YLT’s whole set. For the first half of the set bassist/reeds player William Parker, saxophonist Mixashawn Rozie, and percussionist Michael Wimberly j– who were the night’s opening act — joined them for the first half of the set. They opened with Summer Sun‘s “Beach Party Tonight,” which apparently hadn’t been played live since 2005, and the first half of the set with Parker, Rozie and Wimberly also includes “Let’s Be Still,” a slow version of “This Stupid World” (they played very different version on Night 1), “The Story of Jazz,” and “Outsmarter.”
After that it was just Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley and James McNew and the second half of the set included “Mr Tough,” “Before We Run” into “Autumn Sweater,” “Big Day Coming,” a cover of George McCrae hit “You Can Have it All” and more before closing out things with “Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind” to close out the night.
For the all-covers encore, they played Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown,” the Velvet Underground’s “Candy Says,” Gerry Goffin-penned song “My Heart’s Not In It” and closed out Hanukkah Night 2 with Flo & Eddie’s eternally topical/cynical/angry “Keep it Warm.”
Janeane Garofalo was the Night 2 comedian, YLT’s James McNew made the mix CD and proceeds from the night went to Arts For Art. Check out Yo La Tengo’s setlist (via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog) and fan shot video from Night 2 below.
Tickets for the remaining six shows of YLT’s Bowery Ballroom Hanukkah run are sold out but sometimes they release tickets day of.
Check out recaps of Yo La Tengo’s 2024 Hanukkah residency here.
In other news, Yo La Tengo’s score for Kelly Reichart’s film Old Joy is getting a new vinyl reissue on February 28 via Mississippi Records. You can preorder it on transparent pink Vinyl in the BV shop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r1DXmc2v8Q&pp=ygULeW8gbGEgdGVuZ28%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CELcBOLBUYE&pp=ygULeW8gbGEgdGVuZ28%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH8CQA98hp4
SETLIST: Yo La Tengo @ Bowery Ballroom 12/26/2024 (Hanukkah Night 2) (via Frank & Earthy)
Beach Party Tonight (with William Parker on bass/reeds, Mixashawn Rozie on saxophone, Michael Wimberly on percussion)
Let’s Be Still (with WP, MR, & MW)
This Stupid World (slow) (with WP, MR, & MW)
The Story of Jazz (with WP, MR, & MW)
Outsmartener (with WP, MR, & MW)
For You Too
Black Flowers
You Can Have It All (George McCrae / Harry Wayne Casey cover)
Detouring America With Horns
Mr. Tough
Before We Run >
Autumn Sweater
Big Day Coming (fast)
Artificial Heart
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
*(encore)*
Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag cover)
Candy Says (Velvet Underground cover)
My Heart’s Not In It (Gerry Goffin cover)
Keep It Warm (Flo & Eddie cover)