Yo La Tengo‘s 2025 Hanukkah celebration rolls on, and Night 3 had Ohio indie rock vets Scrawl as the night’s surprise musical openers, followed by comedian Gary Gulman, whose set was all about the holidays.
For their headline set, Yo La Tengo welcomed Joe McGinty of Loser’s Lounge, who joined them on keyboards for the the whole night, including on “Center of Gravity,” “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House,” “Apology Letter,” “Artificial Heart,” and their version of The Hondells’ “Little Honda” to close out the main set.
For the all-covers encore, the brought out Scrawl’s Marcy Mays and Sue Harshe for The Velvet Underground’s “We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together” and Paul Revere & The Raiders’ “Kicks,” and then the welcomed former SNL cast member Ana Gasteyer for “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” and “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me.” Marcy and Sue came back out for the last two songs of the night: “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree” and holiday classic “Silver Bells.”
Night 3’s mix CD was made by Ira, and all proceeds from the evening went to Afrikana and ROCC NYC (formerly Artists Athletes Activists).
Photos from the whole night by Ellen Qbertplaya, plus YLT’s setlist and video of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon,” below.
You can catch up on all of Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah 2025 shows here.
SETLIST: Yo La Tengo @ Bowery Ballroom 12/16/2025
Center of Gravity
Forever
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
All Your Secrets
Damage
Apology Letter
Everybody Loves A Clown (Gary Lewis/Snuff Garrett/Leon Russell)
If It’s True
The Crying of Lot G
Artificial Heart
Drug Test
Shaker
Double Dare
Decora
Little Honda (The Hondells)
*(encore)*
We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (Velvet Underground) (with Marcy Mays & Sue Harshe of Scrawl on vocals)
Kicks (Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil) (with MM & SH)
Dream A Little Dream Of Me (Fabian Andre/Wilbur Schwandt/Gus Kahn) (with Ana Gasteyer on vocals)
(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) (with AG)
Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree (Irwin Levine/L. Russell Brown) (with AG, MM, & SH)
Silver Bells (Jay Livingston/Ray Evans) (with AG, MM, & SH)
whole show (minus “We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together”) with Joe McGinty on keyboards