Not only was Thursday the fifth night of Hanukkah, it was also the 37th anniversary of Yo La Tengo's first-ever show, which happened December 2, 1984 at Maxwell's in Hoboken. To celebrate the double occasion, the band put together a truly special night for the fifth show in their annual Hanukkah run.
First up: Low came all the way from Minnesota to open the show. Their set included a few songs from this year's amazing HEY WHAT, but Low are also no strangers to holiday music and ended their set with songs from their 1999 Christmas EP, and their 2008 single "Santa's Coming Over." Yo La Tengo's Georgia Hubley came out to play keyboards on the final song, "Just Like Christmas," and you can watch video of that, and check out their setlist, below.
Fred Armisen was both the Night 5 comedian and the guest musician for Yo La Tengo's set, joining on a second drum kit for most of it. The setlist included "The Story of Yo La Tango," "Don't Have to Be So Sad," "I Should Have Known Better," "Ohm," "Sugarcube," and more, as well as covers of songs by The Urinals, Crispy Duck, and T-Rex.
For the encore, Tara Key of Antietam -- who also played Maxwell's the night of Yo La Tengo's first show -- came out to perform Antietam's "Orange Song." Then they brought out Fred to sing The Clash's "White Man in Hammersmith Palais," and Mimi and Alan of Low came out to cover Neil Diamond's "I Am, I Said." The night finished with a cover of Flo & Eddie's protest anthem "Keep It Warm," which also featured Mimi and Alan. Yo La Tengo's setlist, via Jesse Jarnow's Frank & Earthy blog, below
Night 5's's DJs were Antietam drummer and Other Music co-founder Josh Madell and Dawn Sutter Madell, and the night's mix CD was made by Yo La Tengo's James McNew. Proceeds went to Environmental Advocates NY. Photos from the whole night by Ellen Qbertplaya are in this post.
You can check out recaps of their previous Hanukkah shows here. Three shows remain for 2021. Can they top this one?
You can get Yo La Tengo albums on vinyl in the BV shop. We've also got Low albums on vinyl and cassette in the store, too.
SETLIST: YO LA TENGO @ BOWERY BALLROOM 12/2/2021 (HANUKKAH NIGHT 5)
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)
setlist via Frank & Earthy
SETLIST: Low at Bowery Ballroom 12/2/2021
Days Like These
I Can't Wait
Disappearing
Hey
The Price You Pay (It Must Be Wearing Off)
Sunflower
Santa
Long Way
Just Like Christmas
