#SusanSontag was born on January 16, 1933, #NewYork, New York. #PattiSmith remembers her friend Susan.

"I knew her well enough to call her a friend."

"First thing she [Sontag] says [November 25, 1947], "I believe that.. the most desirable thing in the world.. to be true to oneself." And off she goes."

"Susan loved to dance.. she liked a good party.. we [Smith] played at the #BoweryBallroom [Sontag] would be up there on the balcony .. just dancing away,"

📌 https://substack.com/home/post/p-184829747

Tonight to close out a pretty darn swell run was a YLT Hanukkah that was almost literally a little bit of everything. Going both big and small horns, creaky Michael Hurley folk with Peter Stampfel and Stephanie Coleman, delicate meandering, over-the-top rock outs, and an encore of super fun covers led by former Bangle Susanna Hoffs. All the Yo La Tengos and then some and all of it pretty darn swell.

#nycfreaks #livemusic #nyc #ylt #hanukkah #ylthanunakkah #boweryballroom #yolatengo

Well, tonight's show was an A+, definitely my favorite of the ones I've caught so far. This guy David Mansfield out the entire show on violin and pedal steel made every song better with his presence. First hour was a psychedelic bliss-out, ambient YLT perfection with lots of oozy exploration. Second phase was a full-throttle ass-kicking. Everyone sounded amazing and the flow was exquisite. Then opener Lucinda f'in Williams (!) out for an extra poignant encore. Hanukkah Yo La Tengo at its finest.

Coincidentally, my YLT.50 according to NedBase™, which is absolutely bonkers to me. Looking forward to night #8.

#nycfreaks #livemusic #nyc #ylt #hanukkah #ylthanunakkah #boweryballroom #lucindawilliams

Feels like most YLT Hanukkah shows I'd grade an A. Occasionally you luck out with an A+, sometimes an A-. Tonight was probably a B+ in my immediate estimation. A good show, certainly, but relatively speaking a little flat, didn't love the flow or the song selection, and the vocals showing 6th-night-in raggedness.

Very cool to have Jeff Tweedy out all night (on bass even for one song!), but not sure his kids merit the same. Definitely some great highlights though and still beats almost everything else. Two more!

#ylt #hanukkah #ylthanunakkah #boweryballroom #yolatengo #jefftweedy #tweedy

Tonight: last night of the run, first show of the year, my 4th YLT Hanukkah show, they open by honoring the 40th anniversary of their first show with their original bassist and playing the first songs they ever played live. Cool!

#nycfreaks #livemusic #nyc #ylt #hanukkah #ylthanunakkah #boweryballroom #yolatengo