Obviously I didn’t keep up with #YLTHanukkah posts nightly during the run but here’s a few pictures I like from the week. #YLT
Look at Peter Stampfel’s sweater!!!
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
Ira and Georgia sitting across the way at the Frisell show. That's the kind of smile I needed this evening.
Not for nothing, in my observations, they see more music in NYC than any other musicians. By far. Across an admirably wide range, in rooms big and small.
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
A. J. Payler
noah_s
neddyo