Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom - Hanukkah 2019 Night 7
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya

Snail Mail, Robyn Hitchcock & more joined Yo La Tengo on Hanukkah Night 7 (pics, video, setlist)

Yo La Tengo‘s 2019 Hanukkah Run continued on Saturday (12/28) for its penultimate night, night seven, at Bowery Ballroom. The surprise opener was YLT’s Matador label-mate Snail Mail. Lindsey Jordan said the band was playing as a trio in honor of opening for YLT. She also mentioned how when she was considering signing with Matador Records, she didn’t know much about labels, but her manager told her that Matador was home to Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth, and she thought that was pretty cool. She related another anecdote about living in Crown Heights when she first moved to Brooklyn, and not knowing much about dry wall when she set up a shelf for her records. She would play YLT’s I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One every day, but one day, the shelf fell down, and tragically, the only album that broke into ten pieces was YLT’s. Luckily, Matador gave her another copy.

Ira Kaplan came out to introduce the next act, comedian Matt Walsh from UCB and HBO’s Veep. He appeared as his alter-ego “Mark McClintock,” who he said was YLT’s tour bus driver who was promoted to press liaison after running over the previous one with the bus.

Yo La Tengo started their set with Georgia on acoustic guitar and Ira on electric for “Dream Dream Away” from their most recent album, There’s a Riot Going On. Original YLT lead guitarist for Dave Schramm joined them for four tracks mid-set, and the main set wrapped up with the epic “Blue Line Swinger.”

For the encore, Robyn Hitchcock joined YLT on stage, hearkening back to the March 2017 show where they backed him at the same venue playing Black Snake Diamond Role. This time, they teamed up for three covers by “Uncle Bob, Uncle Lou, and Uncle Lux” (Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and The Cramps). They finished the set with two of Robyn’s own songs, one of which, “Love,” Robyn “dedicated to Mrs. Hitchcock…the one who’s still alive.”

Boredoms’ Yoshimi P-We did the night seven mix CD, Bailey Leiter was the after-show DJ, and proceeds from the evening went to RIP Medical Debt. Check out pictures by Ellen Qbertplaya, the setlist (via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog), and some video clips, below.

Catch up on the previous six nights of Hanukkah 2019, including appearances from Sylvan Esso, Brian Chase, Janet Weiss, Lucinda Williams, Sun Ra Arkestra, Steve Gunn/William Tyler, Christmas, The Amazing Kreskin, and more, here.

Yo La Tengo’s final Hanukkah show of 2019, night eight, is sold out, but sometimes more tickets are put on sale, so it may be worth checking back if you’re looking to go.

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Yo La Tengo – Hanukkah Night 7 @ Bowery Ballroom 12/28/2019 (via Frank & Earthy)
Dream Dream Away
Cherry Chapstick
Avalon or Someone Very Similar
Beanbag Chair
The Race is On Again (with Dave Schramm on guitar)
Pablo and Andrea (with DS)
Season of the Shark (with DS)
From Black to Blue (with DS)
I’ll Be Around
For You Too
False Alarm
Autumn Sweater
The Story of Jazz
From A Motel 6
Blue Line Swinger

*(encore)*
with Robyn Hitchcock on guitar/vocals
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (Bob Dylan)
Kill Your Sons (Lou Reed)
Drug Train (The Cramps)
I Wanna Destroy You (Robyn Hitchcock)
Love (Robyn Hitchcock)

photos and writeup by Ellen Qbertplaya