Yo La Tengo Hanukkah Night 4: Matmos, Jim Gaffigan, LaLa Brooks, more (video, setlist)

Yo La Tengo‘s 2018 Hanukkah celebration at Bowery Ballroom hit the midway point on Wednesday night (12/5), with electronic duo Matmos opening the show, and joining Ira, Georgia and James for most of their set. “Sorry to people here who aren’t familiar with us,” joked Matmos’ M. C. Schmidt as they sat down behind their table of gear. “Fans of ‘real music’ may be disappointed. I understand that, and I’m in the band.” That said, Matmos played an entertaining set that really brought their sampled objects style to life. Schmidt yanked masking tape, banged cups together, and drummed on his legs, while Drew Daniel manipulated the sounds in real time. In the holiday spirit, they sampled spinning dreidels from a video they projected on screen. It was a fun set.

Matmos did similar things, subtly, during Yo La Tengo’s set which was on the quiet, hushed side for the first half, with songs such as “Let’s Do it Wrong,” “Above the Sound” and “The Ballad of Red Buckets” which featured sometimes YLT member Dave Schramm on guitar. While M.C. Schmidt was mostly concentrated on his work, Drew Daniel was clearly loving watching Yo La Tengo from the middle of the stage, a giant smile on his face and singing along with “Cherry Chapstick.” They also covered Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and did a noisy, extended jam of their cover of The Hondells’ “Little Honda.” Check out the setlist, via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog, below.

For the encore, they brought Dave Schramm back out again to sing a couple songs, and then brought out The Crystals’ LaLa Brooks and a horn section for “Then He Kissed Me,” “I Wonder” and “The Doo Ron Ron.” LaLa is a real pistol, still in great voice and told stories about Phil Spector and run-ins with the mob that had the band and audience in stitches. You can watch video of all three songs they did with LaLa below.

Also keeping us in stitches was Jim Gaffigan who did about 15/20 minutes, hitting on Christmas and Hanukkah, having his appendix taken out, Ringo Starr and more.

Kid Congo Powers made Night 4’s mix CD, and proceeds from the evening benefitted the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Check out recaps of Night 1, Night 2 and Night 3, and more pics and videos are below.

Any guesses on who Night 5’s openers and surprise guests could be?

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SETLIST: Yo La Tengo @ Bowery Ballroom 12/5/2018 (Hanukkah Night 4) (via Frank & Earthy)

comedian: Jim Gaffigan
opening act: Matmos
mix CD: Kid Congo Powers
benefiting: Union of Concerned Scientists

whole set (minus “Awhileaway”) with Matmos on electronics.

Everyday
Let’s Do it Wrong
Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1) >
Saturday
Above the Sound >
The Ballad of Red Buckets (with Dave Schramm on guitar)
Awhileaaway (with DS)
The Summer (with DS)
Cherry Chapstick >
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) (with Dutch Worthington on bass)
Little Honda (The Hondells)
The Story of Yo La Tango

*(encore)* with Dave Schramm on guitar/vocals
The Way Some People Die
Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King/Gerry Goffin)
Then He Kissed Me (Phil Spector/Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry) (with LaLa Brooks of the Crystals & horn section)
I Wonder (Phil Spector/Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry) (with LB & horns)
Da Doo Ron Ron (Phil Spector/Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry) (with LB & horns)