Swamp Dogg, Marc Ribot and Love Child Join Yo La Tengo for Hanukkah Night Six

Last night, Dec. 30, Yo La Tengo’s annual Hanukkah celebration continued as the indie icons presented the sixth performance in their eight-show residency at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. In keeping with the tradition that’s been a beloved light on their live calendar since 2001, the storied trio delivered a 15-track set without repeating any songs from previous nights, underscoring the depth of their 40-year discography in the company of a surprise opening band, comedian, full-set sit-in and encore artist.

Monday’s show opened with a set from Love Child, the trio of alt-rock underground darlings Alan Licht, Brendan O’Malley and Rebecca Odes that reunited after more than 30 years in the summer. Humorist, author and friend to YLT David Sedaris returned as the evening’s comedy guest, continuing a longstanding streak of appearances in the Hannukah residency and filthy Santa limericks.

Marc Ribot joined Yo La Tengo for a full-set sit-in, lending his masterful, genre-bending guitar prowess to add hints of No Wave and Cuban influence throughout the show. After walking on to Gene Marshall’s “Jimmy Carter Says ‘Yes’” in a tribute to the late rock & roll president, the band set off its show with 2009’s “More Stars Than There Are in Heaven.” The trio and Ribot moved through longtime favorites like “Forever,” “Can’t Forget” and “Apology Letter” before covering Fred Neil’s “The Other Side of Life” in the style of Jefferson Airplane, then built steam into a heavier second act with “I Feel Like Going Home,” “Here To Fall” and “False Alarm.” The energy of the set reached a high with a supercharged cover of Richard Hell’s “The Kid With the Replaceable Head,” then the band broached “Moby Octopad” before closing out the set with a treatment of The Hondells’ “Little Honda” alongside Licht.

After a beat, Yo La Tengo began the encore by welcoming Swamp Dogg to lead the evening’s final movement. The R&B and electric blues titan was backed by his supporting vocalist and keyboardist MoogStar, as well as the members of YLT. Together, the ensemble served up powerful performances of Dogg’s “Synthetic World,” “She’s All I Got” and “What Do You Plan To Do About It” before closing with his 1970 essential “Total Destruction to Your Mind.”

Yo La Tengo will ring in 2025 from the Bowery Ballroom tonight, then close out this year’s Hanukkah residency with a finale on Jan. 1. For more information on the band, visit yolatengo.com.

Read the complete setlist via Jesse Jarnow here.

yo la tengo at bowery ballroom, hanukkah night 6.

opening act: love child.

comedian: david sedaris.

mix CDR by dj eweck.

post show DJ: miss christina ginger.

benefitting music workers alliance.

(with, ahem, merch for sale by a certain pseudonymed soul singer whose name i’m going to redact for now.)

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— jesse jarnow (@bourgwick.bsky.social) December 30, 2024 at 7:55 PM