Watch: Sun Ra Arkestra Joins Yo La Tengo for the Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie”

Photo via YouTube

Last night, Jan. 8, a chance crossing between Yo La Tengo and Sun Ra Arkestra in San Francisco gave rise to a shared stage at The Fillmore. Just as the pathbreaking indie trio arrived in the bay to kick off a two-night run at the historic venue, the legendary avant-garde jazz ensemble closed out its three-night series at the Great American Music Hall, opening the opportunity for new live collaboration from the well-acquainted groups. 

After Yo La Tengo completed its sets, the band returned to the stage alongside the Arkestra for a four-song encore. The combination opened with Sun Ra’s sweet and subtle 1955 doo-wop single “Dreaming,” before saluting San Francisco with a debut performance of the Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie,” fortunately captured in a fan-recorded video. The group continued with “Emulsified,” an obscure Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers cut given new life on Yo La Tengo’s 1990 album Fakebook, then brought the evening to a close with “Nuclear War,” Ra’s potent warning against careless hubris that retains its urgency still.

This meeting of the minds carries on a longstanding tradition of cooperation between Yo La Tengo and the Arkestra, who most recently united for Yo La Tengo’s 2023 Hanukkah celebration, just as it had in 2022. Currently, the Arkestra’s bandleader and most senior member Marshall Allen is heading a new all-star fusion outfit Ghost Horizons featuring Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew, as well at The War on Drugs’ drummer Charlie Hall. Next, on June 15, Yo La Tengo and Sun Ra Arkestra will reunite at New York’s Sony Hall to celebrate Allen’s 100th birthday; tickets for that event are available now.

Watch Yo La Tengo and Sun Ra Arkestra cover “New Speedway Boogie” below, and read on for the evening’s complete setlist.

Yo La Tengo

The Fillmore – San Francisco

2/8/23

Set I: This Stupid World > Sinatra Drive Breakdown > She May, She Might > (That’s Why I Always) Dress in Black* > Always Something > Aselestine >I Feel Like Going Home > Deeper Into Movies > Miles Away

Set II: Barnaby, Hardly Working > Brain Capers > Autumn Sweater > Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House > Apology Letter > Big Day Coming > Fallout > Today Is the Day > Sugarcube > I Heard You Looking

Encore: Dreaming^ > New Speedway Boogie# > Emulsified! > Nuclear War$

Notes:

* Bust-out of The Blackjacks “(That’s Why I Always) Dress in Black”

^ Cover of Sun Ra’s “Dreaming”

# Debut cover of Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie”

! Cover of Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers’ “Emulsified”

$ Cover of Sun Ra’s “Nuclear War”

Setlist via setlist.fm