Yo La Tengo Welcome Members of the Soft Boys, Wilco During Hanukkah Run

Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah run at New York’s Bowery Ballroom continued last night. Hanukkah run regular Eugene Mirman served as the night’s comedian and Robyn Hitchcock was the show’s surprise opener. As a treat, Hitchcock–who has used Yo La Tengo as his backing band on past tours–reunited with his Soft Boys bandmates Kimberley Rew and Morris Windsor for a set that mixed solo material and Soft Boys material. Lee Cave-Berry, Rew’s husband, subbed for Matthew Seligman, who passed away in 2020.

During Yo La Tengo’s heading set, Rew returned to play guitar on “The Race Is On.” Then, during the evening’s encore, Hitchcock, Rew, Windsor and Cave-Berry emerged for a segment that included Soft Boys’ “Queen of Eyes,” the Bob Dylan arrangement of “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” from his time when the future members of The Band backed him, Velvet Underground’s “Run Run Run,” Soft Boys’ “I Wanna Destroy You” and The Beatles’ “It’s All Too Much.” The Soft Boys’ most recent reunion run came to an end in 2003.

Friday’s guests were equally as exciting. Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn opened, fronting a band that included Stuart Bogie, Doug Wieselman and Alfredo Colon. Jena Friedman was the night’s comedian and Wilco’s Pat Sansone sat in with Yo La Tengo for almost their entire show. After kicking things off with “Miles Away,” the Wilco member emerged for the rest of the set, including a take on Wilco’s “If I Ever Was A Child.” Zahn also joined Yo La Tengo on keyboards for a few tunes: “Season of the Shark,” “Did I Tell You,” Paul Simon’s “I Am A Rock” and Carole King’s “It’s Too Late.” The latter number featured Richard as well, who remained for a cover of the Ramones’ “I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You.”

As an encore treat, Modern Lovers bassist Ernie Brooks appeared with the core members of Yo La Tengo. They fittingly focused on Modern Lovers material, like “She Cracked,” “Government Center,” “Fly Into the Mystery” and “Roadrunner.”

Yo La Tengo’s Hanukah run continues tonight.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s setlists via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog

Saturday, December 28, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

almost-Soft Boys:

Kingdom of Love

Madonna of the Wasps

Brenda’s Iron Sledge

City of Shame

Sally Was A Legend

Sudden Town

Sounds Great When You’re Dead

The Sir Tommy Shovell

Give It To the Soft Boys

The Pigworker

Insanely Jealous

He’s A Reptile

Underwater Moonlight

YLT:

Green Arrow

Sinatra Drive Breakdown

Cherry Chapstick

Ashes

I’ll Be Around

Swing For Life

Gentle Hour (Snapper)

The Point of It

Aselestine

Tiny Birds

The Race Is On Again (with Kimberley Rew on guitar)

Beanbag Chair

Styles of the Times

Decora

The Story of Yo La Tango

Big Day Coming (quiet)

(encore) with Robyn Hitchcock (guitar/vocals)/Kimberley Rew (guitar)/Morris Windsor (drums/vocals)/Lee Cave-Berry (vocals)

Queen of Eyes (Soft Boys)

Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (trad., arr. Dylan/Hawks)

Run Run Run (Velvet Underground)

I Wanna Destroy You (Soft Boys)

It’s All Too Much (The Beatles)

Friday, December 27, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

entire set minus 1st song with Pat Sansone on guitar/vocals

Miles Away

Paul Is Dead

Little Eyes

The Lie and How We Told It

A Shy Dog

If I Ever Was A Child (Wilco)

Shades of Blue

Season of the Shark (with Spencer Zahn on keyboards)

Did I Tell You (with SZ)

I Am A Rock (Paul Simon) (with SZ)

It’s Too Late (Carole King) (with SZ and Dawn Richard on vocals)

I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You (Ramones) (with DR)

Fallout

Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)

Stockholm Syndrome

I Heard You Looking

(encore) with Ernie Brooks on bass/vocals

She Cracked (Modern Lovers)

Government Center (Modern Lovers)

Fly Into the Mystery (Modern Lovers)

Roadrunner (Modern Lovers)

[ If reposting, kindly credit Frank & Earthy: https://jessejarnow.com/category/ylt / @bourgwick ]