yeah it's fun stuff -- listening to a bunch of these live recordings, it's clear they're more in the vein of NRBQ than the VU. Kind of like the ultimate neighborhood band (who somehow made it big).
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
At first I lolled at NRBQ comparison, but it's actually rather apt. I was telling a friend just recently that NRBQ were "record collector rock," in the sense that why NOT combine Sun rockabilly, Lovin' Spoonful pop and Sun Ra skronk; they obviously loved all those things. And YLT does a similar thing with their influences, for sure.
― Advanced Uncle Meat recovery system (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 17:12 (twelve years ago) link
yeah i mean obviously there are big differences, but just the approach -- almost like both bands tap into an alternate american songbook kind of thing (both with covers and originals).
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 17:23 (twelve years ago) link
nrbq/yung wu members are regular guests for ylt's hanukkah shows
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 17:38 (twelve years ago) link
really, nrbq have played those things? i know yung wu/feelies/etc always show up.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 17:41 (twelve years ago) link
well, terry adams has
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 17:45 (twelve years ago) link
cool, yeah at this point it'd be weirder if someone from nrbq *hadn't* played with YLT. they've played with everyone.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 17:48 (twelve years ago) link
that first, epic big day coming gets really delicious and spacey 16 minutes in
― It was you. Miming to Tenacious D. (stevie), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 19:52 (twelve years ago) link
ha, yeah, it almost turns into some kind of 4AD/cocteau twins thing. really is great -- i wasn't too excited about a 27-minute big day coming when it started but i was a believer by the end.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 19:53 (twelve years ago) link
what is the rest of that show like??
― It was you. Miming to Tenacious D. (stevie), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 19:59 (twelve years ago) link
that's all they played that night, i think! they just jumped on a bill w/ sleepyhead and love child at the last minute.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 20:00 (twelve years ago) link
pretty excited about hearing those versions of "Big Day Coming"!
when I saw them on the And Nothing... tour they opened with like a 45 minute version of "Night Falls On Hoboken" & I couldn't figure out where they could go from there. tbh they didn't really go anywhere; it was a weird mellow night, only one short electric solo (on "Cherry Chapstick"), with the gong player, you guys were probably there too, you know what I mean.
― Euler, Tuesday, 8 May 2012 20:08 (twelve years ago) link
could def go for a compilation of diff versions of night falls tbh. and also cherry chapstick.
― It was you. Miming to Tenacious D. (stevie), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 20:18 (twelve years ago) link
just put up a new one -- Yo La Does Dylan http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/22844703264/yo-la-tengo-does-dylan-sunsquashed-archives
― tylerw, Friday, 11 May 2012 16:17 (twelve years ago) link
i was really worried that your blog was gonna die out when your mediafire links went down. so happy
http://sydneytapes.blogspot.com.au/2010/02/freewheelin-with-yo-la-tengo.html (link in comments)
this is a really cool Freewheelin' show. I think the talking/answers are actually better than the music, and it's an awesome setlist. Phone interference dies out after like the 25 minute mark too. It isn't split up though
― Spikey, Saturday, 12 May 2012 03:40 (twelve years ago) link
cool, thanks for the link! those freewheeling shows are fun. yeah, kinda keeping the blog rolling in a hopefully low-key way. next up is a totally great fakebook era comp.
― tylerw, Saturday, 12 May 2012 18:02 (twelve years ago) link
tyler, do you have their london royal festival hall performance, hosted by john peel? i was in the audience for that, and have a recording on CD that's ace - Ira tussles manfully with some awful technical difficulties throughout, but the band are entirely charming, and they open with a totally enchanting trip thru Night Falls On Hoboken (i could totally listen to a CD of multiple takes of that song). i can try and upload it if you've not heard it yet.
― It was you. Miming to Tenacious D. (stevie), Saturday, 12 May 2012 18:37 (twelve years ago) link
i do have that one -- the long, opening "night fall on hoboken" right? great show. i think part of this "sunsquashed" archives thing will be an ambient/epic compilation that will definitely include a version of "hoboken".
― tylerw, Monday, 14 May 2012 15:01 (twelve years ago) link
aye, that's the one...
― It was you. Miming to Tenacious D. (stevie), Monday, 14 May 2012 16:38 (twelve years ago) link
aight, here's another one http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/23231602272/a-world-of-funny-changes-more-from-thereally great stuff, live shows/in-stores/radio sessions all from the Fakebook era.
― tylerw, Thursday, 17 May 2012 15:54 (twelve years ago) link
another one of these! http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/23741012089/number-15-spotlight-on-james-mcnew-sunsquashedspotlight on james mcnew/dump.
― tylerw, Friday, 25 May 2012 17:48 (twelve years ago) link
From the Neil Young voting thread:
yo la tengo's probably one of the more adventurous bands when it comes to setlists, at least in my experience. i don't think there's anything in their catalog that they wouldn't at least give a go.― tylerw, Friday, July 6, 2012 2:14 AM (9 hours ago)
― tylerw, Friday, July 6, 2012 2:14 AM (9 hours ago)
Do they do anything from Ride the Tiger these days? IIRC, Ira was either embarrassed by it or felt it was a Dave Schramm album (or both). Love that record so much.
― john. a resident of chicago., Friday, 6 July 2012 11:53 (twelve years ago) link
Does 'The Evil That Men Do' count?
― Spikey, Friday, 6 July 2012 12:16 (twelve years ago) link
Yes. Yes it does. Although I'd like to hear them (or Dave Schramm) do "The Way Some People Die" or "Five Years," sometime.
― john. a resident of chicago., Friday, 6 July 2012 14:18 (twelve years ago) link
think i've seen "the empty pool" and "alrock's bells" crop up on a few setlists recently, but yeah, that is probably the record they draw from the least. those songs might just show up when they do a random hanukkah gig with schramm.
― tylerw, Friday, 6 July 2012 14:44 (twelve years ago) link
just posted another ylt live thing -- Sun Ra Tengo! This one is a lot of fun: http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/post/30995666916/or-the-i-ra-arkestra-of-all-the-hundreds
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:01 (twelve years ago) link
Heh, great timing tyler, I just got done reading the bit in the book where Jarnow talks about YLT meeting up with the members of the Arkestra and playing with them.
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:46 (twelve years ago) link
Hanukkah shows in Hoboken happening this year (12/8-15), tix on sale next week.
― cancer, kizz my hairy irish azz (Dr Morbius), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link
sold out already apparently!
― tylerw, Monday, 22 October 2012 19:43 (eleven years ago) link
got hooked up for the 12th....
http://yolatengo.com/schedule.html
― crazy uncle in the attic (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 October 2012 19:43 (eleven years ago) link
looks like at least Monday & Saturday finale still available.
― crazy uncle in the attic (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 October 2012 19:45 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2012/12/the_raybeats_em.html
I'm missing Wyatt Cenac tom'w apparently, dammit
― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Monday, 10 December 2012 12:37 (eleven years ago) link
What I love about the Hanukah shows is that they allow YLT to actually have fun. I can't think of the last time I saw the band where Ira and Georgia looked much more than joyless, and that includes a Condo Fucks show, though I guess I missed the spinning wheel tour, which may have been a concerted effort to liven things up.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 10 December 2012 13:50 (eleven years ago) link
Judging by the photo the band tweeted, it looked like the Arkestra was with 'em last night.
― HAPPY BDAY TOOTS (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 10 December 2012 14:53 (eleven years ago) link
Yep. Would have liked seeing the Raybeats open (on night one). Plus this Yo La Tengo cover with guest:
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Richard Hell) (with Jody Harris of the Raybeats/Contortions on guitar)
― curmudgeon, Monday, 10 December 2012 15:36 (eleven years ago) link
rumor is i'm gettin L3e R4n4ldo
― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Monday, 10 December 2012 15:39 (eleven years ago) link
Josh I think they just have a game face when they play. Anyone going on Wednesday? I think that's when I'll be there.
― Evan, Monday, 10 December 2012 15:59 (eleven years ago) link
yeah that's when i'm goin
― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Monday, 10 December 2012 16:02 (eleven years ago) link
It may be a game face, but it's definitely stopped me from enjoying shows as of late. I used to look forward to YLT live c. 93, 94, 95. But now it's kind of a slog. Oh well. Perhaps it is just me.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 10 December 2012 17:08 (eleven years ago) link
lee ranaldo
― am0n, Monday, 10 December 2012 17:10 (eleven years ago) link
^ correct spelling
have never seen ylt not thoroughly enjoying a show (not even the 1999 royal festival hall show where their gear glitched all the way through) tbh
― That symptom is fucking my wife (stevie), Monday, 10 December 2012 17:12 (eleven years ago) link
http://slowshutter.org/yolatengo/120912/
some good pics a friend took.
― i guess i'd just rather listen to canned heat? (ian), Monday, 10 December 2012 17:24 (eleven years ago) link
gonna listen to yo la tengo today. good band.
new album is strong
― That symptom is fucking my wife (stevie), Monday, 10 December 2012 17:25 (eleven years ago) link
― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Monday, 10 December 2012 17:43 (eleven years ago) link
Last time I saw them in Minneapolis they seemed kind of tired. Kind of turned me off of wanting to see them again? I dunno. They seem to come by enough.
― global tetrahedron, Monday, 10 December 2012 18:50 (eleven years ago) link
being tired after so many years. who could blame them? the beatles went on for eight years? yo la tengo have been together for more than 25 already, haven't they? let's hope they don't finish like the bloody stones.
― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 10 December 2012 18:55 (eleven years ago) link
Oh for sure, as much as I love Ira's shredding one wonders if he ever gets tired of it.
― global tetrahedron, Monday, 10 December 2012 18:59 (eleven years ago) link
When I first saw them ('86 or '87 I think, opening for Camper Van Beethoven) none of us knew who they were, and we all joked that they looked tired and unhappy...
― dlp9001, Monday, 10 December 2012 19:10 (eleven years ago) link