On Dec. 26, Yo La Tengo delivered their fifth of eight Hanukkah performances at Bowery Ballroom in New York City. The show broke with tradition slightly, as it began with a performance by mentalist The Amazing Kreskin rather than a comedian. Sir Richard Bishop opened the show (and returned for some sit-ins later), and Red Sox organist Josh Kantor sat in with Yo La Tengo for nearly their entire set.

The show began with “You Are Here,” after which the band invited Bishop (playing guitar) and Kantor for a duo of songs, “The Ballad of Red Buckets” and “Damage.” Bishop would then leave the stage for the evening, but Kantor remained until the second-to-last song of the set. After a couple more YLT cuts, the band invited Sam Elwitt to the stage to provide guitar duties on “You Baby.” Elwitt remained on stage for a performance “Eight Candles,” which he wrote. The song was recorded by Yo La Tengo for their new compilation Hanukkah+. This was the first live performance of “Eight Candles” since the recording. It featured Kevin Micka on drums.

The last song of the set that featured Kantor on organ was a cover of Modern Lovers’ “Government Center.” After he left the stage, YLT finished the frame with “Ohm” and “Our Way To Fall.”

The encore began with “Beautiful World,” originally by Devo. Next, Yo La Tengo invited Elwitt and Kantor back for “That’s Cool, That’s Trash.” The song also featured vocal work from Todd Abramson, a promoter and longtime friend of the band who presented their Hanukkah shows for years at Maxwell’s before the celebration moved to Bowery. The evening closed with an acoustic rendition of “Tom Courtenay.”

Yo La Tengo returns to the Bowery Ballroom this evening.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Contributing Editor Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy site.

Thursday, December 26, Bowery Ballroom, New York, N.Y.

You Are Here
The Ballad of Red Buckets (with Sir Richard Bishop on guitar & Josh Kantor on organ)
Damage (with SRB & JK)
Upside Down (with JK)
Did I Tell You (with JK)
You Baby (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with JK & Sam Elwitt on guitar)
Eight Candles (Sam Elwitt) (with JK, SE, & Kevin Micka on drums)
When It’s Dark (with JK)
If It’s True (with JK)
I Should Have Known Better (with JK)
Paddle Forward (with JK)
Government Center (Modern Lovers) (with JK)
Ohm
Our Way To Fall

(encore)
Beautiful World (Devo)
That’s Cool, That’s Trash (P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with JK, SE, & Todd Abramson on vocals)
Tom Courtenay (acoustic version)