Yo La Tengo returned to New York’s Bowery Ballroom last night for the seventh night of their Hanukkah run. Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die opened the evening and Dina Hashem served as the night’s guest comedian. Members of the Fly or Die jazz collective also augmented Yo La Tengo during their set. At the start of the night, Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan and James McNew started things off with a version of composer and YLT collaborator Alvin Lucier’s drone piece “Criss-Cross.” Lucier died on December 1 at the age of 90.

About halfway through their show, Fly or Die drummer Chad Taylor sat in and remained onstage throughout the rest of Yo La Tengo’s show. Trumpeter Branch, bassist Jason Ajemian and cello player Lester St. Louis also emerged for “As the Hour Grows Late” and remained for “Let’s Be Still,” “The Summer” and “Moby Octopad.” 

During their encore, Yo La Tengo invited the alternative-rock band Dream Syndicate out for a set of their own songs. The two outfits collaborated on “Definitely Clean,” “Too Little, Too Late,”  Dream Syndicate’s version of The Bangles’ “Hero Takes A Fall,” “Some Kinda Itch” and “Tell Me When It’s Over.” Both Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan and James McNew sat out “Too Little, Too Late.”

Yo La Tengo will return to the Bowery this evening. 

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog

Friday, December 3, 2021, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

whole set from “Tired Hippo” onwards with Chad Taylor on drums

Cherry Chapstick
Nothing To Hide
She May, She Might >
Ack Ack Ack Ack >
She May, She Might
Pablo and Andrea
Have You Seen My Baby
Tired Hippo
I’m On My Way
I’ll Be Around
As the Hour Grows Late (with Jaimie Branch/trumpet, Jason Ajemian/bass, Lester St. Louis/cello)
Let’s Be Still (with JB/JA/LSL)
The Summer (with JB/JA/LSL)
Moby Octopad (with JB/JA/LSL)
Right Side of My Mind
From A Motel 6
Mushroom Cloud of Hiss

E: (with the Dream Syndicate)
Definitely Clean
Too Little, Too Late
Hero Takes A Fall
Some Kinda Itch
Tell Me When It’s Over