Yo La Tengo closed their Hanukkah run at New York’s Bowery Ballroom last night. Free-jazz pioneers Sun Ra Arkestra, who take part of the trio’s Hanukkah run every year, supplied opening duties and Carole Montgomery was the night’s comedian. Another Yo La Tengo Hanukkah staple, Todd Barry, was supposed to be the night’s comedian guest but he ended up testing positive for COVID at the last minute and had to sit out the show.

Fittingly, given their support act and that the show fell on Christmas, Yo La Tengo kicked off their show with Sun Ra’s “It’s Christmas Time.” Later in the night, Sun Ra Arkestra members James Stewart (saxophone), Knoel Scott (saxophone), Cecil Brooks (trumpet) and Dave Davis (trombone) emerged for Daniel Johnston’s “Speeding Motorcycle,” Sun Ra’s “Dreaming,” “All the Glitter is Gone,” Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers’ “Emulsified,” “More Stars Than There Are In Heaven” and a set-closing take on Sun Ra’s “Nuclear War.”

For their encore, Yo La Tengo continued their tradition of covers, beginning with Alex Chilton’s “Take Care.” (Chilton famously sat in with Yo La Tengo on Christmas back when their run took place at Hoboken, NJ’s Maxwell’s.) From there, Yo La Tengo moved on to Jefferson Airplane’s “3/5 Of A Mile In 1/10 Of A Second,” Velvet Underground’s 
“I Can’t Stand It” and Bob Hilliard and Lee Pockriss’ romantic ballad “My Little Corner of the World.” As is tradition, Yo La Tengo guitarist Ira Kaplan’s mother Marilyn Kaplan sang on the final tune.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Jesse Jarnow’s homepage

Sunday, December 25, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY 

It’s Christmas Time (Sun Ra)
Autumn Sweater
Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House
The Point Of It
Forever
Alyda
Nowhere Near
Five-Cornered Drone (Crispy Duck)
Upside Down
Speeding Motorcycle (Daniel Johnston; with Sun Ra horns)
Dreaming (Sun Ra; with Sun Ra horns)

All the Glitter is Gone (with Sun Ra horns)
Emulsified (Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers; with Sun Ra horns)

More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (boogie version; with Sun Ra horns)

Nuclear War (Sun Ra; with Sun Ra horns)

E:
Take Care (Alex Chilton)
3/5 Of A Mile In 1/10 Of A Second (Jefferson Airplane)
I Can’t Stand It (Velvet Underground)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)