Yo La Tengo Wraps Hanukkah Run With Lucinda Williams, Jeff Tweedy & Susanna Hoffs

Yo La Tengo closed out their annual celebration of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah over the weekend at Bowery Ballroom in New York City. An impressive roster of special guests joined the trio throughout the last three shows of the eight-night residency, including Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy on Thursday, legendary singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams on Friday and The Bangles vocalist Susanna Hoffs on Sunday.

Jeff Tweedy, making his return to the residency after past appearances in 2010 and 2017, teamed with his sons Spencer and Sammy Tweedy under the moniker The Raccoonists to open night six. Jo Firestone was selected as the evening’s comedian by Yo La Tengo — guitarist Ira Kaplan, drummer Georgia Hubley and bassist James McNew. Proceeds from Friday’s concert benefited the Mary Mitchell Family & Youth Center.

The Tweedys augmented Yo La Tengo throughout their set and encore on Friday, with Jeff on guitar (and bass for one song), Spencer on drums and Sammy on keys. YLT and The Tweedys kicked off the 15-song main set with “More Stars Than There Are In Heaven.” Other originals to make the setlist included “Tom Courtenay,” “I Heard You Looking,” “Aselestine” and “The Race Is On Again.” Bob Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero/No Limit,” Jeff Tweedy & Mavis Staples’ “You Are Not Alone” and George McCrae’s “You Can Have It All” were the three covers fit into the frame.

Yo La Tengo with Jeff, Sammy and Spencer Tweedy devoted the entire encore to Herman’s Hermits covers. The six musicians ran through “I’m Into Something Good,” “Hold On,” “Just A Little Bit Better,” “No Milk Today” and “My Reservation’s Been Confirmed.” All five songs were written or co-written by a Jewish songwriter in keeping with tradition for Hanukkah run encores.

Watch a selection of audience-shot videos of Yo La Tengo and The Tweedys:

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Yo La Tengo picked Lucinda Williams to open and Al Madrigal as the comedian for the penultimate show of this year’s Hanukkah residency. Proceeds from Saturday’s show were donated to Fòs Feministas.

Surprise guest David Mansfield, who was a member of Bob Dylan’s band from 1975 through 1978, alternated between violin and pedal steel through YLT’s Saturday night performance. The longtime collaborator sat-in with the trio on beloved favorites “Night Falls On Hoboken,” “The Ballad Of Red Buckets,” “Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1),” “The Story Of Yo La Tango,” “Our Way To Fall” and the rest of the New Jersey-birthed band’s set.

Yo La Tengo and David Mansfield began the encore with Richard Hell’s “Love Comes In Spurts.” Lucinda Williams, back in the fold for her first Hanukkah run appearance since 2020, then helped the four musicians punctuate the night by singing Ohio Express’ “Yummy Yummy Yummy,” YLT original “Tears Are In Your Eyes” and The Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes.” The band broke form by repeating “Tears Are In Your Eyes,” which was also played with Norah Jones on night five.

Check out an array of fan-captured videos from night seven below:

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Yo La Tengo capped their 2025 Hanukkah residency on Sunday. On the rise, Philadelphia-based band Florry started the night eight festivities before Jon Benjamin performed stand-up comedy. New York Immigration Coalition was the beneficiary of YLT’s Hanukkah run finale.

The trio brought out a three-piece horn section consisting of CJ Camerieri (trumpet/French horn), Mike McGinnis (saxophone) and Cheryl Kingan (baritone saxophone) to join in on their show-opening version of Al Johnson’s “Carnival Time,” which featured lyrics changed to “it’s Hanukkah time.” The horns stuck around for a run of “Everyday,” “Moby Octopad,” “Eight Candles,” “Swing For Life,” “Mr. Tough,” “Watch Out For Me Ronnie” and “Before We Run.”

Violinists Peter Stampfel and Stephanie Coleman then swapped in for the horns to add fiddle to covers of Michael Hurley’s “Hog Of The Forsaken” and “Polynesia #1.” Yo La Tengo treated fans to “Cherry Chapstick,” “Fallout,” “Styles Of The Times,” “Upside-Down” and “Blue Line Swinger” sans guests to end Sunday’s main set.

Susanna Hoffs emerged for an encore that started with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It With Mine.” Hoffs then led Yo La Tengo through The Bangles classic “In Your Room,” along with covers of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” and “Things I Should Have Said” by The Grass Roots. A take on Prince’s “Manic Monday,” a song for which The Bangles scored a hit in 1986, ended Susanna Hoffs time on stage.

It wouldn’t be a proper Yo La Tengo Hanukkah run if Yo La Tengo didn’t bring out Ira Kaplan’s mom, Marilyn Kaplan, to join them on vocals. Marilyn Kaplan, Peter Stampfel and Stephanie Coleman were on hand for a cover of Michael Hurley’s “Griselda” and traditional residency closer “My Little Corner Of The World.”

View a series of fan-shot videos documenting Yo La Tengo’s 2025 Hanukkah residency finale below:

Setlists (via Frank & Earthy)

Friday, December 19

Set: More Stars Than There Are In Heaven, Little Eyes, Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Bob Dylan), Aselestine, Season of the Shark You Are Not Alone (Jeff Tweedy), The Lie & How We Told It, Did I Tell You?, You Can Have It All (Harry Wayne Casey), The Race Is On Again, For You Too, A Shy Dog, Brain Capers, Tom Courtenay, I Heard You Looking

Encore: I’m Into Something Good (Herman’s Hermits, wr. Carole King/Gerry Goffin), Hold On (Herman’s Hermits, wr. Steve Barri/P.F. Sloan), Just A Little Bit Better (Herman’s Hermits, wr. Kenny Young), No Milk Today (Herman’s Hermits, wr. Graham Gouldman), My Reservation’s Been Confirmed (Herman’s Hermits, wr. Keith Hopwood/Derek Leckenby/Harvey Lisberg)

whole show with Jeff Tweedy (guitar/bass/vocals), Spencer Tweedy (drums/vocals), & Sammy Tweedy (keyboards/vocals)

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Saturday, December 20

Set: Night Falls on Hoboken, The Summer, Tiny Birds > The Ballad of Red Buckets, Song For Mahlia, I Feel Like Going Home, One PM Again The Way Some People Die (James vocals), River of Water, I’ll Be Around, Super Kiwi, Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1), We’re An American Band, The Story of Yo La Tango, Our Way To Fall

Encore: Love Comes In Spurts (Richard Hell), Yummy Yummy Yummy (Ohio Express, wr. Arthur Resnick/Joey Levine) (with Lucinda Williams on vocals), Tears Are In Your Eyes (with LW), Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground) (with LW)

whole show with David Mansfield on violin/pedal steel

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Sunday, December 21

Set: It’s Hanukkah Time (Al Johnson), Everyday, Moby Octopad, Eight Candles (Sam Elwitt), Swing For Life, Mr. Tough, Watch Out For Me, Ronnie, Before We Run, Hog of the Forsaken (Michael Hurley) (with Peter Stampfel & Stephanie Coleman on fiddles), Polynesia #1 (Michael Hurley) (with PS & SC), Cherry Chapstick, Fallout, Styles of the times, Upside Down, Blue Line Swinger

Encore: I’ll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan) (with Susanna Hoffs), In Your Room (The Bangles) (with SH), Mrs. Robinson (Paul Simon) (with SH & CJ Camerieri on bongos), Things I Should Have Said (The Grass Roots, wr. P.F. Sloan/Steve Barri) (with SH & CC), Manic Monday (Prince, as Christopher) (with SH), Griselda (Antonia) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals, PS, & SC), My Little Corner of the World (Lee Pockriss/Bob Hilliard) (with MK, PS, & SC)

“Hanukkah Time” through “Before We Run” with CJ Camerieri (trumpet/French horn), Mike McGinnis (saxophone), Cheryl Kingan (baritone saxophone)