Watch Lambchop & Yo La Tengo Fill The Bowery’s Stage At Hanukkah Show

Night three of Yo La Tengo’s annual Hanukkah concert series was held on Saturday night at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City. The evening included an opening set by an expanded lineup of Lambchop, made up of former and current members, who also collaborated with Yo La Tengo throughout their set.

Lambchop, the long-running collective led by Nashville-based musician Kurt Wagner, presented a lineup that saw Wagner joined by original members, pedal steel guitarist Paul Niehaus, saxophonist Deanna Varagona and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Marx. Additional participants included one-time Lambchop members guitarist William Tyler and bassist Matt Swanson, among others. Bon Iver drummer Matt McCaughan played with Lambchop and also joined Yo La Tengo throughout their set.

Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan sat in with Lambchop for the bulk of their set, playing saxophone and guitar. YLT bassist and Lambchop veteran James McNew also came out during Lambchop’s performance. The opening set pulled from across Lambchop’s extensive catalog and featured standouts like “The Man Who Loved Beer,” “Up With People,” “Your Fucking Sunny Day” and more.

Wagner and his cohorts supplemented Yo La Tengo’s main set, emerging during the opening “Night Falls on Hoboken.” Wagner sang “This Stupid World,” the title track from Yo La Tengo’s excellent 2023 studio album and later helmed covers of “Group Grope” by The Fugs and “Readymades” by the Bonzo Dog Band.”

All of Lambchop was onstage with YLT for “Always Something,” “Green Arrow,” “Group Grope,” “Readymades” and purportedly the first time the Painful outtake “Slow Learner” has been performed live by Yo La Tengo. Marx stuck around for “Shadows,” and Tyler and Niehaus were brought back for “Wasn’t Born To Follow” by The City and “The Race Is On Again.”

Swanson played bass on a performance of “I Should Have Known Better,” with McNew on guitar. The rest of Lambchop came back onstage for the final song of Yo La Tengo’s main set, “I Heard You Looking.”

Comedian Dina Hashem, who performed an opening set, played drums on the first song of Saturday’s encore, T. Rex’s “20th Century Boy.” The Dictators’ Andy Shernoff was next to guest with YLT, playing bass and singing lead on his band’s “Next Big Thing” and “Loyola.” Shernoff’s performance was a tribute to The Dictators co-founding guitarist Scott “Top Ten” Kempner, who recently died at age 69. The night ended with Shernoff joining in on a cover of “Slow Death” by Flamin’ Groovies.

Setlist (via Frank & Earthy)

Set: Night Falls on Hoboken > This Stupid World (drone) > (with Kurt Wagner on vocals), Always Something, Green Arrow, Group Grope (The Fugs) (with KW), Readymades (Bonzo Dog Band) (with KW), Slow Learner, Shadows (with Jonathan Marx on trumpet), Satellite, Wasn’t Born To Follow (Carole King & Gerry Goffin) (with William Tyler on guitar & Paul Niehaus on pedal steel), The Race Is On Again (with WT & PN), I Should Have Known Better (with Matt Swanson on bass), Drug Test, Today Is The Day (fast), I Heard You Looking

Encore: 20th Century Boy (T. Rex) (with Dina Hashem on drums), Next Big Thing (The Dictators) (with Andy Shernoff on bass/vocals), Loyola (The Dictators) (with AS), Slow Death (Flamin’ Groovies) (with AS)

Notes:

• “Night Falls on Hoboken” through “Slow Learner” & “I Heard You Looking” with Lambchop; whole set with Matt McCaughan on drums.
• Opening Act: Lambchop
• Comedian: Dina Hashem
• Mix CD: DJ King Joe
• Benefiting: Advocates For Children