Yo La Tengo Welcomes MJ Lenderman + Soft Boys & Sonic Youth Members For Hanukkah Shows In New York City

Yo La Tengo continued their 2024 Hanukkah run at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City over the weekend. Night four saw members of influential English group The Soft Boys reuniting for an opening set and sit-in with YLT. Night five saw appearances from rising singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman and Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley on drums for the main set.

On Saturday, Soft Boys members Robyn Hitchcock, Kimberley Rew and Morris Windsor with Lee Cave-Berry delivered the opening musical set alongside stand-up from Eugene Mirman. The Soft Boys’ heyday came in the late 1970s, with the band going their separate ways in 1981.

Soft Boys’ brand of rock ‘n’ roll blending elements of punk, psychedelia and folk rock would prove influential on groups of the same ilk. The Soft Boys reunited briefly in 2001 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their album Underwater Moonlight and a new record, 2002’s Nextdoorland. Soft Boys disbanded again in 2003. Watch three members of the band reunite below:

Following the unofficial Soft Boys reunion, Yo La Tengo launched their frame with “Green Arrow” off their 1997 LP, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, followed by “Sinatra Drive Breakdown” from the trio’s — Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew — most recent studio album, 2023’s This Stupid World.

The band also brought Kimberley Rew out for “The Race Is On Again” from YLT’s 2006 record, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass, ahead of wrapping the main set with a quiet rendition of “Big Day Coming.”

The encore saw the return of Robyn Hitchcock, Kimberley Rew, Morris Windsor and Lee Cave-Berry. The collaboration performed additional Soft Boys songs “Queen of Eyes” and “I Wanna Destroy You” alongside covers from Eric Von Schmidt/Bob Dylan (“Baby, Let Me Follow You Down”), Velvet Underground (“Run Run Run”), and The Beatles (“It’s All Too Much”).

Night five of Hanukkah got underway with an opening set from MJ Lenderman along with the comedic stylings of Jay Jurden. Lenderman had a big year in 2024, including the release of his acclaimed album, Manning Fireworks. Check out Lenderman’s opening set below:

Yo La Tengo commenced their set, with Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelly on drums for the duration, with the trifecta of “You Are Here” > “Ohm” > “The Ballad of Red Buckets.” The collab also performed “Drug Test” off 1989’s President Of Yo La Tengo. Watch that performance:

Lenderman joined the band on guitar and vocals for Bob Dylan’s “Something There Is About You.” The song appears on Dylan’s 1974 album with The Band, Planet Waves. The main set came to a close with “Mushroom Cloud of Hiss,” off YLT’s 1992 album May I Sing With Me. The song saw Shelley coming out from behind the kit and shouldering a guitar.

For the encore on Sunday, YLT were joined by NRBQ bassist Joey Spampinato and his wife, trumpeter/keyboardist Kami Lyle. The four-song bonus frame was bookended by NRBQ cuts “Christmas Wish” and “What Can I Say” and also included Lyle’s “Mambo.”

Yo La Tengo will deliver night six of their Hanukkah run tonight at The Bowery Ballroom. Scroll down for the band’s itinerary and ticket info.