Nels Cline & Yuka C. Honda Join Yo La Tengo In New York City

Yo La Tengo welcomed Wilco guitarist Nels Cline and his wife and musical partner, Yuka C. Honda for Wednesday’s fourth show of this year’s 8 Nights Of Hanukkah residency in New York City. Cline and Honda opened with a set from their CUP project and joined Yo La Tengo for the bulk of the trio’s show which also featured John Cameron Mitchell singing on two songs.

YLT took the stage after comedian Jo Firestone with Cline on guitar and Honda on electronics. The trio and their guests continued to dig deep into the massive Yo La Tengo repertoire and as always fit in a handful of choice covers. “Out Of The Pool” from 2018’s There’s A Riot Going On kicked off the main set and was followed by Summer Sun gem “Little Eyes.” Yo La Tengo and Cline went without Honda for a run of “One PM Again,” “Can’t Forget” and “Lewis.”

Yuka C. Honda returned for “Tears Are In Your Eyes” off And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out but vacated the stage for the ensuing rarity “The Race Is On Again.” Honda emerged for “Above The Sound,” another There’s A Riot Going On track. Then, actor/musician John Cameron Mitchell of Hedwig and the Angry Inch fame led the ensemble on covers of The Velvet Underground’s Loaded standout “I Found A Reason” and “Waves Of Fear” by Lou Reed off The Blue Mask. Mitchell recorded both songs for his 2019 Time Turning Around EP with Eyelids.

Yo La Tengo, Nels Cline and Yuka C. Honda followed Mitchell’s appearance with a performance of “Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Desert By Mistake.” Oldie “Out The Window,” Today Is The Day track “Styles Of The Times” and live staple “Tom Courtenay” came next. The trio and their two guests ended last night’s main set with a take on The Beach Boys’ “Little Honda.”

Wednesday’s encore began with “Wasn’t Born To Follow,” a song penned by Gerry Goffin and Carole King first recorded by The Byrds. A cover of David Johansen’s “Cool Metro” followed before Yo La Tengo went it alone to close the night with John Cale’s “Hanky Pank Nohow.”

Check out photos and video clips from last night below:

Setlist (via Frank & Earthy)

Set: Out of the Pool, Little Eyes, One PM Again (without YH), Can’t Forget (without YH), Lewis (without YH), Tears Are In Your Eyes, The Race Is On Again (without YH), Above the Sound, I Found A Reason [1], Waves of Fear [1], Clumsy Grandmother Serves Delicious Desert By Mistake, Out the Window, Styles of the Times, Tom Courtenay, Little Honda

Encore: Wasn’t Born To Follow, Cool Metro, Hanky Panky Nohow (without YH & NC)

Whole show with Nels Cline on guitar & Yuka C. Honda on electronics except where noted.

[1] – with John Cameron Mitchell on vocals