A Hanukkah jam!
Yo La Tengo transformed New York’s Bowery Ballroom into a sanctuary of communal music and poignant tribute.
With the recent, tragic news surrounding ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ director Rob Reiner lingering in the air, the indie stalwarts offered a cathartic nod by digging deep into the mock-rock lore for a cover of the Thamesmen’s ‘Gimme Some Money.’
The night, however, was defined by collaboration.
Surprise opener Doug Martsch of Built to Spill, announced as co-headliner for the band’s 2025 summer tour, became a fixture onstage, lending his guitar and voice to a sprawling set that wound from Yo La Tengo deep cuts to a harrowing cover of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Heroin,’ led by Martsch himself.
The evening closed in a huddle for Bob Dylan’s ‘Jokerman,’ a fitting finale for a celebration that continues to find new light in the shared language of song.
