Yo La Tengo helped bring Central Park’s 2021 Summerstage Free Concert Series to a close on Friday October 1st. Despite having to reschedule this performance from one month prior due to sever weather, fans were treated to perfect weather this time around. Fans enjoyed the first night of Autumn with plenty of fleece sweaters and a great lineup of performances.
The show opened up with three short films as a part of Rooftop Films’ Summer 2021 Summer Series. Next up, Amanda Nazario played a brief but energetic DJ set just as the sun began to set over Manhattan. And then Mountain Movers pumped up the crowd with their unique blend of drone and noise rock.
As Yo La Tengo took the stage, applause and cheers became screams when they opened with a cover of Velvet Underground’s “Who Loves the Sun.”
Their 90 minute set included several fan favorites such as “Autumn Sweater” (a natural inclusion) and “I’ll Be Around,” which they dedicated to Yoko Ono. Frontman Ira Kaplan brought his mother onstage to close out the concert with their cover of Anita Bryant’s “My Little Corner of the World.” The crowd ate it up, and the show ended on a high note.
Ira also announced at Summerstage that Yo La Tengo would once again be playing a series of eight Hanukkah shows at Bowery Ballroom from November 28 through December 5, coinciding with the eight nights of Hanukkah, which starts on November 28 and runs through the evening of December 6. Tickets will be available October 8th. You can find out more on Yo La Tengo’s website.
Ira Kaplan shared this note with fans on the Yo La Tengo Facebook page:
Shammash-ing Time!
Hi everybody, here to tell you that Hanukkah is just around the corner. (No kidding–it’s early this year!) And that we are going to return to the Bowery Ballroom and play all eight nights, just like we did before life got in the way. Comics, opening acts, whatever other nonsense we can cobble together, and the money will be given away. I’d consider writing more, but it still feels a little unreal to be contemplating this. And yet here we are.
Hanukkah starts on Sunday, November 28 and continues through Sunday, December 5. You must be fully vaccinated to enter the Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are $50 each and will go on sale on Friday, October 8 at 12 pm (noon) EDT. OK, gotta start practicing!
