Where can I start with Yo La Tengo? Painful, I guess, is the first album that drew me in. Or perhaps Fakebook. It doesn't matter, although I do have a distinct memory of falling into bed with a girl in college thanks to the twin seducers of red wine and the second half of Painful. It had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the band. So, thanks for that.
But I can't stop there. Because I am a super fan. I am gay for Yo La Tengo. They are my favorite band. More than that, they are the sort of band that, if you fail to have a healthy adoration for them, I might think less of you. I will think less of you. It's not my fault. It's yours. They are the best band in America. Less opinion, than fact.
It was with a great deal of shock and surprise that I found that the "conversation" with Yo La Tengo at Brooklyn's Lyceum, as part of the New Yorker festival was not sold out. I moved quickly. Not that I haven't seen them before. I've seen them many times. Irrationally, I am going to create a list of those times:
- Sometime in '98 or '99 in Providence, RI.
- At Great American Music Hall in SF in 2000 with WMS, LM, JP, PT, CC and others, accompanied by Mac from Superchunk and somebody from the Clean, and supported by Lambchop.
- At a Virgin Megastore in-store in Union Square, upon moving to NYC in 2000, with RM, where they played an entire show of covers, including a great version of James singing "You Sexy Thing".
- Over Thanksgiving at the Bowery Ballroom in 2000, where they played their cover of the Simpsons theme.
- At Maxwell's, with Portastatic for a Hanukkah show in '02, and again, with Steve Wynne in '04 with TL, JJK, and KP (where they played a version of Nuclear War and brought a soccer team of school children in capes and tin-foil hats on-stage for the chorus of "It's A Nuclear War! Motherfucker!")
- At Alice Tully Hall, scoring the Jean Panlieve films as part of the Sounds of Science, with JWW and JZ.
- In Prospect Park in the summer of '03 or '04.
- At the Kerry '04 fundraiser in the Meat Packing district with PT, where Yo La Tengo redeemed the entire event, and I stole two of the best rocks glasses I ever owned.
- At Tonic, in the early winter of '06, when CC threw up downstairs because she ate too much bad rice.
- At the Fillmore in the late fall of '06, with CC, SO, and TCB, where they played something like a ridiculous four encores, including a beautiful cover of "Take Care."
So, have I seen them a bunch? Yeah. And was I excited to see them again? Absolutely.
Because they always rock. And they are always charming. And once again, they held up their end of the bargain.
But here is my superfan kicker! After the show (which was really nice), ED and I went over to Commonwealth for a drink. While boring her with my general adoration of YLT, who should walk in, but James McNew! Rockstars in our midst! And, then, a few minutes later? Ira and Georgia. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but I was starstruck, baby. And ED, for no good reason, decided to prod me for the better part of an hour, to go over and say hello. Not that I was shy about it, but because, well, I don't like bothering people, and the YLT's seemed like they were having a perfectly nice time on their own, with their friends. Because they are regular people, who go to the neighborhood bar in Park Slope, after a show, to hang out with their friends. But after a bit more prodding, which was getting to the level of teasing, and which wasn't being helped by the fact that we were sort of inconspicuously staring at the band (and feeling outraged that in a bar like Commonwealth, the whole place didn't erupt in a mass hysteria of praise, thanks, and adoration -- for God's sakes, someone put on "Speeding Motorcycle" while they were there!), I broke down.
So, finally, I went over to the Yo Las, leaned over their table in the middle of their conversation (although they didn't look that into it) and said:
Me: Hi, I don't mean to interrupt, but... (sits down in an open chair).
Georgia: But you're going to sit down anyway! (Ira and Georgia laugh).
Me: Yes. But not for long. (Ira and Georgia look at me).
Me: Well, anyway, just wanted to say thanks for tonight's show, it was great, and I'm a huge fan of your music. (Ira and Georgia sort of nod, maybe say your welcome, and look at me).
Me: Um, well, that's it. (I get up and go back to my table to join ED).
So is that a story worth retelling? Fuck, no. But it's what I've got. Thanks, YLT, for another great show, and see you again soon.
In the meantime, enjoy this wonderful old video of a youngish YLT covering the classics:
And if you're bored, check out the YLT site, which is actually quite diverting. As a coda, I think CC once told me that she would be willing to walk down the aisle to "Autumn Sweater." I wholeheartedly agree...
But I can't stop there. Because I am a super fan. I am gay for Yo La Tengo. They are my favorite band. More than that, they are the sort of band that, if you fail to have a healthy adoration for them, I might think less of you. I will think less of you. It's not my fault. It's yours. They are the best band in America. Less opinion, than fact.
It was with a great deal of shock and surprise that I found that the "conversation" with Yo La Tengo at Brooklyn's Lyceum, as part of the New Yorker festival was not sold out. I moved quickly. Not that I haven't seen them before. I've seen them many times. Irrationally, I am going to create a list of those times:
- Sometime in '98 or '99 in Providence, RI.
- At Great American Music Hall in SF in 2000 with WMS, LM, JP, PT, CC and others, accompanied by Mac from Superchunk and somebody from the Clean, and supported by Lambchop.
- At a Virgin Megastore in-store in Union Square, upon moving to NYC in 2000, with RM, where they played an entire show of covers, including a great version of James singing "You Sexy Thing".
- Over Thanksgiving at the Bowery Ballroom in 2000, where they played their cover of the Simpsons theme.
- At Maxwell's, with Portastatic for a Hanukkah show in '02, and again, with Steve Wynne in '04 with TL, JJK, and KP (where they played a version of Nuclear War and brought a soccer team of school children in capes and tin-foil hats on-stage for the chorus of "It's A Nuclear War! Motherfucker!")
- At Alice Tully Hall, scoring the Jean Panlieve films as part of the Sounds of Science, with JWW and JZ.
- In Prospect Park in the summer of '03 or '04.
- At the Kerry '04 fundraiser in the Meat Packing district with PT, where Yo La Tengo redeemed the entire event, and I stole two of the best rocks glasses I ever owned.
- At Tonic, in the early winter of '06, when CC threw up downstairs because she ate too much bad rice.
- At the Fillmore in the late fall of '06, with CC, SO, and TCB, where they played something like a ridiculous four encores, including a beautiful cover of "Take Care."
So, have I seen them a bunch? Yeah. And was I excited to see them again? Absolutely.
Because they always rock. And they are always charming. And once again, they held up their end of the bargain.
But here is my superfan kicker! After the show (which was really nice), ED and I went over to Commonwealth for a drink. While boring her with my general adoration of YLT, who should walk in, but James McNew! Rockstars in our midst! And, then, a few minutes later? Ira and Georgia. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but I was starstruck, baby. And ED, for no good reason, decided to prod me for the better part of an hour, to go over and say hello. Not that I was shy about it, but because, well, I don't like bothering people, and the YLT's seemed like they were having a perfectly nice time on their own, with their friends. Because they are regular people, who go to the neighborhood bar in Park Slope, after a show, to hang out with their friends. But after a bit more prodding, which was getting to the level of teasing, and which wasn't being helped by the fact that we were sort of inconspicuously staring at the band (and feeling outraged that in a bar like Commonwealth, the whole place didn't erupt in a mass hysteria of praise, thanks, and adoration -- for God's sakes, someone put on "Speeding Motorcycle" while they were there!), I broke down.
So, finally, I went over to the Yo Las, leaned over their table in the middle of their conversation (although they didn't look that into it) and said:
Me: Hi, I don't mean to interrupt, but... (sits down in an open chair).
Georgia: But you're going to sit down anyway! (Ira and Georgia laugh).
Me: Yes. But not for long. (Ira and Georgia look at me).
Me: Well, anyway, just wanted to say thanks for tonight's show, it was great, and I'm a huge fan of your music. (Ira and Georgia sort of nod, maybe say your welcome, and look at me).
Me: Um, well, that's it. (I get up and go back to my table to join ED).
So is that a story worth retelling? Fuck, no. But it's what I've got. Thanks, YLT, for another great show, and see you again soon.
In the meantime, enjoy this wonderful old video of a youngish YLT covering the classics:
And if you're bored, check out the YLT site, which is actually quite diverting. As a coda, I think CC once told me that she would be willing to walk down the aisle to "Autumn Sweater." I wholeheartedly agree...
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