Photos by Julia Steinhouse
We found ourselves at yet another concert where we were the youngest ones there by a mile. It’s not surprising that the crowd was composed of largely older Yo La Tengo fans this night at the Novo, given that YLT formed over 40 years ago in 1984. The group first came together in Hoboken, New Jersey, beginning with guitarist, pianist, and vocalist Ira Kaplan and drummer, pianist and vocalist Georgia Hubley– the two were a couple at the time, and have been married since 1987. Along with bassist and vocalist James McNew, Yo La Tengo played nearly a 3 hour show in Los Angeles, split into two sets spanning their vast discography and entrancing the audience with their dreamlike harmonies and experimental indie-rock improvisation.
Their first 60-minute set of the night began with an extended distorted guitar intro that echoed throughout the moderately full venue, which held quiet and still in anticipation of the group’s first song. The distortion was broken with the smooth harmony shared by Kaplan and Hubley in YLT’s 2023 release, “This Stupid World.” At times, Kaplan became so engrossed in his guitar soloing that it seemed he was at war with his guitar, rubbing its strings erratically against his jeans, or swinging it on its strap around his body.
The group then moved into “Tonight’s Episode,” also off their 2023 album This Stupid World. This track was brought to life by James McNew’s clear voice, while Kaplan and Hubley’s haunting backup vocal harmonies heightened the song’s eerie quality. This cryptic nature was further illuminated by an omnipresent feedback and repeated call-and-response. The married couple had played with 14 different bass players before meeting McNew in 1994; the trio’s tangible chemistry served as living proof that patience is a virtue. Not only does McNew complete their musical trifecta, he also matches the couple’s composed, yet mildly uncanny energy.
Poised against the backdrop of stacked ancient-looking Fender amps with beat-on edges and faded coloring, we were reminded of Yo La Tengo’s age and expertise; the amps undeniably a part of their decades-long touring history. Having released 17 studio albums– one every two-to-three years– during their run as a band, Yo La Tengo has developed a reputation as a “critic’s band” with a cult following. This dedicated following was evidenced by one fan’s cry into the painfully quiet Novo crowd as the band rested between songs: “We’ve been waiting so fucking long for you guys to play again! Hell fuckin yeah!”
The range of styles, volumes, and genres encompassed by Yo La Tengo’s numerous releases was evident in the contrast between songs on Thursday evening. The band mixed mellower, stripped, lullaby-like tracks (“the Summer” and “Aselestine”) in with heavy distortion, experimental synths, and swinging tempos throughout both sets. In a candid moment, Hubley stumbled over the beginning of her synth solo in one of Yo La Tengo’s hits, “Nowhere Near,” asking the audience for their patience in her multiple do-overs. “What happened to me?” she chuckled into her microphone, “we’ve been on tour for a while!”
Yo La Tengo is by no means a flashy band, but their musical prowess was enough to captivate our attention throughout their entire two hour and forty five minute set. Before ending the show, Kaplan apologized to the audience, saying that “I should have prepared something more upbeat for tonight… sorry.” For a band like Yo La Tengo, diving deep into the darkness has provided a surprisingly fruitful sonic abundance. Their music engulfs you in a haunting, yet warm, soundscape carrying years of winters come and gone.
