Yo La Tengo @ Pitchfork Music Festival 2009
After rolling into Chicago and settling in at the hotel, we headed down to Union Park just in time to catch the last few songs from Yo La Tengo’s late-afternoon performance. The three piece group sounded excellent as they tore through their set, which was selected by the crowd as part of Friday’s “write the set list” night. As we settled into our spots, the band was playing a blistering version of “Tom Courtenay,” which was a searing 10 plus minute jam highlighted by Ira Kaplin’s boisterous guitar work. Georgia Hubley and James McNew locked into a pulsing Krautrock groove that allowed Kaplin to show off his chops. Kaplin shredded with a solo that ranged from his space-noodling to some violent bashing that found him twisting the knobs on his guitar to create a buzzing and fuzzy atmosphere.
The band ended its set with a bright version of “Sugarcube” which showed the opposite side from what was displayed on the tense and droning “Tom Courtenay.” The bitterly sweet love song found Kaplin singing about “trying to squeeze a drop of blood from a sugarcube,” and was a great, breezy send off for Yo La Tengo, helping to prove why the band is such a legendary act. While I would have liked to have heard the entire set, the Hoboken-based trio seemed more than up to the challenge of playing fans’ favorites and offered an excellent start to the weekend.
[Review by Josh Keller, photos by Jon Behm.]
The 10-minute+ drone wasn’t “Tom Courtenay,” it was “Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind.” They played “Tom Courtenay” immediately before that.
Good Call…my bad.
Loved the set, Yo La was great as usual. Although they have been “critics darlings” I still think they are under appreciated.
Yo La Tengo was great, but I’d have to agree with Greg Kot, that The Jesus Lizard was why I checked out the webcast. I saw them several times in the 90s and remember them as one of the very few live acts that were way better live than on record. On a Pitchfork related note, did anyone capture and make an mp3 of the Jens Lekman live track from a few years ago’s Pitchfork, “Sweet Summer Night on Hammer Hill” they kept playing between bands and overnight? Hopefully they can get Shudder to Think, Shellac or Robert Pollard for a future fest.
On an rather unrelated note, I’m selling my original 1 of 500 GBV Propeller LP signed by Bob on eBay with more rare records likely to come soon.
Awesome review, I’m so glad you were there with us! That solo by Kaplin was absolutely breathtaking… I stood there with my mouth hanging open, wishing I was closer to the stage to feel the energy pouring off him as he did that magic with that guitar. Afterward I said to my sweetie, “you just witnessed a moment that maybe 200 people in the history of the world could create” it was that powerful and amazing to me. Underrated, under-appreciated, and I am so glad they had a chance to turn on a whole new set of fans last night! Thanks so much for the pictures, xoxo
So lemme get this straight:
-You saw only 3 songs in the entire set
-You couldn’t even tell the difference between Tom Courtney and Pass
the Hatchet…
-You had the audacity to write “the Hoboken-based trio seemed more than up to the challenge of playing fans’ favorites” even after the band chose to play 3 new songs (not even available for fans to vote on) in their set that was otherwise riddled with standards that could’ve been heard at any other YLT in the past year?
Stellar ‘reviewing’ there chump…I can’t wait to read your review of the tortoise show based on a second hand account from a guy in line at the porta-johns, and the fact that you listened to a song off of TNT as you were ‘rolling into Chicago’
It’s not a far cry to say that “Yo La was great as usual” because their set was just that, the usual…
Yeah dude. I echo that real sonoabitch Dave. Even though he’s really putting the screws to you, I have to say it’s deserved. He’s really laying into you though. I haven’t seen a reviewer get lambasted like that, well….ever. Ouch. Kinda makes you second guess things now doesn’t it. Then again, I wonder what Dave does for a living? Can we review his work? Does it even merit it? Is he putting himself out there bravely like you my friend? I think not. Consider how easily we can take the word “chump” and make it “champ.” Just like that. You, buddy, are both.
Thanks Olaf…I think. I won’t lose any sleep whether anonymous commenters think I am a chump or a champ, but I am glad you both at least took the time to read the post.
Dave didn’t grind my gears too much. He is right that I only saw three songs and missed Tortoise. I didn’t realize hitting crazy traffic and having trains not run on time made me a bad music fan…I guess you learn something new every day. Next time I will drive on the shoulder and tell the cops that I have to get to a concert so Dave won’t give me shit.
As far as Tom and Pass…I made a mistake in writing it down late Friday night. Sorry. Maybe in the next life I will be more like you and not ever make a mistake.
As far as the setlist…I didn’t vote on the set, so I had no idea what was chosen, so I was just assuming they played what was voted for (and only songs that were on the voting list). I did hear after I wrote this that bands cherry picked what they wanted to play…I agree with my friend Dave that this is weak. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of “write the night,” no? That being said, I think you have to expect the bigger songs when over 10k people are voting. Not everyone is super fans who listen to only obscure 7″ B-sides like you. Sorry you were disappointed, but from the short portion I saw, I thought it was great.
I agree with Dave. I absolutely Love YLT but that set was just bad. I heard the whole thing unlike the reviewer and they seemed totally uninspired. Aside from some of Ira’s shredding, nothing seemed all that great. Sound was terrible and the set was totally medium at best.
It’s not really about 7″ B-sides, traffic, song titles, being a ‘bigger fan’ or any of that…what I was/am really trying to get at is that you gave a pretty raving review to a show you barely even saw – where’s the credibility or integrity in that? You could’ve accomplished nearly the same thing by not even showing up at all.
Ciao Amigos,
Me English be particularly erratic butt please bear want me. This Yo La Tengo is like Yo MTV Raps, no? Why need to see live? I see on big square box filled with light right in my home! Maybe Dave and Josh like personal time at next show? Maybe Yo La Tango come and dance in streets again when traffic not so bad? Perhaps both fat and skinny host with darkened skin color come and do funny dance to! I will watch again from brightened rectangle made of curved glass.
Aswleili,
Gerhardt