Inspired by Yo La Tengo
plus music by Mali Obomsawin and books by Vandana Khanna & Matthew Binder
One of my favorite holiday traditions is attending Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah residency.
Curation makes these shows great. From picking surprise openers and comedians every night, to the occasional writer (Calvin Trillin read at one of the performances this week), to choosing the cover songs they’ll play as well as their own music (the band did not repeat a song over their eight shows).
These shows are a celebration. Of music. Of comedy. Of art. The band members never stopped smiling, their energy bouncing off the guest musicians sitting in and the audience mid-beer at the Bowery Ballroom. The mutual respect the musicians held for each other was as evident as the fun they were having jamming to a deep cut cover song.
These shows always remind me that art can be fun as well as fulfilling, and when it is both I cannot stop smiling myself.
This week’s subscriber playlist shares music by Yo La Tengo and some of the artists who played the band’s 2022 Hanukkah residency at the Bowery Ballroom:
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