Photo by Ellen Qbertplaya via the Greene Space

Despite much of the music world being on pause due to COVID-19, Yo La Tengo still figured out a creative way to stage their traditional Hanukkah show this year, albeit in a slightly different form. Instead of performing each night of the eight-day holiday, as they have most years since the early 2000s, the group pivoted to one show, held after sundown on the final day of Hanukah. The performance was streamed, with no audience present, from New York’s Greene Space.

However, the trio still kept most of their Hanukkah rituals and format intact: Amy Rigby served as the night’s surprise opening act, David Sedaris provided the evening’s comedic interlude and Yo La Tengo played a cover-heavy set that featured a few special guests. Proceeds from the event benefited Save Our Stages Emergency fund.

Throughout their show, Yo La Tengo mixed covers and originals from throughout their career, including their take on “Roll on Babe” from their new EP, Sleepless Night,which was released in October. Guitarist/singer Ira Kaplan also moved over to the piano for the tender “Autumn Sweater.” At the end of the night, punk-scene staple Ivan Julian, known for his work with Richard Hell and the Lovelies, sat in on a set-closing “I Heard You Looking.”

As always, Yo La Tengo’s encore mixed appearances by some additional special guests with music written by some of the great Jewish songwriters. Promoter Todd Abramson, who presented most of Yo La Tengo’s Hanukah shows at his Hoboken, NJ club Maxwell’s, emerged first for The Tradewinds’ “Aba-Daba-Do Dance” under his Todd-o-phonic Todd alias. Then, Yo La Tengo nodded to Jewish songwriting duo Flo & Eddie with “Keep It Warm” and “Outside Chance,” the latter of which is from their time fronting The Turtles. Rigby’s sometimes musical partner and husband, Wreckless Eric, also guested on “Outside Chance;” he remained onstage as Rigby returned to help the group through his original, “Whole Wide World.”

Finally, Kaplan’s mother Marilyn joined the ensemble for Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss’s “My Little Corner of the World,” the song she traditionally sing with Yo La Tengo at the end of their final Hanukkah show each year.

Here’s a look at the setlist via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog

Friday, December 18, 2020, The Greene Space, New York, N

Here You Are >
The Hour Grows Late
Saturday
From A Motel 6 >
We Travel the Spaceways (Sun Ra)
I Want To Be With You (Bonzo Dog Band)
Before We Run
New Pleasures (Richard Hell)
For You Too
Roll On Babe (Derroll Adams)
Smile A Little Smile (The Flying Machine)
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven (acoustic version)
Shades of Blue
Autumn Sweater (piano version)
Stockholm Syndrome
I Heard You Looking (with Ivan Julian on guitar)

(encore)
Aba Dabba Do Dance (The Tradewinds) (with Todd Abramson on vocals)
Keep It Warm (Flo & Eddie)
Outside Chance (The Turtles) (with Wreckless Eric on guitar & vocals)
Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric) (with WE & Amy Rigby on vocals)
My Little Corner of the World (Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss) (with Marilyn Kaplan on vocals)