Yo La Tengo Host Norah Jones, This Is Lorelei, Patti Harrison and Clare O’Kane for Hanukkah Night Five

Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah celebration continued on Thursday, Dec. 18, as the band presented the fifth performance in their eight-show residency at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. In keeping with the custom of the annual series that began in 2001, the trio delivered a set without any repeats from the first four shows, mining their expansive four-decade discography in the company of a surprise opener, comedy act and encore special guest.

After appearances from the Sun Ra Arkestra, Built to Spill, Scrawl and Bonnie “Prince” Billy earlier in the week, Yo La Tengo’s latest staging began with a set from This Is Lorelei. Indie singer-songwriter Nate Amos, also a member of YLT’s Matador labelmates Water From Your Eyes, took the stage after celebrating the release of his sophomore album Holo Boy with a sold-out show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday. Attendees saw a variation on the residency’s longstanding format with two comedy sets, delivered by Clare O’Kane and Patti Harrison.

Thursday’s show was Yo La Tengo’s second in a row without a full-set guest accompanist, another hallmark of the annual series. Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley and James McNew got started softly with their quiet version of Painful classic “Big Day Coming,” then continued with other setlist staples “Ashes” and Autumn Sweater.” Further standouts from the set included “The Cone of Silence,” “Black Flowers, “Satellite,” “Sudden Organ,” “Deeper Into Movies,” 2025’s first treatment of “Paddle Forward” and covers of The Dixie Cups’ “Gee the Moon Is Shining Bright and Wilco’s “If I Ever Was a Child.” A fast version of “Big Day Coming” let the trio build steam into enthralling closing cuts “Mushroom Cloud of Hiss” and “Dream Dream Away,” the latter of which was played for the first time since October 2021.

Yo La Tengo kicked off their all-covers encore by welcoming returning Hanukkah guest Norah Jones to lead a tender treatment of The Dixie Cups’ “I’m Gonna Get You.” After Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today,” Jones steered the band into a debut of her own 2016 Day Breaks favorite “Carry On” and 2012’s “Little Broken Hearts,” followed by YLT’s “Tears Are in Your Eyes” and finally Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.”

Yo La Tengo will return to the Bowery Ballroom tonight, then continue with their Hanukkah residency through Dec. 21. For more information on the band, visit yolatengo.com.

Read the complete setlist via Jesse Jarnow here.

yo la tengo at bowery ballroom, hanukkah night 5.

opening act: this is lorelei

comedian: clare o’kane & patti harrison

mix CDR by @dumpland.bsky.social

post show DJ: @mattclarkeelevator.bsky.social

benefitting just making a change for families

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— jesse jarnow (@bourgwick.bsky.social) December 18, 2025 at 7:50 PM