Yo La Tengo Welcome Scrawl and Ana Gasteyer for Hanukkah Night Three

Yo La Tengo returned to New York’s Bowery Ballroom last night for the third performance in their eight-night Hanukkah celebration. The iconic indie trio’s annual holiday residency consistently brings some of the season’s most exciting shows, and Tuesday’s staging kept to that high standard with another packed set of fan-favorites and rarities, plus the nightly surprise opening act, comedian and full-set special guest.

Following appearances from the Sun Ra Arkestra and Built to Spill on the series’ first two shows, Yo La Tengo’s latest began with an opening set from Columbus, Ohio’s four-decade indie-rock and post-punk outfit Scrawl, who turned in a tight three-track passage through “Charles,” their version of bluegrass standard “Rocky Top” and “11:59 (It’s January).” Alt-comedy stand-up staple Gary Gulman riffed on the holidays for Wednesday’s non-musical entertainment.

Yo La Tengo were joined by Loser’s Lounge founder and former Psychedelic Furs keyboardist Joe McGinty for their entire headline set, starting with the I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One standout “Center of Gravity.’ Other notable entries in the 15-track frame included “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House,” “Damage,” “Apology Letter,” “Artificial Heart,” “Drug Test,” “Double Dare,” “Decora,” their recurring version of Gary Lewis & The Playboys’ “Everybody Loves a Clown,” 2025’s first treatments of “All Your Secrets” and “If It’s True” and a set-closing cover of the Beach Boys’ “Little Honda.”

To kick off their all-covers encore, Yo La Tengo welcomed Scrawl’s Marcy Mays and Sue Harshe back to the stage and continued their custom of celebrating Jewish songwriters with a debut of The Velvet Underground’s “We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together,” which followed takes on “Heroin” and “She’s My Best Friend” on Monday. Mays and Harshe supported a cover of Paul Revere & The Raiders’ “Kicks,” then stepped aside as actress and former SNL cast member Ana Gasteyer joined for “Dream a Little Dream Of Me” and “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me.” Wednesday’s full company crowded the stage for a wholesome finale of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree” and “Silver Bells.”

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’s hanukkah fuzzed gloriously across night 3 with joe mcginty on keys (jammy “apology letter,” widescreen “little honda” blowout) & seasonal tunes with scrawl (“we’re gonna have a real good time together”) & ana gasteyer (“dream a little dream”). setlist: jessejarnow.com/2025/12/yo-l…

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— jesse jarnow (@bourgwick.bsky.social) December 17, 2025 at 2:02 AM

yo la tengo at bowery ballroom, hanukkah night 3.

opening act: scrawl

comedian: gary gulman

mix CDR by ira

post show DJ: michael slaboch

benefitting afrikana & artists athletes activists

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— jesse jarnow (@bourgwick.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM