Night 2 of Yo La Tengo‘s 2025 Hanukkah run at Bowery Ballroom was pretty special. As we thought might happen, recent YLT tourmates Built to Spill, who are in the area for their own shows, were the surprise opener, and their set included a cover of R.E.M.’s “Laughing.”
Built to Spill drummer Teresa Esguerra joined Yo La Tengo for their whole main set on a second kit, and frontman/guitarist Doug Martsch came out for the second half of the set, which included “Last Days of Disco,” “Barnaby, Hardly Working,” “Nothing To Hide,” and “Ohm,” before closing with a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Heroin.”
For the all-covers encore, Yo La Tengo opened with a tribute to This is Spinal Tap director Rob Reiner by covering “Gimme Some Money” from the film, which as you all surely know is by pre-Tap group The Thamesmen. (Video of that is below.) They then did another Velvet Underground cover, “She’s My Best Friend,” and then closed out Night 2 by bringing out Martsch again to take on Bob Dylan’s “Jokerman.” Check out the full setlist, via Jesse Jarnow’s Frank & Earthy blog, below.
Other Night 2 stats: Alex Edelman was the surprise comedian opener, the mix CD was made by chickfactor editor Gail O’Hara, and proceeds benefited Neighbors Together.
Check out photos from the whole night by Ellen Qbertplaya below.
Night 1 had Sun Ra Arkestra and Jon Glaser. Keep up with all Yo La Tengo Hanukkah 2025 action here.
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Alex Edelman (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
Yo La Tengo with Built to Spill (photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
photo by Ellen Qbertplaya
SETLIST: Yo La Tengo @ Bowery Ballroom 12/15/2025 (Hanukkah Night 2)
Nutricia
Sinatra Drive Breakdown
Stockholm Syndrome
Beanbag Chain
Let’s Do It Wrong
I Was the Fool Beside You For Too Long
Detouring America With Horns (acoustic)
Alyda
Nowhere Near
The Room Got Heavy
Last Days of Disco (with Doug Martsch on guitar)
Barnaby, Hardly Working (with DM)
Nothing To Hide (with DM)
Ohm (with DM)
Heroin (Velvet Underground, arr. Roky Erickson) (with DM)
*(encore)*
Gimme Some Money (The Thamesmen)
She’s My Best Friend (Velvet Underground)
Jokerman (Bob Dylan) (with TE on drums & DM on guitar/vocals)
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