by Elisa Zuckerberg, Founder of HearItThere

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

I had an opportunity to see Yo La Tengo at Fairfield Theatre Company (FTC) this past Sunday, September 19.  Honestly, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Once in a while I’ll hear a song of theirs on WFUV or another radio station and think to myself, this is interesting, which then typically requires a Shazam to identify the band and song. The reason being, and what I was about to discover, the band has had a multitude of style iterations throughout its over 30 year history. 

I hadn’t attended a concert at this venue in a long time and it was great to be back there. In my opinion, the Warehouse at FTC in particular, is one of the coolest theaters in the region – similar to New York City’s old Webster Hall near St. Mark’s Place and Terminal 5 on the west side of Manhattan. This show was general admission with no seating and fortunately had stools available upstairs with a clear view of the stage. These, my husband David and I quickly claimed.  

Proof of vaccinations were required upon entering along with specific instructions about mask requirements. 

The first set was interesting, dreamy – ambient-like music. The audience clapped after what seemed like the end of a song or a pause, which felt odd to me since the music continued to flow from one tune to another, much like a concept album would. 

How would I describe the music? From my perspective, it sounded like The Velvet Underground meets Radiohead.  Yo La Tengo consists of three musicians, Ira Kaplan – guitar, piano, vocals, Georgia Hubley (drums, piano, vocals) and James McNew (bass, vocals and sometimes drums) – all of whom are multi-instrumentalists and at any time will  change their configuration (photo). They switch positions and move around like musician choreography, which I found both entertaining and surprising. 

With a catalogue of over 16 albums, in my opinion, their genre cannot be defined, but Wiki calls them “Indie” or “noise pop” (hmmm… I’ll have to add that category to HearItThere.com.) I found their music style both varied, creative and truly like nothing I’ve ever heard before. 

The woman next to me, whose name I unfortunately did not get, said that the first set were their “prettier songs.” She’s been a listener for over 25 years and knew what to expect. Before intermission, the music left the audience feeling mellow, pensive, and hungry for more. I sensed that their fans knew that the next set would be more uptempo and something wild was about to happen.

The second set could best be described as Punk meets Rock meets Shoegaze (I wrote this before looking at Wiki ;-)). I’d say it sounded like Hendrix meets Silver Sun Pickups – the drum and bass players produced repetitive melodic lines and Ira, on guitar, at times playing along in a similar vein and then at times going in a completely different direction. It appeared to me like musical experimentation, producing imaginative “noise” or sounds with an expression that seemed “angsty.” Strums and dissonant sounds that exhibited a playfulness centered around the instrument. (See and hear @HearItThere Instagram for short solo. Better, go to them LIVE) To me, some of Ira’s guitar antics seemed self-indulgent, not particular corresponding to the typically give and take musicians allow each other when playing together, but somehow I know that they were one hundred percent in synch! It was a wild ride to watch and listen. 

Yo La Tengo’s music ranges from sweet soft ballads to new wave inspired grooves to noise-filled jams. They can challenge your ears and mind and what you think you believe a single band should sound like. If you’re tired of the same-old rock music, you’ll love them! Personally, I found the variety stimulating, refreshing and wanting more.

On the way home, David and I talked about what we just experienced. Specifically, the moment when Ira untuned his guitar mid-song and starting wailing on it – or what we simultaneously called “noise.” My husband, who has always been a fan of non-mainstream music, felt that experimentation with guitar sounds is what makes their music both “cathartic for the musicians and for the listener.” He absolutely loved the show. I thought about it in visual art terms – imagining the music like an abstract painting. In abstraction the artist may have a specific creative intention and it’s up to the viewer or listener to interpret. 

Although it was late Sunday evening and the concert was heading well into its second hour, I can tell you that Yo La Tengo was not looking at the clock nor abiding by a set song list like other bands I’ve seen. They had a creative plan for this show and we were on a journey with them. 

If you’re interested in learning about the origins of the band’s name Yo La Tengo, read their Wikipedia Page. It’s a funny story. 

CHECK OUT Yo La Tengo‘s NEW MUSIC!

    

If you’ve never been to Fairfield Theatre Company in Fairfield, Connecticut, it’s worth the trip. Check out their upcoming Fall line-up and schedule.

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