Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley and James McNew sound like no other band. This is not because they're contrarians, but because they're artists. I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass has everything that ever made Yo La Tengo great, but elevated to new heights, from the remarkable orchestral chamber piece "Black Flowers" to the garage-punk rave-up "Watch Out For Me Ronnie." If there's one constant about Yo La Tengo, it's that this famously restless band continues to broaden its horizons[...]

News
9/19/07-Yo La Tengo at The New Yorker Festival October 6th
Man, that New Yorker cartoonist is no good. He made Ira look just like Steve Martin...
From The New Yorker's website:

Yo La Tengo talk with Ben Greenman: A Conversation with Music and Jam sessions.
Yo La Teng is a Hoboken-based band that was formed in 1984 by Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley; James McNew joined the group in 1991. They have released more than fifteen albums, including “Painful,” “Electr-o-pura,” “I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One,” and, most recently, “I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass.” Last year, they released a record of impromptu live cover songs, “Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics.”

Ben Greenman edits the Goings On About Town section of The New Yorker. He is the author of “Superbad,” “Superworse,” and “A Circle Is a Balloon and Compass Both.”
10 p.m. Brooklyn Lyceum ($35)
227 4th Avenue, Brooklyn

8/23/07--The Freewheeling Yo La Tengo
10/9 - Pittsburgh at the Warhol Museum
10/10 - Bloomington at Buskirk Chumley
10/11 - Chicago at the Lakeshore Theatre
10/13 - Grand Rapids at Calvin College
10/19 - Long Island at Jeanne Rimsky
10/20 - Woodstock at Colony Cafe
10/22 - Philadelphia at First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
10/23 - Alexandria, VA at the Birchmere
11/10 - North Adams, MA at MassMoca

The Freewheeling Yo La Tengo Tour is a rare opportunity to see this ever-surprising band in a setting more intimate and interactive than any tour in their 23-year career. A little bit Storytellers, a little bit Unplugged, with a soupcon of their famously varied Hanukkah shows, it will feature the band playing an almost-acoustic set of songs from their entire catalog, with stories about their life as a band, and an encouraged back-and-forth with the audience. Already famous for never playing the same show twice, this fresh look at Yo La Tengo offers rare insight into one of the most important, unique, and beloved bands in American rock.

Further dates will be announced soon.

Yo La Tengo's covers of Bob Dylan's "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Fourth Time Around" will appear on the forthcoming 2XCD soundtrack album (Columbia) to Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There". Cat Power and Stephen Malkmus are amongst the album's other contributors.

"The Summer" - October 15, 2006 KEXP session (mp3)
"I Feel Like Going Home" -October 7, 2006: KCMP (mp3)

7/10/07--Yo La Tengo Ringtones Now Available
Matador Records is pleased to announce a new ringtones service. We currently have ringtones available from 11 artists, including Yo La Tengo, and more are coming soon. mobile.matadorrecords.com is the new home for all your Matador ringtones needs.

5/10/07--Yo La Tengo In The Great Outdoors
Well, on some of these occasions, anyway.

May 18 - All Tomorrow's Parties, Somerset UK
June 2-3 - Bang On A Can Marathon, Wintergarden, World Financial Center, New York City
July 7 - Comerica Fest, Detroit, MI
July 27 - Fujirock Festival, Naeba, Japan
July 29 - Formoz Festival, Taiwan
August 5 - Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago, IL
September 14-16, Austin City Limits Festival, Zilker Park, Austin, TX

We're not allowed to tell you which day Yo La Tengo are playing ACL. However, this morning's Austin American-Statesman reports that Bob Dylan is headlining Sunday, September 16. That's not meant to be a hint or anything. You just might find it interesting, that's all.

3/29/07--Yo La Tengo on Tour
After a wildly successful to Japan and Australia, Yo La Tengo returned to familiar climes to do their annual covers-for-cash thing at WFMU last Friday evening. In two weeks' time, they'll be hitting a bunch of US cities the missed on the last two tours (and a couple they didn't), accompanied by David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights.

4/5 New Orleans LA Tipitina’s
4/6 Houston TX Warehouse Live
4/7 Austin TX Stubb’s
4/8 Dallas TX Granada
4/10 Tulsa OK Cain’s
4/11 Lawrence KS Granada
4/13 Indianapolis IN Vogue
4/14 Madison WI Barrymore
4/16 Newport KY Southgate House
4/17 Cleveland OH Beachland Ballroom
4/18 Detroit MI Majestic Theatre
4/20 Northampton MA Academy of Music
4/21 Providence RI Brown University, Meehan Auditorium (with the Flaming Lips)*
4/29 New York NY Webster Hall

* - no David Kilgour on this show (sorry)

3/14/07 —Yo La Tengo on WFMU
It's that time of year again! Yo La Tengo return to WFMU for their annual fundraising request-a-thon, this coming Friday, March 16th from 8 to 11 PM.

Join hosts Pseu Braun and Gaylord Fields for an evening of off-the-cuff covers done up in the style of Hoboken's finest. Ira, Georgia and James will be joined by Bruce Bennett as they try to play pledger's requests. The whole thing will be viewable live in Windows format, via the WFMU webcam. Get your credit cards ready, because I just know you want to hear Georgia sing "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

3/02/07 —A shower of April shows
Currently touring Australia with David Kilgour (where the Sydney promoter helpfully described them as "New Jersey art punks" — there's the next album's sticker copy, then) Yo La Tengo return to the United States next month just in time to fulfill their contractual commitment to play every town in America at least twice this year. Don't worry, Billings, they'll get to you eventually.

4/5 - New Orleans LA Tipitina's
4/6 - Houston TX Warehouse Live
4/7 - Austin TX Stubb's
4/8 - Dallas TX Granada
4/10 - Tulsa OK Cains
4/11 - Lawrence KS Granada
4/12 - St. Louis MO the Pageant
4/13 - Indianapolis I the Vogue
4/14 - Madison WI the Barrymore
4/16 - Newport KY Southgate House
4/17 - Cleveland OH Beachland Ballroom
4/18 - Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
4/20 - Northampton, MA Academy of Music
4/21 - Providence RI, Brown University
4/29 - NYC, NY Webster Hall

2/09/07 —Yo La Tengo ranks high in Pazz & Jop '06!
The Village Voice's Pazz and Jop poll for this year has been released, and 3 Matador artists put in top 20 showings:

#11 Cat Power-The Greatest
#14 Belle & Sebastian-The Life Pursuit
#18 Yo La Tengo-I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

Plus five other Matador releases rank elsewhere on the list, bringing this year's Mata-total to a whopping eight. As this evidence makes clear, they love us in Deadbird, Arizona, or wherever it is the Voice has been outsourced to these days.

1/09/07 —iTunes exclusive EP out today: the tracklist, plus tour dates
There's really no better way to commemorate the way Yo La Tengo's awe inspiring 'I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Am Going To Beat Your Ass' has been screwed in so many of the year end polls (admittedly, not all of 'em, just those that we'll never again try to rig) than with a new EP, exclusively available from the iTunes Music Store.

The tracklist is as follows:

Yo La Tengo Live Session EP
1-El Es Gay
2-Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind
3-The Weakest Part
4-Luci Baines (Arthur Lee cover)

newly confirmed US dates, most of 'em, on sale now :

1/25 Louisville KY Bomhard Theater
1/26 Birmingham AL Workplay
1/27 Knoxville TN Bijou
1/28 Tallahassee FL The Moon
1/30 Orlando FL The Social
 2/2 Jacksonville FL Florida Theatre
2/3 Atlanta GA Variety Playhouse
2/5 Chapel Hill NC Cat's Cradle
2/6 Chapel Hill NC Cat's Cradle
2/8 Charlottesville VA Starr Music Hall
2/9 Baltimore MD Sonar
2/10 Philadelphia PA Trocadero

Following the above trek, Ira, Georgia and James will be making some of their all-too infrequent appearances in Japan and Australia.
2/19 - Shibuya-O, East, Tokyo
2/20 - Shibuya-O, East, Tokyo
2/21 - Nagoya Club, Quartro, Nagoya
2/23 - Big Cat, Osaka,
2/24 - Drum Be-1, Fukuoka
2/27 - Amplifier Bar, Perth
3/1 - Metro, Sydney
3/3 - Laneway Festival, Sydney
3/4 - Laneway Festival, Sydney
3/8 - Fowlers Live, Adelaide
3/10 - Golden Plains Festival, Meredith

12/15/06 —iTunes session coming soon; exclusive Season Pass MP3
January 9th will see the first release from Matador for 2007, an iTunes exclusive EP by Hoboken's own Yo La Tengo. The performances are culled from a recent radio performance, and further details, including tracklist will be forthcoming in the very near future.

In other Yo La Tengo news: The Beat Your Ass Season Pass marches on. Well, we were in the post-season awhile ago, so I guess this has to be the sudden death overtime chapter of our season pass experience. At any rate, a version of "Mr. Tough" live in Brussels is available now exclusively to Season Pass subscribers. Subscribers, you should have received an email about it, if not, email store@matadorrecords.com and we'll help you out.

Also, a bunch of new tour dates have been confirmed, check out the tour page for the full list.

09/21/06 — Reports from the ass beating front
Chart-toppers vs. heart-stoppers, 'I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass' is out now on double gatefoldy vinyl and indestructable compact disc.  "A Perfect Album" says Urb.  "shaggy, dreamy, cuddly, explosive," raves Entertainment Weekly.   "Yo La Tengo in full 32-flavors mode" cried The Onion.  "Nothing if not dazzling," declared Pop Matters.  "a bloated, overreaching long-player in the tradition of bloated, overreaching long-players like Sign O' The Times, Exile On Main Street, and London Calling." insists Slant.
Hey, what the heck?  I liked Exile On Main Street.  At least we have some heavy-handed promotional gimmickry to take your mind off all the bloated overreaching.



re: Whirlybird contest

Stereogum and Matador Records are going to fly two lucky winners (and two friends) via helicopter from Manhattan to Jersey City to see Yo La Tengo play at the Landmark Loews Theater 9/29. The ride will include a swing around the lower tip of Manhattan, over around the Statue of Liberty and up to Jersey City. VIP passes will be included. We're not quite sure what constitutes being a VIP in Journal Square, but you'll be in the company of Monte Irvin and Red from the Tube Bar. 

Please, we're pleading with you to head over to iamnotafraidofyouandiwillbeatyourass.com  and contribute video footage of yourself being all threatening and shit. Otherwise, we'll be stuck with a clip from that guy from the painfully unfunny Tapes & Tapes EPK.

Kelly Reichardts's 'Old Joy', starring Will Oldham and featuring a score by Yo La Tengo, opens this Friday.  

'Shortbus': the new John Cameron Mitchell film, features original score and parts of "Night Falls on Hoboken", "We're an American Band", and "The Lie and How We Told It."  opens in NY on October 4.

The season premiere of the SciFi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica" is October 6.  As far as we know, no Yo La Tengo music is featured.

t-t-t-t-touring!

9/26 - Washington DC, 9:30 Club
9/28 - Boston, Avalon
9/29 - Jersey City, Loews Theatre
9/30 - Montreal,  La Tulipe
10/2 - Toronto, the Phoenix
10/4 - Ann Arbor, Michigan Theater
10/5 - Chicago, the Vic
10/6 - Milwaukee, the Rave
10/8 - Omaha, Sokol Underground
10/14 - Vancouver, Richard's on Richards
10/15 - Seattle, Showbox
10/16 - Portland, Crystal Ballroom
10/19 - San Francisco, Fillmore
10/20 - San Francisco, Fillmore
10/21 - San Francisco,  Fillmore
10/23 - Los Angeles, Henry Fonda Theater  (all North American dates feature Why? in support)

Wed 1 Nov SWEDEN STOCKHOLM DEBASER MEDIS
Thu 2 Nov NORWAY OSLO JOHN DEE
Fri 3 Nov SWEDEN GOTEBORG STICKY FINGERS
Sat 4 Nov SWEDEN MALMO KB
Sun 5 Nov DENMARK COPENHAGEN VEGA
Tue 7 Nov UK CARDIFF POINT
Wed 8 Nov UK GATESHEAD SAGE
Thu 9 Nov UK CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION
Sat 11 Nov UK LONDON FORUM
Sun 12 Nov FRANCE PARIS CAFÉ DE LA DANSE
Mon 13 Nov FRANCE TOURCOING/LILLE GRAND MIX
Wed 15 Nov FRANCE STRASBOURG LA LATERIE
Thu 16 Nov NETHERLANDS UTRECHT TIVOLI
Fri 17 Nov NETHERLANDS GRONINGEN VERA
Sat 18 Nov BELGIUM BRUSSELS AB
Sun 19 Nov GERMANY BERLIN POSTBAHNHOF
Tue 21 Nov GERMANY HAMBURG MARKTHALLE
Wed 22 Nov GERMANY DUSSELDORF ZAKK
Thu 23 Nov GERMANY MUNCHEN MUFFATHALLE
Fri 24 Nov GERMANY HEIDELBERG KARLSTORBAHNOF
Sat 25 Nov SWITZERLAND FRIBOURG FRISON
Mon 27 Nov ITALY MILAN RAINBOW
Wed 29 Nov FRANCE TOULOUSE MANGE DISQUE
Thu 30 Nov SPAIN BARCELONA APOLO
Fri 1 Dec SPAIN VITORIA AZKENA
Sat 2 Dec SPAIN MADRID LA RIVIERA
Sun 3 Dec PORTUGAL LISBON AUG

from the mailbag:



Dear (Matador)

Hi. I am a citizen of Glagow in Scotland, and my name (as you may see) is Michael Tough. Interestingly, Yo La Tengo's latest single release in the UK is entitled Mr. Tough. I have been aware of Yo La Tengo since I bought their single Danelectro (version 2 of which is on the playlist for my funeral - when it comes), and have purchased a couple of albums since, namely Prisoners Of Love and the current I Am Not Afraid Of Youþ.

I tried to purchase the single Mr. Tough, but none of the major or independent stores in Glasgow had it listed, leading me to believe it is only available as a download. Would this be correct?
The point I am trying to get round to, though, is this; would there be any promotional material available for the current single? It is not every day that a record is realeased with one's name as its title, and this 'novelty' holds an appeal. I saw some cover art for the single on a couple of download sites, but am reluctant to print and copy it on to a t-shirt, for example, for copyright reasons. As I now have the song on hard copy twice (once on the album and once, ironically, from a free new-release compilation CD given away by HMV when I bought the album) I see less need to buy the single if indeed it is available on hard copy.

If there might be any promo items with the Mr. Tough text and imagery that are lying around the office and looking for a home with a real Mr. Tough (by name only, and not so much by nature to be honest) then I would be happy to provide that home and very appreciative. In the offchance that you could please help me in my quest, may I provide a postal address upon request at a later time? Thankyou for taking the time to read this essentially begging letter, and I hope it doesn't bother you .

Yours
Mr. Michael Tough

08/30/06 — Sound off : www.iamnotafraidofyouandiwillbeatyourass.com

This guy's as mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

But these people are not afraid of you, and they will beat your ass.

We all know who would win in a fight. Join the revolution. Tell the world that you're not afraid of it and you will beat its ass at www.iamnotafraidofyouandiwillbeatyourass.com

Add your own testimony via our youtube group: http://youtube.com/group/beatyourass (add the tag "beatyourass")

Or via mms:87296464736@mms.youtube.com

08/16/06 —Season Pass, Beat Your Ass, Give Us Your Cash, etc.

The Beat Your Ass Season Pass

(photograph by Michael Lavine)
Matador is providing exclusive bonus material along with pre-orders of Yo La Tengo’s upcoming ‘I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass’ (ole-692).

When you pre-order the album from a participating retailer’s web site, you’ll receive a follow up email with directions for accessing the Season Pass web site via a unique coupon code. Every few weeks, the site will be updated with exclusive bonus material including:

- A player streaming the full album
- A digital booklet with album artwork, photos, liner notes and YLT
discography
- Exclusive mp3s available only to Season Pass members
- Advance notice on all ticket sales for the fall tour.
The full scoop can be found here.

In an unrelated story, Yo La Tengo’s upcoming Asbury Park show at the Stone Pony (9/25)…is no longer upcoming. I cannot stress strongly enough that this cancellation has nothing to do with the alleged feud between James McNew and Southside Johnny, much of which was blown way out of proportion by the irresponsible rock press. The whole thing is water under the bridge, and we’re hopeful that someday, someway, Johnny will invite Yo La Tengo to appear on his IFC chat show. I’ve not actually seen the program, but friends at the label have nothing but good things to say about it.

07/26/06 — Awe-inspiring instances of interactivy and apologies to an ass beaten aesthete
Ira, Georgia and James are off to Chicago for this weekend's Pitchfork Festival (also appearing: Mission Of Burma, Matmos, Carlos Zambrano) leaving us all overworked and lonely, beating the drums for the upcoming release of 'I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass'. Already proclaimed by Matador shareholders as "the finest album of 2006", you can check out the album's first song, "Pass The Hatchet" right here.

Truly awe-inspiring instances of interactivity planned around the album include:

iamnotafraidofyouandiwillbeatyourass.com: without your contribution, we're nothing. Or just not as substantial as we'd like to be. NOTE: THIS SITE IS NOT LIVE YET. KEEP CHECKING BACK.

myspace.com/yolatengo: if the Marines can have an official MySpace page (http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-recruit25.html), so can Yo La Tengo.

ticketweb.com: doesn't look so hot, does it? Au contraire, spartan though Ticketweb's site may be, it is also the sole online outlet for the biggest metropolitan area show of Yo La Tengo's career, taking place this September 29 at Jersey City's Loews Theatre in historic Journal Square. Tickets are on sale now, much as they are for the other confirmed autumn dates below:

9/25 - Asbury Park - Stone Pony
9/26 - DC - 9:30
9/28 - Boston - Avalon
9/29 - Jersey - Loews Theatre
10/4 - Ann Arbor - Michigan Theater
10/5 - Chicago - Vic Theater
10/14 - Vancouver - Richards on Richards
10/15 - Seattle - Showbox
10/16 - Portland - Crystal Ballroom
10/19 - SF - Fillmore
10/20 - SF - Fillmore
10/21 - SF - Fillmore
10/23 - LA - Henry Fonda Theater

more confirmed dates to come soon

yolatengo.com/petition/index.php: if you're not into ketchup, the mustard's already won.

It has come to our attention that a self-described "interim manager" (?) demanded that promotional postcards with incorrect copy be pulled from circulation at Yo La Tengo's recent performance at Philadelphia's Trocodero. Regrettably, there was a minor incident that took place between a member of the Matador "street team" and a ticketholder (above) and some sort of injury was inflicted on the latter. On behalf of the entire Matador family, we'd like to apologize to the gentleman in question and offer him and his family free tickets to an upcoming Yo La Tengo performance....as well as a 50% stake in Matador Records.

07/25/06 — New MP3: "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind"
Don't think we didn't hear the talk around the watercooler after we let loose the first mp3 from Yo La Tengo's future contender for album of the decade, "I am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass."

"Sure," you said. "'Beanbag Chair' is beautiful, summery, heartbreaking, and catchier than the flu, but Yo La Tengo claimed they weren't afraid of us. They said they would beat our ass. Where is this supposed ass beating? Where is this lack of fear?"

We listened. We posted "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind."

06/01/06 —New album; We're giving you plenty of time to get ready
On September 12 (September 4 in places other than North America) we'll be releasing a new CD / double LP by a trio we've creatively nicknamed "America's Best Band"

cover art by Gary Panter

Where do Yo La Tengo get off, delivering the most focused, wildly entertaining album of their longer-than-long tenure? Where does the record label get off, using catchphrases like "putting the 'oomph' back in 'eclectic'"? Where do you YOU get off, looking for greater details, like the sort of person who insists on knowing how the cliffhanger ends before the trailer even starts?

Ira, Georgia and James --- aided by longtime recording associate Roger Mountenot, have made a habit of blowing us away and confounding expectations time and time again, but with 'I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass' the trio have raised their game to unparalled heights, creating a multi-genre masterpiece certain to win Nobel Prize consideration. Or would you believe the Plug Awards? Either way, the believing's in the hearing.

We have posted an early mp3 of "Beanbag Chair."

05/15/06 — First MP3 from the new album
Going VERY early, we have posted the first song from Yo La Tengo's new 15-track ballbuster... 'I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass,' due out Sept 12 (Sept 4 in Europe). This record is incredibly eclectic, so just listen, enjoy, and prepare yourself for the next one.

04/27/06 — 'Yo La Tengo is Murdering The Classics'
In a news update hopefully being composed to meet a deadline in the very near future, we'll be unveiling details about an absolutely stunning new studio album from Yo La Tengo. Since the deadline isn't quite here, however, we'll instead point you to this lovely website where you can purchase your very own copy of 'Yo La Tengo is Murdering The Classics', a compact disc worthy of the following sales pitch:

"They said it shouldn't be done, but we did it anyway. Starting in 1996, we've made an annual visit to WFMU during their fundraising marathon. People who pledge money to the station while we're on get to make a request, and we try to play it. And guess what? It's not that easy. Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics is a 70-minute compilation drawn from 1996-2003, a Best-of, or Best-of-the-Worst, or Worst-of-the-Best, or . . . oh, what's the use, it's dreadful. No song titles will be provided, don't ask. Beautiful cover art by Adrian Tomine. Order at your own risk. No refunds."

upcoming live activities:

May 29 - Rome, IT, Circolo Delgi Artisti

May 30 Bologna, IT, Estragon

June 1, Barcelona, ES, Parc del Forum, Estrella Damm Primavera Sound Festival

July 13, Brooklyn, NY at Prospect Park Bandshell (performing 'The Sounds Of Science')

July 30, Chicago, IL, Union Park, Pitchfork Music Festival (with Spoon, Mission Of Burma)

August 13, Saratoga, CA, Montalvo Center for the Arts, Bleeding Edge Festival

03/10/06 — Recording the new studio album
Extremely tight label security prevents us from saying anything about Yo La Tengo's recent recording in Nashville with Roger Moutenot. Even uttering the words "prepare to be blown away" is a fire-able offense, so you didn't hear a word from me. Not for a few weeks, anyway.

Anyhow, days after making their annual appearance playing covers for cash in support of WFMU's fund-raising efforts, the planet's favorite trio find themselves in the spotlight, yet again. Lovers of independent film (and I think that includes all of us) can hear the music of Yo La Tengo in two new films, 'Game 6' and Kelly Reichardt's 'Old Joy', the latter starring Will Oldham.

01/24/06 — Hannukah concerts report
Ira, Georgia and James pulled out all the stops for this December's annual Hannukah gigs at Maxwell's, and running diary at their award-winning website more than compensates for the lack of original material on certain record label sites. In addition, Yo La Tengo are still eager to flog the leftover t-shirts from the Hannukah series, but like all good things, supplies won't last long. The band are off to Nashville to commence work on their next hit album and we're hopefully we'll have more details before long (or failing that, provide you with a link to someone that does).

ho ho ho

12/19/05 — Hannukah openers announced
Here are the openers for the Hannukah shows (not including the comedians):

Sun - 12/25 - The Mad Scene
Mon - 12/26 - P.G. Six
Tue - 12/27 - Tortoise
Wed - 12/28 - The Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen
Thu - 12/29 - Half Japanese
Fri - 12/30 - Volcano Suns
Sat - 12/31 - The Scene Is Now
Sun - 1/1 - Lois

11/12/05 — Letter from YLT, Hannukah shows 2005-6
Following a one-off show to benefit Freedom To Marry this week in Los Angeles, Yo La Tengo have announced partial details about their forthcoming Hanukkah shows at Hoboken, NJ's Maxwell's:

"Hey everybody,

"We're writing to let you know that once again we'll be performing all 8 nights of Hanukkah at Maxwell's in Hoboken. This year, just to make it extra crazy, Hanukkah begins on December 25 and continues through January 1. If you've never attended one of our Hanukkah shows before, you'll surely want to blow off your families and rectify that situation. Each night there will be a band and a comedian and a set by us, and maybe more.

"Tickets will go on sale Wednesday November 9. You can purchase them by going to Tunes in Hoboken (225 Washington St.) or Other Music in New York (15. E. 4th St.). Or you can purchase tickets on line here.

"If for any reason this link doesn't work, go to the Maxwell's web site and follow the link to ticketweb at the bottom of the home page.

"Tickets will be $20 per night, with the exception of New Year's Eve, which will be $30. All shows will be all-ages, with the exception of New Year's Eve, which will be 21+. As usual, we'll be donating the proceeds to charity, and no, we don't know which ones yet.

"We also don't know who else will be on the bill. Alright, we know a little bit about it, but not enough to talk about just yet. Rest assured that whatever night you buy tickets for is guaranteed to be the best of the eight, except for the one immediately before, or the one immediately after."

09/06/05 — 'Junebug' score, October dates
After a dizzying spate of European festival and headlining shows, Yo La Tengo have returned to the U.S., just in time to see "Junebug" --- the acclaimed Phil Morrison feature for which they've provided the original score --- released in theatres nationwide.

Next month, Georgia, James and Ira will make a brief visit to Central Texas for the following shows :

10/06/05 - Emo's, Austin TX (with Jad Fair)
10/08/05 - Chinati Foundation Open House, Marfa, TX

07/27/05 — Summer touring
Headlining a July 4th concert (preceeded by terrific sets by Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, as well as Laura Cantrell) in NYC's Battery Park would be the highlight of most bands' summers, but do we need to remind you again that Yo La Tengo are not most bands? For Ira, Georgia and James the Summer hasn't really begun yet, and won't until they touch down in Spain next week, as Yo La Tengo and The Scene Is Now combine for a double bill not seen since "Tango & Cash" (and by that, I'm referring to the movie, not the brand of street drugs that claimed so many lives circa 1989).

06/23/05 — YLT headlinine 'God Bless Matador' festival on the Fourth of July in Battery Park, New York
America is one of the top 8 or 9 countries in the world, and with that in mind, we're paying tribute to the land that brought you Breckin Meyer, Rick Dees, Mark Gastineau and Dick Army this July 4, when YO LA TENGO, STEPHEN MALKMUS & THE JICKS and LAURA CANTRELL perform in a free concert at The Lawn at Battery Park, NYC. Gates open at 2 PM.

2:00 PM Gates open
3:30 PM Laura Cantrell
4:20 PM Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
6:00 PM Yo La Tengo

Note: this is an afternoon concert, and gates open at 2 PM.

06/08/05 — Compilation, summer festival tour
If there's a better career-spanning collection than 'Prisoners Of Love: A Smattering Of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003", it probably doesn't include any Yo La Tengo songs. Whether you're in downtown NYC or lovely Leicester, this summer brings numerous opportunities to stand in a very crowded space with other people trying to see and hear Yo La Tengo.

June 11 - Festival Internacional Sonorama, Guadalajara, Mexico
July 4 - The Lawn At Battery Park, NYC NY (with Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Laura Cantrell. Free admission)
July 9 - Mass MOCA, North Adams, MA (The Sounds Of Science, live accompaniment with the films of Jean Painleve)
Fri 5 Aug - Benicassim Festival, Spain
Sat 6 Aug - Lausanne Noise Festival, Switzerland
Sun 7 Aug - Umbria Urbino Festival, Italy
Tue 9 Aug - Berlin Columbia Club, Germany
Wed 10 Aug - Hamburg Fabrik, Germany
Fri 12 Aug - St Malo La Route Du Rock, France
Sun 14 Aug - Leicester Summer Sundae Weekender, UK
Mon 15 Aug - Edinburgh Liquid Rooms, UK
Tues 16 Aug - London Koko, UK
Wed 17 Aug - Amsterdam Paradiso, Holland
Fri 19 Aug - Cannes Festival Pantiero, France


04/19/05 — Radio Free Podcast
Radio Free Yo La Tengo is now available as a podcast.

04/19/05 — Radio Free Podcast
Radio Free Yo La Tengo is now available as a podcast.

04/19/05 — Yo La Tengo video game
We've launched a Yo La Tengo video game... it's kind of in an old-fashioned style. Play it and see how you do.

03/24/05 — 'Radio Free Yo La Tengo' interview show, more

Do not miss Radio Free Yo La Tengo, a one-hour streaming broadcast interview of the band by the legendary Tom Scharpling of WFMU. This is totally different from the annual covers benefit show, and is alternately informative and hilarious. The show will be available from live365.com starting tonight, and a litttle later on as a podcast downloadable from the Matador site and various podcast sites.

At the same time, the ever-philanthropic Ira, Georgia and James, joined by longtime associate Bruce Bennett of the A-Bones, made their annual covers-for-cash visit to benefit WFMU (http://www.wfmu.org) last Tuesday night on Tom Scharpling's The Best Show On WFMU. Amongst the classics reinterepreted by Yo La Tengo were "Live & Let Die", Beat Happening's "Indian Summer", "Search & Destroy", The Replacements' "If Only You Were Lonely", Boz Scaggs' "Lido Shuffle" "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Psycho Killer".......an abortive version of "Kodachrome", "Jumping Jack Flash", "I Can't Explain" and many others.

You can catch Yo La Tengo performing their own songs (mostly) at the following locations:

March 29: Tonic Benefit, Tonic NYC (early and late show)
April 21: Vic Theatre, Chicago IL
April 23: Winifred Moore Auditorium, Webster University, St. Louis MO: The Sounds of Science (live accompaniment with the films of Jean PainlevÈ). two shows at 7 and 10.
May 15: River Fusion/Sand Island, Bethlehem PA
May 18: Rose Theater, Lincoln Center, New York: The Sounds of Science (live accompaniment with the films of Jean Painlevé)
May 27: Shibuya Club Quattro, Tokyo Japan
May 28: Laforet Museum, Tokyo Japan: The Sounds of Science (live accompaniment with the films of Jean Painlevé)
May 29: Club Quattro, Osaka Japan
July 4: The Lawn, Battery Park, New York, NY (with Stephen Malkmus and Laura Cantrell)
July 9: Mass MOCA, North Adams MA: The Sounds of Science (live accompaniment with the films of Jean Painlevé)

12/15/04 — 'Prisoner Of Love' retrospective compilation
On March 22, we'll be releasing a career-spanning Yo La Tengo compilation, 'Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintilliating Senescent Songs, 1985-2003' in specially priced double CD and limited edition triple CD formats.

Said collection ties together recordings going from the band's first 7" on their own Egon label, to their latter-day favorites for Matador, and shall be accompanied by provocative liner notes from longtime associate Byron Coley. The track listings are as follows:

Disc One:

1. Shaker
2. Sugarcube
3. Barnaby, Hardly Working
4. Little Eyes
5. Stockholm Syndrome
6. Our Way to Fall
7. From a Motel 6
8. Swing for Life
9. Tom Courtenay
11. I Heard You Looking
12. You Can Have It All
13. Did I Tell You
53:33

Disc Two:

1. The River of Water
2. Autumn Sweater
3. Big Day Coming
4. Pablo and Andrea
5. Drug Test
6. Season of the Shark
7. Upside-Down
8. The Summer
9. Tears Are in Your Eyes
10. Blue Line Swinger
11. The Story of Jazz
12. Nuclear War (version 1)
13. By the Time It Gets Dark
58:43

Disc Three (outtakes and rarities - limited edition triple CD version only):

1. Stay Away From Heaven - from the film "Invisible Circus", original soundtrack released on Chapter II)
2. Pencil Test* - I Can Hear The Heart... session track
3. Almost True* - And Then Nothing... session track
4. Tom Courtenay (acoustic) - Camp YLT EP
5. Big Day Coming (demo)*
6. Dreaming* - used in the film "Ode"
7. Bad Politics - Tom Courtenay single
8. Blue-Green Arrow - Earworm 7"
9. Decora (acoustic)* - KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic session, circa '95
10. Out The Window (original version) - That Is YLT EP
11. Weather Shy - from the film "Invisible Circus"
12. Dreams - Chemical Imbalance cover mount 7"
13. Autumn Sweater (remixed By Kevin Shields) - Autumn Sweater EP
14. Ashes On The Ground - From A Motel 6 EP
15. Mr. Ameche Plays The Stranger - Camp YLT EP
16. Magnet - from the NRBQ tribute album 'The Q People' (Spirithouse Records)
74:58

* previously unreleased

A Yo La Tengo DVD compilation (not necessarily related to the material above) is in the process of being compiled and should be released sometime in 2005.

the band have just completed another marathon session of Haunukah shows at Hoboken's Maxwell's, with all-star guests ranging from Bob Pollard's biggest influence, Conor Oberst, to the still-g-d like Wreckless Eric. Rolling Stone.com captured the highlights of what one noted rock biz observer called a show "so good, you don't have to be Jewish to appreciate it." I've often felt the same way about 'Green Acres,' so I know where he or she was coming from.

12/03/04 — The 2004 Hanukkah shows announced
The annual Yo La Tengo Hanukkah shows have been announced. At the fantastic Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey as always. In addition the publicly announced lineup given below [and since modified 12/10], there are special guests and secret cameos every night.

Tue 7-Dec: Laura Cantrell
Wed 8-Dec: Calexico
Thu 9-Dec: The Shams
Fri 10-Dec: The A Bones
Sat 11-Dec: Eleventh Dream Day
Sun 12-Dec: The Coctails
Mon 13-Dec: special guests
Tue 14-Dec: Calvin Johnson

10/05/04 — Unreleased track on 'Matador At Fifteen,' tour dates
The unreleased Yo La Tengo track on 'Matador At Fifteen' is a lovely acoustic version of "Deeper Into Movies," recorded live for RRR Radio in Melbourne, Australia. The compilation also includes the previously-released "Don't Have To Be So Sad."

And... just a reminder that there are only a few more chances to catch Yo La Tengo (along with friends like Todd Barry, David Kilgour, Sue Garner, Doug McCombs, Mac MacCaughan, Chris Stamey, Kurt Wagner, etc.) on their Swing State tour, organized in connection with Music For America. Open and frank discussion is great, but would you please pipe down during the quiet songs?