On Saturday night, all eyes (and ears, of course) turned to the festival’s big-name headliner: Yo La Tengo. Unlike the intimate shows and venues that marked Pygmalion up to this point, the spacious, two-tiered Krannert Art Center theater provided the stage for one of indie music’s most enduring groups.
As someone encountering the band’s music for the first time (I know, I know – but I liked that rock I was living under too much to leave), I filed out of the auditorium feeling impressed with the musicianship, but not in a mad rush to listen to their past albums.
Easing into the show with the gentle love song “Our Way To Fall,” the trio quickly accelerated the pace with “I Should Have Known Better,” off its acclaimed 2006 record I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass.
This sort of slow-fast, quiet-loud progression was a hallmark of the show – one that featured the group showcasing its ability to transition effortlessly from garage rock (“Watch Out For Me Ronnie”) to piano jazz + falsetto (“Mr. Tough”) to unrelenting groove-outs (“The Room Got Heavy”).
In addition, while I sat in one of the most comfortable theater seats I’ve ever occupied, the members of Yo La Tengo continually scurried around from instrument to instrument – changing on-stage locations almost as often as they shifted genres. At one point, drummer Georgia Hubley even came out from being the kits to sing and play keyboard on the ballad “I Feel Like Going Home.”
The group seemed pleased to be back in the twin cities before such a large crowd, as guitarist Ira Kaplan reminisced about playing at the Blind Pig and the Highdive almost a decade ago. And I, for one, was happy to have Kaplan back in town because he was hands-down the best guitar player I have ever seen perform. For me, his extended solos on “Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind” and “The Story of Yo La Tango” were the unquestionable highlights of the evening.
As the concert drew to a close, the band played a few covers as its encore before Kaplan led audience members in a growing conga line up to the doors at the back of the theater – his location identifiable at all times by the maracas rattling in his hand.
Our Way To Fall
I Should Have Known Better
Autumn Sweater
Deeper Into Movies (?)
Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
The Room Got Heavy
Bean Bag Chair
Mr. Tough
I Feel Like Going Home
Tom Courtenay
?
Watch Out For Me Ronnie
The Story of Yo La Tango
—–
Speeding Motorcycle
Come On, Come On (Cheap Trick)
Nuclear War (Sun Ra)
After leaving Krannert, I headed down the street to take in the three-band Polyvinyl showcase at Canopy Club. Opening the bill were The M’s, a four-piece rock band from Chicago. Channeling the likes of The Kinks and T. Rex, the group played a competent, no-frills set that catered to fans both old and new.
After beginning with a few older selections, the set concluded with a string of songs from Real Close Ones (released this past June), including “Don’t Be Late,” “Get Your Shit Together,” and “Ultraviolent Men,” before finishing with catchy psych-pop single “Big Sound.”
Because the evening’s crowd was still wandering in and most people chose to hang out toward the back (except for Headlights’ Erin Fein and Nick Sanborn, both of whom occupied a spot right in front to watch their labelmates), the band might not have been exposed to as many new faces as it would have liked, but those who were there looked to be bobbing their heads in approval.
Sandwiched in the middle, everyone’s favorite hometown band gone national, Headlights, was clearly the main attraction. Judging from the fact that every nook and cranny in the area around the stage was filled with people, a C-U performance from the lady and gents is definitely still a noteworthy event.
Because I’ve already written about the group (in my first post, no less), I’ll suffice it to say that the quintet sounds more “rock” every time I hear them. Even “Cherry Tulips” shed its original sugary-sweet complexion for a louder, more muscular feel. No matter how many times the band swings through town, it’s always worth it to see them because each tour sees them getting that much better at their craft.
The last act to take the stage – Asobi Seksu – is also the most recent addition to the Polyvinyl roster. Hailing from New York City, the group is anchored by vocalist/keyboardist Yuki Chikudate and guitarist James Hanna. Notably, on this particular night their for-hire backing band also included drummer Larry Gorman (formerly of influential post-hardcore rockers Glassjaw).
For those who are only familiar with the group’s albums, don’t let the sound found therein fool you – this band rocks out. Hard. Easily beating out The M’s and Headlights for loudest performer, furious guitar rhythms and pounding drums duked it out all night in a battle royale. (I’ll declare the contest a tie.)
Canopy’s speakers were ill-suited to handle the force of Chikudate’s half-Japanese, half-English singing – her diminuitive figure (which barely rose above her icicle light-strewn keyboard) disguising the powerful vocal cords within. Her small stature also made it all the more suprising when, on the last song of the night, she took over behind the drum kit and banged away with as much furor as she had taken out on her keyboard previously.
Chris Hassen: I goes to shows.
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Chris Hassen
I goes to shows.