As usual I was running late to see Yo La Tengo and Broken Social Scene(presents Kevin Drew), but I did get to drive down rt 89 on the way which had a very pretty if somewhat dark view of Cayuga Lake the whole way. I highly recommend it, I bet its even better in the day time.
I'd like to admit before I start really get into this post that I've never really listened to either of these bands all that much despite both of them being somewhat iconic in the indie rock world and the fact that this show provided the one chance to see them together on what are otherwise separate tours, seemed like a good opportunity to check them both out.
I missed the beginning of Yo La Tengo's set and by the end of it I felt like that wasn't all that I was missing. I really just don't get whatever it is that they were getting at in there set which ended with about a six minute songs who's lyrics were mostly "Lets talk about nuclear war, yeah". Thats not my main gripe though, mostly the set seemed to me just sort of uninspired. In my past experience though bands don't get signed to Matador Records or last more than twenty years for nothing and I am willing to bet I really am missing something here, so I would ask you dear reader to please help fill me in. If I was going to put one (of the fifteen) Yo La Tengo records on my mp3 player to give my self a chance to see what they are all about which one would it be and why?
Broken Social Scene on the other hand who I also didn't know too much about before hand was awesome. They put on a rip roaring show all the way through (there were no ballads and no female members, I don't know if there was any correlation) and got the whole crowd to hug itself, literally. Their new record Spirit If is quite good and I have also since been directed to their classic You Forget it in People which I would also recommend.
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Hey there. I was at this show, and am a big Yo La Tengo fan. Seen them 5 or so times. I'd definitely recommend listening to 'Painful' and 'I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One'. The former is their first album as we know YLT today, and is so absolutely gorgeous. Notably, listen for Double Dare. The latter album is usually regarded as the bands high point. It's sprawling, and touches and a ton of different styles...a bit more intimidating as a full album, but has several gems on it.
Hope this helps!
wow, this was posted a long time ago, but as far as this Yo La Tengo show went, it was good, however the place they played at Cornell is famous for killing spirit. I've seen a few shows there, Cornell, and non of them were exciting. So, don't lose hope for Yo La Tengo, I sawr them at S.U. with Sonic Youth in 2001 and it was amazing. And the nuclear war song, yeah, don't listen to the nuclear war e.p. It was, however, a great way to walk off stage.
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