Countless new indie groups are formed each day. They've got the right clothes, the right hair style, and a few of them can even play decent music. Although they may pump out a few cool songs, how many of them do you think will still be popular in 20, 15, or even 10 years? Will people actively seek out their early work two decades from now?
It seems like they just don't build bands like they used to. With so much visual media readily available across the planet 24 hours a day, looking cool has become far more important than being creative and talented. It's a telling sign that bands like Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth remain at the forefront of the American indie scene more than 20 years after forming. While so many acts fade out shortly after attracting attention, amazingly enough, neither of these seminal groups looks like they have any plan to pack it in anytime soon.
Kicking off their Japanese tour in front of a nearly sold-out crowd of hipsters old and new at O-Nest, Yo La Tengo showcased the excellent musical prowess that has helped them build and sustain a two-decade long career. Opening things on a quiet note with "Our Way To Fall" from 2000's And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out, the band's set was a smorgasbord of sound and styles as they hopped from album to album. Husband and wife Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley along with third member James McNew all took turns singing and playing different instruments as the New Jersey group accented its acclaimed indie rock with bits of folk, art rock, punk, noise rock, and even a touch of disco!Kaplan joked early on that Yo La Tengo were a little tired as they had arrived in Japan the day before so that they could race in the 2007 Tokyo Marathon. The audience laughed as he made up final placements for everyone in the massive race. Going on to introduce the next track, "Beanbag Chair," he briefly forgot the name of their latest studio full-length, last fall's I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass, showing the band's age as he said "It's hard to remember all these titles after a while." Despite their memories beginning to fade as they advance in years, Yo La Tengo can still rock out with the best of them. Every one of the numerous dancing bodies that appeared on the floor of O-East whenever the band launched into one of their more fast-paced numbers will gladly attest to this. Up and coming groups watch and learn - there is a lot you can gain from the likes of Yo La Tengo. |
report by shawn and photos by keco |
 mag files : Yo La TengoThey Don't Build Them Like They Used To (07/02/19 @ Shibuya O-East) : review by shawn, photos by kecophoto report (07/02/19 @ Shibuya O-East) : photos by kecophoto report (05/05/25 @ Liquidroom Ebisu) : photos by kecophoto report (03/12/04 @ Shibuya Quattro) : photos by kecophoto report (03/12/03 @ Shibuya Quattro) : photos by ryotaphoto report (03/12/02 @ Shinsaibashi Quattro) : photos by ikesanNever Sounds The Same (03/12/01 @ Nagoya Quattro) : review by tikigirl, photos by ikesan楽しかったよ、生ヨラテン！ (00/10/24 @ Shinsaibashi Quattro) : review by ikuyo圧巻！9年ぶりの来日公演... (98/3/17 @ Shibuya Quattro) : review... no credit |
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The official site Yo La Tengo http://www.yolatengo.com/ check 'em? -->  The latest album 
"I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass" (US import / 国内盤 / ) |
previous works
"Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs: 1985-2003" ( US import 3枚組 / US import 2枚組 / 国内盤 3枚組 / )"Today Is the Day" ( US import / 国内盤 / )"Summer Sun" ( US import / 国内盤 / )"And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out" ( US import / 国内盤 / )"I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One" ( US import / 国内盤 / )"Electr-O-Pura"( US import / 国内盤 ) "Painful"( US import / 国内盤 / )"Today Is the Day"( US import / 国内盤 ) "Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo"( US import / 国内盤 / )check the albums? |
 2007 They Don't Build Them Like They Used To : Yo La Tengo (19th Feb. @ Shibuya O-East)Hot In Herre : Calexico with Iron & Wine (27th Jan. @ Shibuya Club QuattroYou Can Always Come Back Home : Deerhoof (20th Jan. @ Shinjuku Loft)The Untouchables : The Roots (15th Jan. @ Shibuya O-East)Dream A Little Dream : The Album Leaf (13th Jan. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)2006Here Today ... Gone To Hell : Arab Strap (11th Dec. @ Shibuya O-Nest)Mo' Mo' Mo' Mo'some : Mo'some Tonebender (2nd Dec. @ Shibuya AX)Good Things Come In Threes : Bleach with Ni-Hao!, Watusi Zombie (5th Nov. @ Yoyogi Zher the Zoo)Glitter And Mop-tops : The Zutons (2nd Oct. @ Shibuya AX)Twisting Minds And Tanning Behinds : Asylum Street Spankers (17h Sept. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)DVD review : I Know I'm Not Alone : Michael Franti & Spearhead (4th Oct.)Melodic Metal Monday : Dark Tranquility w/ Galneryus (1th Sept. @ Daikanyama Unit)Give Me Something I Can Dance To! : Fangsanalsatan Extra feat. The Stars, Boris, Guitar Wolf (22nd Jul. @ Shinjuku Loft)Melting Everything In Their Path : Melt-Banana (9th Jul. @ Yokohama Club 24)Never Too Old To Party : Shonen Knife (8th Jul. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)An Early Summer Night's Dream : Belle and Sebastian (3rd Jun. @ Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball)Zoobombcrazy : The Zoobombs (6th May. @ Yoyogi Zher The Zoo)F-U-N : Limited Express (Has Gone?) (2nd Apr. @ Yoyogi Zher The Zoo)Full CCCIIIRRRCCCLLLEEE : Cave In (25th Mar. @ Shibuya Club Asia)The Perfect Storm : Mono (18th Mar. @ Shibuya O-Nest)School Of Rock : The White Stripes (6th Mar. @ Zepp Tokyo)Far From Extinct : Dinosaur Jr. (27th Feb. @ Shibuya AX)Vintage Valentine : Showa Genroku Crazy Tangoku feat. Thee 50's High Teens, Salome no Kutibiru, The 50 Kaitens & The Captains (13th Feb. @ Shimokitazawa Club 251)Walk The Line : Afrirampo (29th Jan. @ Higashi Koenji UFO Club)Every Girl's Crazy About A Sharp Dressed Man : Kaiser Chiefs (23rd Jan. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)All That And Looks Too : Tristan Prettyman (22nd Jan. @ Shibuya AX)2005Merry Christmas and Happy... Halloween?!?! : Afrirampo with Oshiripenpenz and Watsui Zombie (19th Dec. @ Daikanyama Unit)Brothers In Arms : Bloodthirsty Butchers with +/- {Plus/Minus} (4th Dec. @ Shibuya AX)This Is Rock N' Roll : Oasis (20th Nov. @ Yoyogi Daiichi Taiikukan)Shake Your Rump : Rovo (5th Nov. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)Majestic Doves Battle Evil Spirits In Tokyo : Doves (30th Oct. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)DVD review : RGB : sianspheric (17th Oct.)Needs To Be Seen To Be Believed : Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra (16th Oct. @ Yokohama Thumbs Up)Shimmy Shimmy Ya : Zilli**Sweet Oriental Dance Show feat. Zilli, Eshe, Ken, Shinshi, and Mananbu (8th Oct. @ Shibuya Udagawa Cafe)Something Old And Something New : Time Bomb Records 15th Aniversary Feat. Blind Beast (Thurston Moore+Jim O'Rourke+Yoshimi), The Evens (Ian MacKaye+Amy Farina) with Ruins alone, Tamio Inoue (18th Sept. @ Shibuya Club Quattro) |