gigsplurge 10: yo la tengo, neil innes, sonic boom, may 2000

Yo La Tengo, Neil Innes & Sonic Boom, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 19 May 2000

Scrupulously tasteful in everything they do, Yo La Tengo assembled support acts to complement their two halves--a smirking, literate take on classic pop from 70s spoof-mesiter Neil Innes, and noisy noise from Spacemen 3's Sonic Boom.

Sonic Boom made feedback while sitting down, which I confess, was a novelty, though not a particularly enjoyable one. Neil Innes, backed by Mr Boom and the Tengo, gave an entertaining set of tracks from Rutland Weekend Television projects like the Rutles and Pommy. Having successfully sued Oasis for plagiarising 'How Sweet To Be An Idiot' on 'Whatever', Innes seemed in particularly good spirits. Several videos to follow.

Yo La Tengo played amidst plastic plants and led the audience in a funny dance to 'You Can Have It All'. Elderly ushers looked on with polite concern as awkward hipsters gingerly danced in the aisles. Mild, is the word we're looking for.

the bomb

GMS takes a break from dexys week to point you in the direction of this excellent observer article on british protest music and the anti-nuclear campaign - featuring, among others, michael foot, tony benn, peggy seeger, billy bragg and GMS-favourite Martin Carthy.

CND is fifty this year, and this weekend sees the anniversary of the nagasaki bombing. music, maestro:

uncle tupelo - 'atomic power' (louvin brothers cover, live, 1992)

yo la tengo - 'nuclear war' (sun ra cover, from prisoners of love)

nation of ulysses - 'atomic bomb' (from 13-point program to destroy america)

the crystals - 'little boy' (from back to mono)

derrick harriott - 'fat man' (from trojan - jamaican hits)

george clinton - 'atomic dog' (from computer games)

rivers cuomo - 'the bomb' (ice cube cover, from alone)

'97 mentality

i know i ain't the only one:

1997>2007

Exhibit P

Onion's AV club: is 1997 the new 1967? A bit heavy on the U.S. indie (Promise Ring? Helium?), but it did pay homage this mighty entertaining Yo La Tengo video:

Yo La Tengo - 'Sugarcube'

Previously on '97 mentality