Continuing our highlights from Day 3 of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2013…
YO LA TENGO are veterans of the indie rock scene, forming in 1984 in New Jersey and playing shows ever since, releasing a total of 13 albums in their impressive career. Their worldwide popularity and musical prowess has allowed them numerous accomplishments such as working with Yoko Ono in 2003 on a charity album and composing tracks for film soundtracks such as “Junebug” and “Old Joy.”
The first tune fans were treated to on Sunday was “Stupid Things” from their highly successful latest album “Fade” released earlier this year.
The group was cool and collected for their set, main vocalist Ira Kaplan was even seemingly unfazed by a curious grasshopper that landed on his shoulder during one track and proceeded to crawl up his neck. Kaplan’s wife and band co-founder Georgie Hubley began the set on guitar before switching with third band member James McNew to play drums, then moving to lead vocals later on, really showing off the versatility of the group’s musical talents. Closing with “Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind,” Yo La Tengo showed fans that despite doing the rounds for thirty years they still know how to put on a killer set.
On 6 November, the group is set to play a sold out event called “The Freewheeling Yo La Tengo” at the Laforet Museum in Tokyo, at which they will have no setlist but instead will ask audience members which songs they’d like to hear.