Kevin Bronson on April 19th, 2010

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Who: Yo La Tengo on the main stage.
In 3 or Fewer Words: Afternoon undercard underwhelms.
I’ll Remember This Forever Because: Ira Kaplan and James McNew performed choreographed dance, allegedly at Sly Stone’s request. Five years ago, the Sunday main stage bill would have been, well, the main attraction. But in 2010 “indie rock” is a niche of the broader (and poppier) “indie,” and Yo La Tengo’s set felt like one from a niche band, not from one of indie rock’s preeminent mainstays. They were carefree, they alternated between quiet and loud, they were irreverent – all of the indie-rock clichés Yo La Tengo helped to establish. What they weren’t was especially interesting, a bit too mellow for a midday main-stage performance. It wasn’t until the 10-minute closer “Pass the Hatchet, I’m the Goodkind,” from 2006’s “I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass,” that Yo La Tengo made good on that threat. If nothing else, the elongated and gnarly jam confirmed the good tastes of the pithy crowd in attendance. Si, tu tengo. But please, show us more of it.
What I’d Tell My Friend Who Was at Sunny Day Real Estate: How does it feel to be something on?
– Ben McShane (Classical Geek Theatre). Photo: Scott Dudelson.