Indie rock vets Yo La Tengo kicked off a 2013 tour in support of their latest release Fade last Wednesday night at the Cat’s Cradle. By all accounts, it was an intimate, loud and beautiful performance.
The band essentially opened for themselves, eschewing a supporting act in order to give a quiet, mostly acoustic set before their main electric set. This provided an opportunity to perform some of Fade’s more subdued tracks, as well as fan favorites such as “Our Way to Fall.” Front man Ira Kaplan showed a gracious demeanor towards the Carrboro crowd and even played songs that fans had requested via e-mail.
After a short break, the band returned to the stage to begin the more aggressive part of their performance. After just a few heavily distorted notes had squealed from Kaplan’s guitar, it became clear that the crowd was in for a vastly different set than the one they had just experienced.
Throughout the set, drummer Georgia Hubley supplied steady grooves while Kaplan roared through one feedback-drenched guitar solo after another. Bassist James McNew provided the low-end, rounding out the trio’s explosive sound. A highlight of the set was Fade’s leadoff track “Ohm,” which featured all three band members sharing vocal duties.
Yo La Tengo provided the packed Cat’s Cradle crowd with two versions of the same band, illustrating its versatility as a live act and leaving attendees feeling like they definitely got their money’s worth.
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