the highs can be high, but the lows can also be low at a yo la tengo show. in case you haven’t been to a recent concert of theirs, they bring out a wheel featuring different options for them to play. an audience member spins the wheel and whatever it lands on is the bands first set. the options include: songs that start with s, the name game (songs with names in the title), freewheeling (their vh1 storytellers type setup), as well as sets from their alter ego bands and the score to the sounds of the sounds of science. after an intermission, they play a second set of their hits.

all sounds great on paper.

after first landing on spin again, the lucky atlanta contestant landed on spinner’s choice at the recent variety playhouse concert. i totally thought i was in for a classic yo la tengo show, i mean, how could this go wrong? well, this particular fan chose the second half of the sounds of the sounds of science and things got boring quickly. i couldn’t believe when given the option of hearing a set of classic yo la tengo songs, someone would pick the second half of a score to an underwater science documentary. don’t get me wrong, the score is great, but such drony instrumental music has its time and place.

after 45 minutes of the film score and another 40-minute intermission, i was not very pumped about the show anymore. although they did open up the second set with autumn sweater and let’s save tony orlando’s house, waiting that long to hear actual yo la tengo songs was definitely an evening spoiler.

i will think twice about going to another concert where a wheel determines my potential for fun.

– ryan