Pitchfork

Jews all across indie-land (or at least all across Hoboken, New Jersey) will hang their heads in sorrow next week when Hanukkah rolls around, as Yo La Tengo will not perform their traditional run of star-studded Hanukkah shows at their hometown club, Maxwell's. What a shonda!

Way back in October, the band posted a note on their website, saying, "We have concluded that our touring schedule is such we just wouldn't be able to put together a lineup as Hanukkahriffic as years past." Said Hanukkahrifficness was embodied by such special guests as Lambchop, David Cross, Conor Oberst, Calexico, Calvin Johnson, Jon Spencer, Janeane Garofalo, and Todd Barry.

But don't worry-- they skipped 2003 too, and we all survived OK.

Citizens of Japan, Australia, and Singapore will be able to celebrate the Festival of Lights with the band two (or three) months late, as Yo La Tengo have announced a tour that will take them to those lands in February and March.

And for an early Hanukkah present, Yo La Tengo have made available to Beat Your Ass Season Pass holders (remember that?) an exclusive download of a live version of their latest single "Mr. Tough", recorded in Brussels on their most recent European tour. The rest of us will have to wait until January 9, when the band will release a live iTunes Session EP.

Here at Pitchfork, we're getting into the holiday spirit too, and thanks to reader Xavi Guasch of the Spanish website PopMuzik, we're able to share with you a few photos from Yo La Tengo's November 30 show at Barcelona's Apolo.

If you speak Spanish, you can read Xavi's review of the show here. I think he says that they played "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind", "Tom Courtenay", "Mr. Tough", "Watch Out for Me Ronnie", "I Feel Like Going Home", "You Can Have It All", "Sugarcube", "Tears Are in Your Eyes", and covers of the Kinks' "Better Things" and Love's "A House Is Not a Motel".

More photos and tour dates below.

Yo La Tengo dates:

02-19 Tokyo, Japan - Shibuya O-East
02-22 Nagoya, Japan - Nagoya Club Quattro
02-23 Osaka, Japan - Big Cat
02-24 Fukuoka, Japan - Drum Be-1
02-27 Perth, Australia - Amplifier *
03-01 Sydney, Australia - Metro #
03-03 Brisbane, Australia - Laneway Festival
03-04 Sydney, Australia - Laneway Festival
03-06 Melbourne, Australia - Corner Hotel #
03-08 Adelaide, Australia - Fowlers Live $
03-10 Meredith, Australia - Golden Plains Festival
03-12 Singapore, Singapore - Esplande Theatres on the Bay

* with New Rules For Boats
# with David Kilgour
$ with Clue to Kalo