May I spin with me: The A.V. Club takes on Yo La Tengo’s wheel

In order to function as a full-time band with minimal member turnover for nearly three decades, Yo La Tengo has had to refrain from taking itself too seriously. The band’s name comes from an unusual baseball anecdote, and, in a move that was part self-deprecation and part full disclosure, a collection of haphazard live covers by the band was dubbed Yo La Tengo Is Murdering The Classics. Unlike many art rock groups, Yo La Tengo wastes little time on self-importance.

In keeping with its tradition of whimsy, the band announced an interestingly conceptual tour to span the first weeks of 2011: Each night’s show will be made up of two 45-minute sets, the first of which will be determined by the spin of a giant, county fair-style wheel. The second set will feature a standard collection of YLT live favorites.

The wheel’s slices allow for a variety of possible sets, some straightforward (“Songs Starting With ‘S’”) and some not (something called “Sitcom Theatre”). Yo La Tengo and the wheel are stopping by Metro on Feb. 4, and The A.V. Club has run through the numerous possibilities for the evening, trying to get to the bottom of this high-concept tour.

Condo Fucks
What can I say: Yo La Tengo assumed this vulgar title to release a fuzzed-out collection of garage-rocking covers of tracks by Richard Hell, The Beach Boys, and The Kinks. Condo Fucks first appeared in 1997 as one of the many fake bands listed on the inner sleeve of I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One. Twelve years later, Fuckbook was released, and a documentary about a fictional, early-’90s punk rock scene based around the Fucks appeared on the band’s Matador Records homepage.
If it’s true: Fuckbook beats Times New Viking at its own game, layering gallons of fuzz over hooky adaptations of crate-digging tributes. The record clocks in at just more than half an hour, so some extra songs will be necessary to fill out that first 45-minute set, but an appearance by Condo Fucks would certainly make for an enjoyably diverse evening of feedback-laden garage punk and classic indie rock.

Dump
What can I say: James McNew has been releasing his solo recordings under the Dump moniker for as long as he’s played bass for Yo La Tengo. There’s been a handful of Dump records over the years, including a collection of Prince covers called That Skinny Motherfucker With the High Voice?, and a self-titled 7-inch that was the inaugural release on Tom Scharpling’s short-lived 18 Wheeler Records.
If it’s true: Dump shows are few and far between, making this a treat for YLT die-hards. That being said, most folks aren’t familiar with his records. His last release, A Grown Ass-Man, came out to little fanfare in 2003, and has the unfortunate distinction of having received one of those Pitchfork reviews people refer to when they talk about why they hate Pitchfork. Most Dump songs adhere to the hazy, mid-tempo vibe of McNew’s main band, so unless he busts out his blissful “1999” cover, casual Yo La Tengo fans might lose focus.

The Freewheeling Yo La Tengo
What can I say: The band has previously toured behind this concept, opening the floor to audience questions and requests. These shows regularly ran past the two-hour mark, allowing for especially edifying and entertaining sets, which featured stripped-down arrangements of nearly any song audience members yelled for.
If it’s true: There’s a 45-minute time limit on the freewheeling, so the onslaught of questions and requests will leave timid solicitors in rough waters. Lead guitarist Ira Kaplan takes the head on the majority of the questions and has a relaxed charm that comes from years of performing in front of an audience, which would make for a loose and enjoyable first half.

The Name Game
What can I say: Turns out, there are an unusual number of YLT songs (really good ones, at that) with people’s names in the title alone. “Tom Courtenay” is essentially Yo La Tengo’s “Cut Your Hair,” and solid early tracks, like “Barnaby, Hardly Working” from President Yo La Tengo, rarely make it onto the setlist at normal shows.
If it’s true: Few attendees would complain about a set featuring cuts like “Mr. Tough,” “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House” and “Pablo And Andrea.” This is in the running for best possible option for the night, perhaps tied with “Songs Starting With ‘S.’”

Songs Starting With “S”
What can I say: For every great Yo La Tengo song that includes someone’s name, there are two that begin with the letter “S.” Career highlights like “Sugarcube” and Daniel Johnston cover/collaboration “Speeding Motorcycle” both, obviously, begin with “S,” and are both great.
If it's true: The press release promises “S” tunes that are “rarely, if ever, heard live,” which is, you know, nice. The setlist from the band’s Jan. 23 show in Carrboro, North Carolina reveals the “S” theme was selected, and featured the first ever live performance of “(Straight Down To The) Bitter End” from 1995’s Electr-O-Pura.

The Sounds Of Science Parts 1 & 2
What can I say: Yo La Tengo composed nearly an hour and a half of mellow instrumental pieces to accompany eight short nature documentaries filmed by French filmmaker Jean Painlevé. In the past, these songs accompanied a screening of Painlevé's films, but not so this time around. The odds are in favor of The Sounds Of Science; it was split into two parts, so each half gets its own slice of the wheel.
If it’s true: When the wheel landed on The Sounds Of Science Part 2 on Jan. 20 in Philadelphia, several audience members weren’t shy about sharing their dissatisfaction. In a video of the spin and its aftermath, Kaplan said, “There was nothing we were looking forward to more than the groans of disappointment.” While there’s nothing wrong with The Sounds Of Science, the lengthy, languid songs are far from YLT’s best work.

Sitcom Theatre
What can I say: At this writing, no audiences have been lucky enough to have witnessed this particular event, but the Yo La Tengo website claims the band and crew will act out an episode of a classic sitcom. Which one? Define “classic.”
If it’s true: This concept seems enjoyable in theory, but might wear thin on impatient fans who showed up to see their favorite band play songs, not goof around onstage, fumbling through hacky plotlines and dated jokes. Audiences would at least be able to brag later on about that one time they saw Yo La Tengo perform that episode of Good Times where Florida gets a job as a bus driver.