Yo La Tengo Keeps It Going At Maxwell's for Hanukkah

Yo La Tengo rocked the second night of their Hanukkah stint at Maxwell's Thursday night, playing to yet another packed room while sharing the stage with surprise special guests, including comedian Jim Gaffigan.

Opening the show were The Parting Gifts, a Tennessee-based garage rock outfit made up of Greg Cartwright and Coco Hames of the Ettes.

After the openers, Gaffigan took the stage for close to an hour. His act included a particularly memorable rant about how no one will admit to eating McDonalds, although they sell "six billon hamburgers" a day.

"There are six million people in this country alone," he joked. "I'm no accountant, but something just doesn't compute," to which the audience laughed heartily.

YLT's set included a cover of Lou Reed's "Heroin," "The Summer" with Bob Lawton on guitar, and an acoustic version of Double Dare. Gaylord Fields joined YLT during the encore set for the Rolling Stones' "Rice Krispies Jingle," after which YLT shared the stage with members of The Parting Gifts for a few more tunes.

The mood became increasingly jovial toward the end of the show when, at well past midnight, Ira invited Georgia, seated behind her kit, back up to the mic to do "that Bob Dylan song" ('I'll Keep It With Mine"), and Ira asked if anyone in the audience "has to work tomorrow." A few tired-sounding fans yelled "no", followed by a few more titters.

There are six more sold-out nights of surprises in store, continuing Friday at 9 p.m.