Some surprises on SNL last night. The first being that the show was sorta funny (Videogum will post the best bits tomorrow), and the second being Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ decision to play 5-year-old Valentine’s mixtape staple “Maps” instead of a second song from It’s Blitz!. Hooky new wave single “Zero” came earlier, and legendary post-rock axeman David Pajo’s (Slint, Tortoise) support on keys reassured us that despite YYY’s synth-pop makeover, we can still count on Nick Zinner for those propulsive riffs. Karen O was all smiles and hand gestures, rocking the leather, leather, leather jacket we admired in the “Zero” vid and Jools performance. Expect to see her in it at the band’s “secret” NYC club show tonight…
“Zero”
“Maps”
As for that intimate Easter Sunday performance, it goes down at Santos Party House — a downtown club with which we are quite familiar — at 10PM. A strict guestlist is reserved for YYYs friends and family, but some tickets are available to fans at the door. Folks are allegedly lining up right now on Lafayette. Good luck.
UPDATE: YYYs interview backstage at SNL. Fred Armisen ranks the band members in order of musicianship and tastes Brian’s matzoh.
You Might Also Like
 |
 |
Karen O was adorable on SNL last night, she was so smiley. They were really great, I can’t wait to see YYYs live soon. I wish I could come to the “secret” show…
http://bonafidewithheadphones.blogspot.com/
when i saw david pajo standing there at the very end of the show i nearly shit myself
‘YYYs killed on SNL’? Despite ‘rooting’ for them, it was tough to watch them bomb. Karen’s voice kept breaking on the Zero chorus, and they somehow botched Maps (check Karen’s palpable embarrassment @ 2:43). Can’t blame the sound mixing for that one.
Also fyi: when the ’2nd song’ on SNL is ‘the old hit’ rather than ‘the 2nd single on our new album we’re promoting’, its traditionally because the producers instruct the artist to do so, rather than their own volition. Past few seasons, however, the suits seem to have been bullying the musical guests less, so perhaps YYYs just thought it’d be a good idea play Maps instead of, say, Skeleton. Maybe they’re just unrehearsed, but its a weak excuse when effort seems to be poured into Karen’s wardrobe instead of making the live show interesting.
Anybody who has ever seen the yeah yeah yeahs in person knows that their live show is as fun as it gets. Just because Karen O looks great, you shouldn’t assume they don’t care about making the show interesting. This was a televised performance of two songs with a break in the middle, and a notably shitty sound crew working behind the scenes. For someone who bases his/her name off Noam Chomsky, you surprisingly don’t seem to understand the definition of “bomb.”
Never seen YYYs live, so it is entirely within the realm of possibility that their live show is Daft Punk getting blown by Arcade Fire. I suppose it’s just unfortunate that they (Karen) couldn’t carry their material more confidently to such a wide audience. Fans might see this as a cue to jump ship, and the unfamiliar get a poor first impression.
And who’s this ‘Noam Chomsky’?
noam, reading your posts makes me want to put a bullet in my head.
have you read manufacturing consent?~?!?!!?!?!? OMG!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah i only like a band if they perform perfectly
shut up dude
Never said I did or didn’t like them, my dear grover. Is it against the rules to be disappointed, because you know they should have been better?
Riddle me this: why is nobody saying ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs were great”? All the comments we’re seeing here are either a) ‘That was disappointing’ and b) ‘FUCK THA HAETAZ’. (Full disclosure: watched Kill Your Idols again last week, boy does the band interview like a trainwreck circa 2002)
just seriously shut up
any person who would view a performance on SNL–good or bad–as a reason to “jump ship” isn’t really a fan, little buddy; it’s not even “within the realm of possibility”.
while YYY was a bit rusty and have been for a while as evidence of the jools holland performance, the drums sounded like they were mic’d up from the rafters…..fuck SNL’s mixers
snl must have the worst sound crew ever. terrible. i think the YYYs sounded good they just were horribly mixed
Bands bring their own soundman to SNL.
Love the colors she’s wearing during “Zero”. They don’t love hue like I love hue.
Well played.
It was the producers who most likely asked the YYYs to play Maps, but I think it’s ultimately up to the band if they agree to or not. From a marketing standpoint, it does make more sense to play Maps. The song gained a lot of mainstream popularity after Rock Band came out. Playing Maps on SNL lets the audience connect the song in the game to the actual band in their minds.
I absolutely love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Their live show is pretty breathtaking when they are in to it. That being said, this SNL performance was atrocious. No, it was not the sound mix, it was the band. They look bored, tired, and totally unengaged with the music. Karen O has completely lost her edge. The more I hear the new album, the more disappointed I get. I guess you can’t scream and be crazy your entire career, but Karen Os dynamic personality and her pinball emotions were the really the core of the band and the music. Since that is gone, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs new music does not seem that relevant or vital anymore.
I disagree with pretty much everything you just said
Karen O’s not as manic as she used to be. Pity.
Like a lot of people here: I love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I think their live show is usually friggin awesome. But their performance on SNL was anemic. Karen O’s extremely studied slow movements made it look like she was having stage fright and couldn’t concentrate.
Too bad I don’t live in NYC…=\
not to everyone, don’t play SNL.
wow, I thought it was an awful performance. part of the reason was “Zero” is an awful song, but overall it just seemed uninspired, boring, and half assed. Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, and Fleet Foxes were not that bad on snl, so i’m not going to blame the show so much as the yeah yeah yeahs.
Am I hopped up on goof balls or something? They have never came across well on TV. Never have they had a TV performance that struck me as anything less than dissapointing.
Lets face the facts, the only place YYYs translates is in a dirty club. Tv shows or stadiums or whatever just are not working for them.
I’ve yet to be proven wrong on this matter.
Furthermore, Zero still hasn’t grown on me. I’ve lost hope in this song. It still just sounds like a lot of songs I’ve already heard/ didn’t really like in the 80s but with a glossy coat of paint. I’m glad other people like it however, because I dig this band and would like them to sell albums.
Zero is not an aweful song, it is a solid song. The Yeah performance was tame because this is broadcast tv, which wouldn’t allow the type of craziness they did in the past anyway. It wasn’t super, but it was a solid performance and they did the best with what they had. I like that they played maps, but I really was looking forward to hearing a Bliz song. But I didn’t mind much. All you assholes who bash their performance ie Brian, Dan Pretty Much, Choam Nomsky GO FUCK YOURSELVES
They.
Are.
DONE.
what the fuck is wrong with you dicks? as soon as they perform on SNL you all get your pricks in a bunch.
this was a solid performance from a group who obviously deserves it. should Karen O being fucking a dog while taking a litre of wine to the throat?
stop being so pretentious; it’s okay to like things that are popular.
you think that efron kid knew who the yeah yeah yeahs were?
btw i found the “jon bovi” bit hilarious.
Dear disgruntled Stereogum users: You’re right! Last night blew! No comparison to the Jonas Brothers’ killer set a few weeks prior!
Dear SNL producers: More Jonas Brothers please, stop booking jokers like the YYYs.
You show those meanie comments, Stereogum readers. Thumbs down to any negativism!
haha everyone on stereogum is so god damn predictable
I knew you were going to say that.
Anyone else laugh at the way Efron says, ‘YEAH YEAH YEAHs’?!
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are over. They WERE one of the best bands from this decade, but its over. If you can’t see that, you are pretty naive. What makes them relevant, right now? Using synths? Being too cool? Its not a big deal… Most great bands only have a few years where they make life-changing music. The Smiths only had about four years, and then they called it quits. The YYYs will not be forgotten, but their last album will not be remembered.
hahahahahaha! oh god, that was good. i needed that. you’re so right about this. you truly understand music and what it means to everyone and you really deeply realize the life cycle that every band takes.
oh, actually, you have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about DANNY BOY!!!!!!!!!!
I love the YYYs and enjoyed the performances. Were they stellar? No. But at least they were real, with no “backing tracks” or AutoTune or a bunch of additional players to help “fill up” the sound. Sure, Karen wasn’t hitting the notes perfectly, but that’s a hell of a lot better than Kanye West a few months ago, missing half the notes in both of his performances. And both are are leagues better than some Ashlee Simpson fakery… Plus, even a mediocre rendition of “Maps” is better than an excellent rendition of most tunes. I was pumped to hear “Maps” just because it’s always deserved more recognition. If this gets people downloading more YYYs on iTunes and Rhapsody, it’s worth it by far.
Maps got a LOT of love when it came out.
They performed in on some MTV awards for fucks sake! It was a huge music video. They played it in regular rotation on the Sonic: Drive-in radio station.
I’m not sure there is anybody out there who would like the song who isn’t aware of it really.Playing it on SNL was avictory lap.
…And by the way, my ears are still bleeding after listening to that Phoenix singer bleating like a squirrel caught in a lawnmower last week. So I’ll take any YYYs I can get after that.
why did they play Maps anyway?
-Karen’s voice kept breaking on the Zero chorus-
Choamsky Dude, have you checked your speakers lately? Maybe that 3″ x 5″ oval in the old Zenith ain’t cuttin’ it anymore. Time for an upgrade. And swab out them ears!
Marty
They killed it. Best SNL performance by the YYYs ever? It’s Blitz! is becoming my favorite YYYs album. The indulgences, the addition of the disco synths, Karen O in that fucking hot leather jacket. I was hoping for “Heads Will Roll”, “Dull Life”, or “Hysteric” but “Maps” was the perfect choice for what was millions of people first introduction to YYYs. Next up is Letterman and Fallon right? So much exposure– they totally deserve.
I can forgive you for not watching a lot of SNL, because its usually pretty terrible. However, as someone who watches it weekly with his wife I can assure that they regularly have better performances.
I’m glad you dig the album though.
Wrong Dan, THEY STILL ARE a great band. Its funny people like you say they are over when the album is only a few weeks old. Dumbasses like you were already bashing the album even before it came out, so the credibility of all this negtive review is suspect to begin with. The Smiths called it quits after four years? The YYY have been together for almost ten, so your analogy is bullshit. This album won’t sell like the more popular acts, but then again if music were judged only by sales, alot of talent acts out there would be overlooked. This is a solid album, and the ballads are beautiful. This album will win over more people to them, and as more Yeah fans listen to it, they will come to appreciate it better.
if you wanna hear the still manic Karen O, just check out pre
it’s freakin’ SNL for god sakes, who gives a fuck if the band didn’t go ape-shit…
This is like godawful karoke. Yikes!!
does that new single remind anyone else of “goonies R good enough”?
The performance wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t anything to write home about. If you weren’t satisfied, go see them live (ex. not on snl), because they are one of the best live acts under the sun.
It’s Blitz! is a way better album than a lot of you think it is. If you’re claiming that they’ve “lost it”, you probably don’t realize that they have enough material to put out two additional albums of bonus songs that sound exactly like Fever to Tell, Is Is and Show Your Bones. They’ve done the same sound so much and so well that it was about time they tried something new, which they did.
My point is, if you don’t like the YYY then you don’t like them, but if you claim to have liked the YYY and think they’ve lost their sound, odds are you don’t actually like music and have never been listening to them in the first place.
Oh whatever. Get over it. While It’s Blitz may not be Fever to Tell or even Show Your Bones, it’s a solid effort. I know I got super excited (although that may have been the easter weekend wine buzz) when flipping through the channels with the fam and forced my 60 year old mom and 40 year old bro to watch the “Zero” performance. I thought it was great. Karen O rulez. I didn’t notice the shitty quality you’re all speaking of and the only thing my mom and bro noticed was Karen O’s haircut.
The fact that they accepted to play Maps worries me.
Okay, so the sound isn’t that great. If you’ve seen television performances long enough you should realize that they are NEVER as great as you’ll think they’ll be. Perhaps too much emphasis on vocals, and maybe all the equalizers dumbed down the instruments but hey, thats T.V. for you. If its not Austin City Limits, chances are music on T.V. is not going to sound the way it does when you are at the show. Perhaps you should all just watch the show and enjoy your momentary glimpse of COOL, instead of running to the blog to complain and argue with one another.
It’s been removed!
Come on nbc/UNIVERSAL…you signing Bon Jovi and Tiberlake to some sort of 10 year A-Rod type of deal shouldn’t be the publics burden…we could have it SO much better!!!
would’ve been rad if the yeah yeah yeah’s took a page from phoenix’s book and played art star while snl’s credits rolled.. zack efron and the cast of snl hamming it up for the camera… AAAAAAAAAARRRT STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!
Stereogum is the biggest bunch of hipster douchebags I have ever seen. Seriously, the comments here are fucking dumb as shit. YYYs are not “done” and there was nothing wrong with the performance. And even if the performance was bad, that wouldn’t mean that the band is done.
Also, Animal Collective fucking sucks.
Their SNL performance wasn’t amazing, but it definitely wasn’t as terrible as so many of you have stated. Karen didn’t get as into it as I would’ve liked, but I thought the sound was just fine. I’ve seen and listened to several of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’s performances on other shows and in concert; they usually sound great. Also, I’ve watched other performances on SNL and they’re usually awful. That being said, it can definitely be agreed upon that the SNL sound mixing isn’t that great. Just follow the link to another recent Yeah Yeah Yeahs performance on Jools Holland, and check what a tremendous difference! Here, they perform “Heads Will Roll” instead of “Maps,” which I think was a much better choice as well. Love Karen’s moves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkYfNYY1Bn8
I love me some Tiberlake
I personally love them and Karen O is my idiol. We don’t need to gang up on eachother like a bunch of 3rd grade brats. It’s a waste of time. I hate coming on here and seeing ” I Hate this band” and someone replying with “You’re an uncultured asshole!” OR “Oh I love this song” and someone replying with “That’s because you’re gay!” WHO CARES. Can’t people be civil anymore? This is God – damdiculous! They are going to be around a long time, love them or hate them. There’s no need for everybody to bash eachother. It’s stupid, a waste of time and no matter who’s side anyone is on…you all look like idiots anyway…
Karen O was too cute LoL…and they sounded great to me… :{D
Karen O was cute. The sound was bad. Sound always seems to be bad at SNL, minus a few select shows. That being said, I think the performance was mediocre. If Nick Zinner hadn’t been playing guitar, it would have been bad news. It will be interesting to see if they bring someone else on for a tour this summer. I wouldn’t want to see these songs without the synth parts or the guitar parts.
I had the lucky chance to see the yyys live before the first record even came out and they were explosive. Now in their 3rd album they sound as good as ever to me. SNL sound stage has not been to kind to bands as of late, but it is unfair to bash the band for it. Looking at the band they seemed to be having a great time up there and played well. I could see if you bought a ticket and they sucked live then I would see complaining, but people bitching about a performance (2 songs) they got to see for free on tv is a bit ridiculous…just sayin.
I agree to an extent, but when people say they are disappointed I dont think it’s a “i need a better product than this.” argument. I think they see artists they esteem not meet their expectations (this is not a statement on those expectations – that is another argument altogether) but then if the artist does not meet those, feeling let down. If we cannot count the great artists of our age to put out continually and reasonably good work / performances it is just sad.
i see what your sayin about continuity and the expectations that come along with that especially with an established band like the yyys. no one likes to see what should be a good show come off average or bland. with a sound crew so notably inconsistant like snl, i guess i give bands a bit more slack when they play there.
i see what your sayin about continuity and the expectations that come along with that especially with an established band like the yyys. no one likes to see what should be a good show come off average or bland. with a sound crew so notably inconsistant like snl, i guess i give bands a bit more slack when they play there.
This album has put Yeah Yeah Yeahs in a completely different light for me. I respect them. They’ve redeemed themselves after a couple of shitty, shitty albums.
I used to think they were ok, but when I saw them on SNL it made me not want to listen to them anymore. In my honest opinion.
Finally! something i can rave about. Love these guys(girl)
Rock n Roll on tv, how extraordinary.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I like the band a lot and I love–love!–the new record, but they sounded terrible on the show. Like every other band.
they played maps because that’s the only song they’ve written anyone cared about….probably why half the song on the new record are “maps” rewrites. the band is gasping for fresh air kidz.
I’m shocked they did “Maps”, which came out in 2004. Dead horse, beaten.
who are you talking to?