The Soft Boys reunite at Yo La Tengo concert in New York
On December 28th, English post-punk group The Soft Boys reunited at Yo La Tengo‘s concert in New York City.
The Soft Boys frontman Robyn Hitchcock, who released his most recent solo album Life After Infinity in 2023, was the opening act for Yo La Tengo at the Bowery Ballroom. He then returned to the stage during the encore, where he was joined by The Soft Boys guitarist Kimberley Rew and drummer Morris Windsor along with Yo La Tengo.
Together, the trio reunited for a 13-song set that included ‘Kingdom of Love’, ‘I Wanna Destroy You’, and ‘Underwater Moonlight’. The supergroup also covered ‘It’s All Too Much‘ by The Beatles and ‘Run Run Run’ by The Velvet Underground.
The concert on December 28th marked the fourth night of Yo La Tengo’s ten-date residency at the Bowery Ballroom, which has become an annual celebration of Hannukah since 2001. This year, all proceeds from the concerts will be given to the Coalition For The Homeless.
The Soft Boys, who formed in Cambridge in 1976, initially split up in 1981 following the release of their acclaimed second album, Underwater Moonlight. They later reunited in 2001 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the aforementioned LP. During this tenure, they recorded a new album, Nextdoorland, before breaking up again in 2003.
Bassist Matthew Seligman, who participated in the band’s last reunion, passed away in 2020 due to complications with Covid-19. He also worked with artists such as David Bowie and Morrissey after The Soft Boys disbanded.
Following his death, Hitchcock shared: “I’m profoundly grateful to have played music with him – you could really see his face light up like a full moon when he listened back to a take he enjoyed. Onstage he would lope and lurch and pace when the music moved him. Matthew is, was, and always will be one of the greats. My heart goes out to his partner, Mami; his children Daisy and Lily, and all who were close to him and his lunar intensity.”
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