Yo La Tengo + Built To Spill
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ARTIST PROFILE | Yo La Tengo • Built to Spill
Time keeps moving and things keep changing, but that doesn’t mean we can't fight back. Yo La Tengo have raced time for nearly four decades and, to my ears, they just keep winning. The trio’s latest victory is called This Stupid World, a spellbinding set of reflective songs that resist the ever-ticking clock. This is music that’s not so much timeless as time-defiant. “I want to fall out of time,” Ira Kaplan sings in “Fallout.” “Reach back, unwind.”
Part of how Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew escape time is by watching it pass, even accepting it when they must. “I see clearly how it ends / I see the moon rise as the sun descends,” they sing during opener “Sinatra Drive Breakdown.” In the séance-like "Until it Happens,” Kaplan plainly intones, “Prepare to die / Prepare yourself while there’s still time.” But This Stupid World is also filled with calls to reject time – bide it, ignore it, waste it. "Stay alive," he adds later in the same song. "Look away from the hands of time.”
Of course, times have changed for Yo La Tengo as much as they have for everyone else. In the past, the band has often worked with outside producers and mixers. Yo La Tengo made This Stupid World all by themselves, though. And their time-tested judgment is both sturdy enough to keep things to the band’s high standards, and nimble enough to make things new.
Another new thing about This Stupid World: it’s the most live-sounding Yo La Tengo album in a while. At the base of nearly every track is the trio playing all at once, giving everything a right-now feel. Take the signature combination of hypnotic rhythm and spontaneous guitar on “Sinatra Drive Breakdown,” or the steady chug of “Tonight’s Episode,” a blinkered tunnel of forward-moving sound. There’s an immediacy to the music, as if the distance between the first pass and the final product has been made a touch more direct.
The songs on This Stupid World were still journeys, though. An example is the absorbing, three-dimensional “Brain Capers.” To construct this swirl, the band blends guitar chords, bass loops, drum punches, and various iterations of Hubley and Kaplan's voices into shifting layers. Simpler but just as dense is closer “Miles Away." A dubby rhythm lurks below Hubley’s vocal, which brushes across the song like paint leaving bright blurs. Throughout the album, these touches, accents, and surprises intensify each piece. It’s a rarity – a raw-sounding record that gives you plenty of headphone-worthy detail to chew on.
This Stupid World gives your brain a lot to digest, too. All the battles with time drive toward some heavy conclusions. In the gripping “Aselestine,” Hubley sings about what sounds like a friend on death's door: “The clock won’t tick / I can’t predict / I can’t sell your books, though you asked me to.” In “Apology Letter,” time turns simple communication into something fraught and confusing: "The words / Derail on the way from me to you.” Not everything is so serious, though. The absurdist “Tonight’s Episode" helps McNew learn to milk cows, steal faces, and treat guacamole as a verb. And somehow Alice Cooper, Ray Davies, and Rick Moranis show up in “Brain Capers,” all telling us time isn’t finished yet.
So I guess everyone on This Stupid World grapples with how time keeps steamrolling and how we keep trying to do something about it. It’s there in the title, a weary but clear-eyed pejorative that suggests determined resignation, a will to fight despite the grim odds. It’s there in the title track too: “This stupid world – it’s killing me / This stupid world – is all we have.” Such realism leads to the resolute optimism of This Stupid World’s parting shot, “Miles Away,” which sees time’s passage and life's impermanence as things to deal with rather than reasons to despair. “You feel alone / Friends are all gone," Hubley prays softly. "Keep wiping the dust from your eyes.”
Marc Masters
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Supporting Acts
SHOW BY SIMILAR ARTISTS
About Nickel Plate Amphitheater | Fishers, IN
The Nickel Plate District Amphitheater is one of the midwest’s premier outdoor music and event venues. Concerts and events at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater (also knows as the NPD AMP) and offer something for everyone – from Fishers and Greater Indianapolis to the Midwest region – including global and national acts, family and community favorites, festivals, and so much more. The outdoor venue is open year-round and is capable of holding a variety of performances, from a simple acoustic set to a 6,000-person concert. During the Summer months, Nickel Plate District Amp is home to the popular Fishers Farmer’s Market every Saturday.
Getting Around the Venue
Frequently Asked Questions About Nickel Plate Amphitheater | Fishers, IN
What are the age restrictions at this venue?
Nickel Plate Amphitheater is typically an all-ages venue. However, some shows may not be appropriate for children. To find out more about program content, please email: parks@fishers.in.us
What items are permitted or prohibited at this venue?
The following items are not permitted at the NPD AMP during concerts. Some concerts have more strict requirements. Visit the event listing for more details including updates on blanket and chairs:
- Weapons of any kind
- Outside alcohol (per Indiana Excise Law – Indiana Code 7.1-5-8-4)
- Outside food and drinks (prohibited at ticketed/gated concerts only)
- Coolers (prohibited at ticketed/gated concerts only)
- Pets (prohibited at ticketed/gated concerts only)
- Air horns or noise makers of any kind
- Fireworks
- Laser pens or laser products of any kind
- Skateboards, scooters, bikes (bike parking located throughout Nickel Plate District, just outside of venue gates)
- Flash photography is not permitted at any concert.
- Poster tubes are permitted at most events, but are subject to security search.
This list of prohibited items is subject to change at any time or at the discretion of venue staff or security and may vary by event.
Can I bring a bag into the show?
Check the event listing for information regarding bags policies.
What’s the parking situation like?
Free street, surface lot, and garage parking is available throughout the Nickel Plate District.
Learn more, and see a parking map HERE. Parking maps are subject to change based on the event. Please check your event page for event-specific details, including accessible ADA parking.
What is the camera/photo policy for this venue?
No professional cameras. Contact Nickel Plate District Amphitheater if you are interested in securing media credentials for the show.
Is there food and drink at this venue?
There are food, beverage, and alcohol vendors on site at all concerts. To purchase alcohol, you must visit an ID check/information tent to show proof of age and receive a wristband. If you do not get a wristband before attempting to purchase, the vendor will send you back to and ID check tent, and you will lose your place in line.
REMINDER: Outside food and drinks are only permitted at free, non-ticketed concerts. Security will be at gates checking bags. If you’re attending a ticketed concert, all outside food and drinks of any kind (including water) must be consumed or disposed of prior to entering the venue. Empty, reusable water bottles are permitted, as there is a water bottle filling station located inside the Pavilion building at the south end of the venue.
NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL IS PERMITTED AT ANY TIME DUE TO INDIANA EXCISE LAW (Indiana Code 7.1-5-8-4).
View seating maps for this venue
Most concerts at NPD Amp are general admission. Some shows may offer additional reserved seating options or upgrades. Be sure to check the event listing for your show before you arrive.
Can I leave and re-enter the venue?
Re-entry policies vary by show. Generally speaking there is no re-entry. Some events will provide more strict or relaxed updates for reentry. Check your show listing for more detailed information. Have a question? Contact parks@fishers.in.us
Do you offer ADA, handicap or special needs options?
Yes, the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater is accessible for all abilities. For most concerts and large events, accessible parking is located in the lot to the east of City Hall. Wheelchair accessible seating can be found at the back of the small, front (northernmost) lawn. A paved area is open for wheelchair seating, and picnic tables will be in the same area.
Where is the box office located?
The box office location may vary from show to show. For MOKB Presents concerts, the main box office can be found next to the Fountain and the back of the venue. This location is best accessed from East side of the Municipal drive, across the street from the Police Station.
I lost something at the show. Who do I contact?
The NPD AMP is not be responsible for any personal belongings or items of any type. However, any item turned into staff or security will be placed at lost and found at the Fishers Police Department headquarters at 4 Municipal Drive (just east of the venue).
What is your refund policy?
Refund policies may vary from show to show. For MOKB Presents show, refer to MOKB’s refund policy for cancelled and postponed shows. For information on Nickel Plate District Amphitheater’s refund policy, please contact parks@fishers.in.us
Beware of counterfeit tickets. How do I tell if my ticket is valid?
Always purchase your tickets directly from the official event website or promoter. Beware of counterfeit tickets and third party scalpers. We are only able to admit valid tickets to the events.
Can I purchase tickets in person without fees?
Ticket for MOKB Presents concerts can be purchased in person at our Fountain Square Box Office inside Virginia Ave Mercantile. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm. Check for updated hours in the Summer months.
Yo La Tengo + Built To Spill
Start Time: 7:00 pm
Buy Tickets
ARTIST PROFILE | Yo La Tengo
Time keeps moving and things keep changing, but that doesn’t mean we can't fight back. Yo La Tengo have raced time for nearly four decades and, to my ears, they just keep winning. The trio’s latest victory is called This Stupid World, a spellbinding set of reflective songs that resist the ever-ticking clock. This is music that’s not so much timeless as time-defiant. “I want to fall out of time,” Ira Kaplan sings in “Fallout.” “Reach back, unwind.”
Part of how Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew escape time is by watching it pass, even accepting it when they must. “I see clearly how it ends / I see the moon rise as the sun descends,” they sing during opener “Sinatra Drive Breakdown.” In the séance-like "Until it Happens,” Kaplan plainly intones, “Prepare to die / Prepare yourself while there’s still time.” But This Stupid World is also filled with calls to reject time – bide it, ignore it, waste it. "Stay alive," he adds later in the same song. "Look away from the hands of time.”
Of course, times have changed for Yo La Tengo as much as they have for everyone else. In the past, the band has often worked with outside producers and mixers. Yo La Tengo made This Stupid World all by themselves, though. And their time-tested judgment is both sturdy enough to keep things to the band’s high standards, and nimble enough to make things new.
Another new thing about This Stupid World: it’s the most live-sounding Yo La Tengo album in a while. At the base of nearly every track is the trio playing all at once, giving everything a right-now feel. Take the signature combination of hypnotic rhythm and spontaneous guitar on “Sinatra Drive Breakdown,” or the steady chug of “Tonight’s Episode,” a blinkered tunnel of forward-moving sound. There’s an immediacy to the music, as if the distance between the first pass and the final product has been made a touch more direct.
The songs on This Stupid World were still journeys, though. An example is the absorbing, three-dimensional “Brain Capers.” To construct this swirl, the band blends guitar chords, bass loops, drum punches, and various iterations of Hubley and Kaplan's voices into shifting layers. Simpler but just as dense is closer “Miles Away." A dubby rhythm lurks below Hubley’s vocal, which brushes across the song like paint leaving bright blurs. Throughout the album, these touches, accents, and surprises intensify each piece. It’s a rarity – a raw-sounding record that gives you plenty of headphone-worthy detail to chew on.
This Stupid World gives your brain a lot to digest, too. All the battles with time drive toward some heavy conclusions. In the gripping “Aselestine,” Hubley sings about what sounds like a friend on death's door: “The clock won’t tick / I can’t predict / I can’t sell your books, though you asked me to.” In “Apology Letter,” time turns simple communication into something fraught and confusing: "The words / Derail on the way from me to you.” Not everything is so serious, though. The absurdist “Tonight’s Episode" helps McNew learn to milk cows, steal faces, and treat guacamole as a verb. And somehow Alice Cooper, Ray Davies, and Rick Moranis show up in “Brain Capers,” all telling us time isn’t finished yet.
So I guess everyone on This Stupid World grapples with how time keeps steamrolling and how we keep trying to do something about it. It’s there in the title, a weary but clear-eyed pejorative that suggests determined resignation, a will to fight despite the grim odds. It’s there in the title track too: “This stupid world – it’s killing me / This stupid world – is all we have.” Such realism leads to the resolute optimism of This Stupid World’s parting shot, “Miles Away,” which sees time’s passage and life's impermanence as things to deal with rather than reasons to despair. “You feel alone / Friends are all gone," Hubley prays softly. "Keep wiping the dust from your eyes.”
Marc Masters
READ MORE >>Supporting Acts
About the Venue
Ticket Support: Box Office opens 1 hour before published door time. For ticket related questions please email boxoffice@mokbpresents.com.
Parking: Free street and garage parking is available throughout the Nickel Plate District. Garage parking is available in The Depot and Flats at Switch parking garage located to the east and west of City Hall, as well as in the Police Station garage and Spark Apartments garage located at the corner of Maple and North Streets.
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