Yeah Yeah Yeahs Get Intimate at the Beacon Theatre
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Beacon Theatre – July 29, 2025
Much ink has been spilled over the New York City indie-rock scene of the early aughts. But it was indeed something very special: A moment for ferocious experimentation with singular sounds — punk, pop, electronic and straight-up guitar rock — that presaged the delightful no-holds-barred variety we’re living through today.
And it’s hard to imagine that scene without the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the enduring trio of guitarist Nick Zinner, drummer Brian Chase and iconic front woman Karen O. They returned to NYC this week for three nights at the Beacon Theatre, but with their wild-child energies tamed. The shows are part of their stripped-down, acoustic Hidden in Pieces Tour, featuring a string quartet.
The intent was intimacy, and the opener, “Blacktop” from 2022’s Cool It Down, had it. Karen O’s vocals stood spare but lush, a reminder that decades on, she is a singer of true talent. They progressed into “Gold Lion,” a hit from 2006’s Show Your Bones. Even without a punch of scuzzy guitar breakdowns, the acoustic version of it and of set-closer “Y Control” (Fever to Tell, 2003) revealed a new side to the much-loved bangers and allowed for Chase’s masterful and graceful drumming to shine through. He is a marvel, not only to hear but to watch too.
The band also covered “Hyperballad” by Björk (Post, 1995), which in Karen O’s hands became a softer and sweeter take. They then moved through more of their own, including a personal favorite, “Runaway,” off 2009’s It’s Blitz!, and “Maps,” that essential anthem of indie rock, but this time with strings. Everyone rose from their seats to sing along: “Wait, they don’t love you like I love you.”
An encore included “Burning” (Cool It Down) and “Zero,” the dancy, disco-y heater from It’s Blitz! A disco ball descended, and an inflatable eyeball was thrown into the crowd. It’s great to reinvent but it’s especially fun to indulge in a little nostalgia. —Rachel Brody | @RachelCBrody
(Yeah Yeah Yeahs play the Beacon Theatre again tonight.)
Photos courtesy of Edwina Hay | thisisnotaphotograph.com
