Yeah Yeah Yeahs are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their first ever gig by releasing footage of the band performing ‘Our Time’.
20 years ago today, Yeah Yeah Yeahs performed for the first time as a band at the legendary Mercury Lounge in New York City, and what followed was the band’s subsequent rise as one of the most acclaimed indie groups of the 2000s.
To commemorate this big milestone, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have shared some rare footage of the band playing ‘Our Time’ at that very gig at Mercury Lounge.
In a post shared to Facebook, the trio shared their memories of that night and recalled how “stacked” the bill was: “On this day in the year 2000 we made our debut performance at the Mercury Lounge on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, we celebrate the date as our official birthday so it’s our party we can cry if we want to!
“We shared the bill that night with local favorites Candy Darlings, Kid Congo Powers, and up and comers from Detroit The White Stripes.”
The trio went on to thank a bunch of people who were at that 2000 Mercury Lounge gig before teasing some more “birthday stuff” to come:
“Special thanks to Dave Burton for getting us our first NY gig! Jack Martin for being our guest guitarist! The bartender who was feeding us way too many margaritas! And to our dear friend Helen Park for documenting it, all 4 songs we played ha!
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“This is OUR TIME, can’t hear shit but what a treasure. Stay tuned more birthday stuff to come!”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs actually went back to perform at the Mercury Lounge in 2010 for the 10th anniversary of their first gig and the band would’ve almost certainly went back this year for their 20th anniversary had it not been for the COVID-19 shaped elephant in the room.
Given the circumstances, this rare footage from 2000 will have to do for now.
Maybe we’re reading too much into this but if Yeah Yeah Yeahs are looking back on their first gig with such fond memories, then perhaps we can expect new music at some point?
Mosquito was seven years ago and we’re craving new Yeah Yeah Yeahs music goddamn it.
Check out Yeah Yeah Yeahs performing ‘Our Time’ at their first show:
