Artists including Rufus Wainwright, Kathleen Hanna, and Yo La Tengo performed a 19-song tribute to Yoko Ono at the Broad museum.

The Broad museum in Los Angeles hosted "Yoko Only: A Night Celebrating the Music of Yoko Ono," a star-studded concert featuring a 19-song setlist of the artist's work. The event was presented in conjunction with the museum's ongoing exhibition, "Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind." While the 93-year-old artist did not attend, a diverse lineup of performers reimagined her catalog, ranging from avant-garde pieces to disco-influenced hits.

Curated Performances and Collaborations

The concert featured Yo La Tengo as the house band, expanded to a five-piece ensemble with the addition of guitarist Nels Cline and keyboardist Yuka Honda. Honda, who curated the event and selected the performers, also played throughout the night. The setlist spanned decades of Ono's career, including the 1970 avant-garde track "AOS," the 1981 disco song "Walking on Thin Ice," and the 1973 anthem "Woman Power."

Diverse Artistic Interpretations

Performers brought varied styles to the tribute. Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards opened with "We Are All Water," while Deerhoof’s Satomi Matsuzaki performed the percussive "Tabeti." Kathleen Hanna and Corin Tucker delivered an impassioned version of "No, No, No," a song Ono wrote following the death of her husband. Emi Helfrich, Ono's granddaughter, performed the gentle "Remember Love" and "Higa Noboru," accompanied by acoustic guitars.

Reflecting on Ono's Influence

Rufus Wainwright performed "I’m Going Away Smiling" and "What a Bastard the World Is," wearing tinted glasses as a tribute to Ono’s signature style. Throughout the evening, performers emphasized Ono's influence on their own work, with Corin Tucker noting that Ono’s "no filter" approach to music was a direct influence on the riot grrrl generation. The event concluded with an all-star ensemble performance of "Woman Power."