Synopsis

Yo La Tengo are offered the dream opening slot for the reunited Beatles. Ira Kaplan's imagined rock-star adventure unfolds through hurried preparations, costume changes, crowded corridors, screaming fans, and backstage encounters. Marshall Crenshaw appears amid the Beatles-inspired spectacle, which builds toward the band's performance before revealing an amusingly deflating outcome. The clip plays as a playful parody of 1960s pop mythology, mixing cinematic British Invasion references with Yo La Tengo's characteristically dry, self-deprecating humor.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made for "Tom Courtenay," the lead single from Yo La Tengo's 1995 album *Electr-O-Pura*.

• Its central fantasy was shaped by *A Hard Day's Night*, using the imagery of screaming fans, backstage access, quick costume changes, and Beatlemania for comic effect.

• Marshall Crenshaw makes a cameo in the video. He was a fitting guest for its 1960s pop and British Invasion atmosphere.

• The opening setup features a booking agent named Bobby Romeo, who presents the chance to open for the reunited Beatles.

• Tom Scharpling, later known for *The Best Show*, is among the other recognizable figures associated with the video's large cast of musicians, performers, and friends.

• The song itself is a tribute to English film culture, with references to Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie, and Eleanor Bron. The video expands that fascination from actors and movies into a broader fantasy of 1960s celebrity.

• A remastered version of the video was issued in 2020 as part of the 25th-anniversary promotion for *Electr-O-Pura*.