Credit: Photo: Zayrha Rodriguez

Ten years ago, sometime after Speedy Ortiz transformed itself from a Sadie Dupuis solo project into a functioning rock band, its jagged and clever early singles caught the attention of NPR Music's Lars Gotrich. So we reached out to inquire about a Tiny Desk concert, only to learn that the timing wasn't quite right: The group didn't have any days off and its members were concerned they wouldn't sound their best, so they responded to our request with a question of their own. "Can we do it later?"

Now, Speedy Ortiz is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its debut album, Major Arcana — and finally making good on that offer to come back another time, though it should be noted that Dupuis' side project Sad13 did play a killer Tiny Desk (home) concert back in 2020. But this set stands as a definitive Speedy Ortiz time capsule, bringing together band members of the past and present while capturing one song from each of the group's four albums: "The Graduates" (from 2015's Foil Deer), "Scabs" (from the new Rabbit Rabbit), "Lucky 88" (from 2018's Twerp Verse) and "Plough" (from Major Arcana). It's truly a performance 10 years in the making, not to mention an ideal showcase for the band's wiry, eternally quotable charm. Even the stuffed bunnies seem impressed.

SET LIST

  • "The Graduates"
  • "Scabs"
  • "Lucky 88"
  • "Plough"

MUSICIANS

  • Sadie Dupuis: electric guitar, lead vocal 
  • Andy Molholt: electric guitar, piano, backing vocal
  • Audrey Zee Whitesides: bass, backing vocal
  • Joey Doubek: drums
  • Devin McKnight: acoustic guitar/aux percussion
  • Darl Ferm: acoustic guitar/aux percussion
  • Camellia Hartman: violin 

TINY DESK TEAM

  • Producer: Bob Boilen
  • Director/Editor: Maia Stern
  • Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
  • Series Producer: Bobby Carter
  • Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel
  • Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
  • Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
  • Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Hazel Cills
  • VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
  • Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

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Tags: Genre: Rock  Speedy Ortiz  Series: Tiny Desk