Hoboken City Council meetings are often attended by the same cast of characters.

There are long term frequenters and senior citizens Helen Hirsch and Maurice DeGennaro. There are city directors, who usually sit on the first row on either side of council chambers.

There are Lawyers. Bloggers. Politicos. And in the back—typing away on their computers—reporters.

Wednesday night, however, saw a new category: famous musician. Ira Kaplan, the guitarist of Hoboken-based band Yo La Tengo attended the meeting and addressed the council.

Kaplan was there as a tenant, in support of the Neumann Leather building. The building, filled with studio space that is rented by artists, was unanimously deemed "an area in need of rehabilitation" by the city council on Wednesday night.

And although Kaplan is used to play to much larger crowds—from international concerts to his band's famous eight days of Hannukah series—he had actually never spoken to the council in a public meeting before.

Kaplan called the council meeting—which he left a little before 11 p.m.—"fascinating."