Hyde Park, London, England Hard Rock Calling 2009 Festival: 6/27/06

Photo by Matt Crossick on Absolute Radio


Paul McCartney and Neil Young encore for "A Day in the Life".

Thanks BSM! (Also, avail in HD)

From Uncut.co.uk | Uncut Editor's Diary - Post details: Neil Young – Hard Rock Calling, London Hyde Park, Saturday June 27, 2009 by Allan Jones:

"What follows is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen Neil Young play, a full-on sonic rupture, two hours of unforgiving and unforgettable guitar distortion, seismic upheaval, deafening detonations, feedback rapture, wave after wave after crashing wave of noise, uplifting and triumphant, the kind of thing that tears vents in the atmosphere, disarranging the senses, wholly transcendent, an often savage aural maelstrom out of which emerges finally a charred beauty, that old ragged glory that is oft-mentioned in talk of Neil, his music and the way he plays it."

Photos by crris b on Photobucket

Great photo gallery by crris b on Photobucket.
TWEETDATES:


- Twitter / Bex Heyes: "Paul fuckin McCartney just came an sung day in the life with with Neil fuckin Young!!! Unbelievable. Just un-fuckin-believable!"

- Twitter / Jamie Tidy: "Okay Neil Young and Paul McCartney on the same stage! Un-fricking-believable, I can die happy."

- Twitter / James Poole: "Genuinely can't believe that I just saw Paul McCartney singing A Day in The Life with Neil Young. It was jaw dropping."

- Twitter / Mark McCulloch: "Paul McCartney joined Neil young on stage for a day in the life at Hyde park and I cried like a baby!"

- Twitter / katherine wheatley: "But to see Neil Young sing a Day In The Life with backing vocals from Paul McCartney. Ridiculous. I'm still shaking"

- Twitter / Sam Kieldsen: "Neil Young proved yet again that he is a force of rock nature. Major guitar shredding and a cameo appearance from Sir Paul."

- Twitter / Johnny Minkley @percyblakeney63: "neil young exists on a different plane from the rest of us."

- Twitter / Eamonn Forde: "Neil Young just did a version of 'Down By The River' that crossed two time zones."

- Twitter / Johnny Minkley: "Neil Young is a god amongst men."

- Twitter / Rob Bowman: "When I grow up I want to be Neil Young."

UPDATE: Added Twitter feed to sidebar (2/3's down after Bridge '99 poster). Festival attendees now tweeting in reports.



Feed above is delayed. Real time feed is here.

Got Neil? Tweet us at ThrashersWheat (thrasherswheat) on Twitter. Hash tag #neilyoung.



Photo by Matt Crossick on Absolute Radio

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at Hyde Park, London, England, Hard Rock Calling 2009 Festival.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2009 Europe Concert Tour & Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Concert Review of the Moment: Aberdeen, Scotland: 6/24/09

The Neil Young Concert Review of the Moment is from Aberdeen, Scotland on 6/24/09 by Davie:

Last night was just incredible, the best gig ever.

I've been lucky enough to see Neil 3 times in the last 2 years, and this was the best of them. It even beat Edinburgh, it was that good.

I still can't believe how young he looked last night. I could have been watching him about 20 years ago, and I honestly don't think I'd be able to tell! What energy!

From the opening riff of Hey Hey My My, to the closing notes of A Day In The Life, Neil just never let up!

Highlights for me were On The Way Home, Are You Ready For The Country?, Spirit Road, Cortez, RITF, and to be honest, the whole bloody show. Not a bad moment in it, apart from whatever the guy did to annoy Neil after Harvest Moon...

He even played Comes A Time, a song I have been shouting for on TW for about 2 months now. And then, just near the end of the song, he looked right at me, my dad and my sister, and nodded, as though he was adknowledging my request (as my dad mentioned earlier, 2nd comment here). Spooky or what! I can dream that he knew who had been requesting it all along I guess... :-)

I'm lucky enough to be seeing him in London again on Saturday, although I'm sad to say that I doubt anything will ever beat Aberdeen. (Prove me wrong though Neil!!!!)

All I can say is, thank-you Neil, for choosing Aberdeen as one of your shows this tour, it was incredible, the best ever, and I personally will never forget it.

My only hope is that I'll see him live again, after Hyde Park, because he is the best there is, was, and ever will be. I hope Archives Guy or some of Neil's people can pass that message on to him.

So thanks Neil, Pegi, Ben, Rick, Chad, Anthony, Larry and all of Neil's crew, for keeping the best show in the world on the road!

Keep On Rockin' In The Free World Neil! And we'll look forward to seeing you back in Europe next time, it'll be "good to see you again"...

:-)

Davie from Scotland

Thanks Davie!!

More on Neil Young concert reviews from Aberdeen, Scotland on 6/24/09.

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BBC Responds to Coverage Criticism of Neil Young's Glastonbury Concert

Neil Young encore "A Day in the Life"

Our comments section on the Neil Young Glastonbury Festival Concert Reviews yesterday is filled with irate BBC viewers over the poor coverage.

Here's the BBC response by Mark Cooper is the Executive Producer of the BBC's Glastonbury coverage:

Many viewers have left comments on the Glastonbury website asking why we are not showing all of Neil Young's set on the website or last night on television.

The BBC has spent the last couple of months talking to Neil's management about how much of his set we might be able to show on TV, radio and online over Glastonbury weekend.

Neil Young's career has been conducted on his own terms. Last night Neil's management agreed to let TV and radio broadcast five songs as they watched and listened to his performance. They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist. [ed. - our emphasis] They have decided to make one song available online over the weekend to give a flavour of his set. That's Rockin' In The Free World and that's their decision.

You probably won't find too many Neil Young performances available freely on TV or online. He generally prefers the audience to find his albums and recently exposed much of his early work on the multi- DVD set, Archives Volume 1.

The BBC made a documentary with Neil last year, Don't Be Denied. It offers an insight into his career, its fierce independence and his insistence on running his music and his career on his own terms. [ed. - our emphasis]

Long may he run.

Mark Cooper
Executive Producer, BBC

More on Neil Young News: Glastonbury Festival Concert Reviews of Neil Young: 6/26/09.

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Glastonbury Festival Concert Reviews of Neil Young: 6/26/09

UPDATE: BBC Responds to Coverage Criticism of Neil Young's Glastonbury Concert



Nice photo gallery on BBC.

Thanks Pete!



"A Day in the Life" conclusion

Video is complete rubbish. However, video shows Neil bashing Ol Black with mic stand?!

From Review: Neil Young rocks Glastonbury - Glastonbury - QTheMusic.com:

"No review’s going to do this justice, so let’s just get this out the way. Neil Young was just phenomenal.

Michael Eavis has tried and failed four times previously to get Neil Young to play at his little party down on Worthy Farm dating right back to the days when local stores would put ‘No Hippies Allowed’ on their windows.

Why Old Farmer Eavis has been so determined to book him is apparent from the moment Neil Young hits the stage. There’s no farting about, his trusty scarred Gibson Les Paul, Old Black, comes straight out and he clangs straight into My My Hey Hey. Seldom has the lyric “better to burn out than fade away” been more pertinent than the day after the death of a King. But also because at this festival of legends there are some here who have faded beyond repair. What this set proved more than anything is that Neil Young isn’t among their number."

Photo by Gary Wolstenholme// Drowned In Sound

Neil Young closes first night of Glastonbury Festival 2009 - Glastonbury Festival News - Festivals Guide 2009 - NME.COM - News, Reviews, Line-Ups, Photos, Videos, Information and More

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UPDATE: Added Twitter feed to sidebar (2/3's down after Bridge '99 poster). Festival attendees now tweeting in reports.

From Trevor Lindley aka 'TheLoner':

The UK's BBC has extensive coverage of the Glastonbury Festival on TV, radio & online, and usually broadcast live footage of the headline acts.

Neil Young is due onstage at 9pm GMT (4pm EST?) and should get some live time on BBC TV (BBC2,3 or 4), BBC Radio 1 & Radio 6, plus online coverage via http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/. The website link also has further details of what's going on.

Thunderstorms are currently forecast in the area for Friday night, though I suspect that will be as a result of Old Black rather than the weather...

Thanks TheLoner! Enjoy the show!

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at the Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury Festival, England.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2009 Europe Concert Tour & Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Concert Review of the Moment: Nottingham, England: 6/23/09

The Neil Young Concert Review of the Moment is from Nottingham, England: 6/23/09 on Rust Never Sleeps "Magic down by the river Trent" by Steve in York:

It’s easy to forget that Neil Young is, literally, on the verge of becoming the proverbial “Old Man” – but, bizarrely, as he strode out on to the stage looking leaner and fitter than he has in years – no doubt the result of incessant touring – I felt like I was watching the Neil Young of the early 90’s in his jeans, faded t-shirt and dishevelled hair. As the opening riff of “Hey, hey…” sound blasted the entire arena it quickly became clear that tonight was gonna be LOUD!

The current Electric Band are, in my opinion, the perfect foil for Neil at this stage of his career. Chad Cromwell’s drumming is miles away from Ralph Molina’s and it is clear that Neil trusts him in a way he probably couldn’t trust his old Crazy Horse companion. Rick Rosas holds court at the back of the stage leaving Neil free to go on any musical journey he wants while Ben Keith, the versatile and often under-rated Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young fill in all the gaps.

Neil was having fun tonight and it came through in his playing. Mansion On The Hill, a stomping Are You Ready For The Country? and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere set the scene for a real journey through the past. It was clear that Neil was having a good time when he reacted to random shouts and song requests with “We record these shows, ya know? I’ll listen to it later to see if I can figure out what you’re all saying… but not right now” with a cheesy grin across his face.

The first major highlight for me was when Chad Cromwell kicked in with a heavy tom-tom intro that I must confess led me to think that we were gonna be treated to Fuckin’ Up but no, instead we got an awesome grunge version of my favourite song from Rust Never Sleeps – Pocahontas – complete with reversed verses. It was awesome and proved that when you write a great song it can be played in any style and sound great. So how do you top that? Simple. An amazing Words followed by a shit kicking Cinnamon Girl where the guitar outro lasted longer than the song itself with Neil patrolling the stage from right to left before eventually letting our eardrums rest. Mother Earth was sung beautifully. In fact for the entire show I was amazed at what good shape Neil’s voice is in. This was confirmed when Don’t Let It Bring You Down blew me away. Neil hit every note and if I’d closed my eyes I would have sworn I was listening to the 1971 BBC version. It was fantastic and was my second major high of the show. A rather pedestrian Comes A Time led into the next highlight. It was Buffalo Springfield Again as a Motownesque On The Way Home followed by Burned really hit the spot, although a few people standing near me were clearly a bit bemused, especially two teenagers, one of whom asked me if they were cover versions!

Heart Of Gold and Old Man were followed by a truly gargantuan Down By The River. I am in no position to compare this version to Crazy Horse as I had never seen the song performed live before but I, and thousands of others, were spellbound as Neil and the band weaved their magic and gave me a musical memory I will never forget. It probably wasn’t wise to follow such a showstopper with Get Behind The Wheel, the only track from 2009’s Fork In The Road but at least it allowed everyone to catch their breath before the final sonic attack. The crowd, for the first real time, went berzerk as Rockin’ In The Free World kicked in and when it eventually ended… it started again! Chad wouldn’t let the song end and it must have been on the fourth attempt that the speakers were allowed to fade to silence.

As the crowd’s demand for more reached ever more deafening levels I wondered if Neil had any surprises for us but not really. We all knew A Day In The Life was coming and although I think this song has probably reached the end of it’s shelf life it was still great to watch the ritual destruction of Old Black’s strings!

All in all a terrific show and luckily for me I get to watch it all again on Saturday in Hyde Park.

Also, see Steve's site Rust Never Sleeps.

Thanks Steve in York!

Also, see Nottingham, England Neil Young Concert Reviews: 6/23/09.

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Aberdeen, Scotland Neil Young Concert Reviews: 6/24/09

"Rockin in the Free World" by Neil Young in Aberdeen, Scotland last night.

Thanks TinySpark37!

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at Aberdeen Exhibition Centre, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2009 Europe Concert Tour & Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Concert Review of the Moment: Dublin, Ireland: 6/21/09

The Neil Young Concert Review of the Moment is from Dublin, Ireland concert on 6/21/09 by Luc:

What touches me, is the fact that a whole lot of people (and that is not only those on Threasher's Wheat) feel and experience the same. We all go to a kind of gathering where we feel the same : it's Neil Young and his music we come for.

It does remind me a bit of the sort of feeling occured in the seventies when Genesis (with Peter Gabriel) performed. It always has been described as a kind of religion.

Well, last year, and especially now, with the request for harvest moon, i see, i read and i feel the same. Whether you attend a gig coming from France, Italy, Germany Belgium, the netherlands, Poland, Austria,...you meet fans, start talking to them, and have something in common.

And that is not only the love to his music, but also the understandig, the common feeling of some people needing Neil's music to get along, the simple fact of knowing that Neil Young -altough he seems like not being interested in the audience- knows his fans, respect them, wants to satisfy them, wants to surprise them, and...by doing that, get back just that love, that respect, that keeps him giving a little bit more, which in response give him our love...

And as a conclusion, i have a feeling that it's just that what makes him come back to Europe over and over again : we just love him, regardless of what he brings us (e.g. greendale solo accoustic Europe vs American electric shows.

For us, Europeans, his music is what it's all about.

So : THANK YOU FOR ALL THE JOY, Neil Pegi, Ben, Rick, Chad, Anthony, Larry, all the staff and David Johnson for his painting (I'll never forget the painting of The Sultan last year in Antwerp, ad I love the " Winterlong" painting.

Thanks Luc! very nice sentiments we think many would agree with.

More on what seems to appear to be one of the most memorable Neil Young concerts in recent memory in Dublin, Ireland on 6/21/09 with an amazing song request fulfilled.

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Review: CROSBY, STILLS & NASH DEMOS

Somehow, it took awhile to get around to checking out the new Crosby, Stills, and Nash release Demos. Must've been because that other guy released his Archives or something?

Well, I'm sure the CSN guys would be miffed if their work ever got overshadowed by Neil. So we'll devote our undivided attention to Demos.

As you know, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash helped define the Woodstock generation. Their harmonies, songwriting and commitment to political and social causes made them an international super-group in the early '70's.

This 12 song compilation of previously unreleased demos is from 1968 to 1971 and for the most part provides quite an insight into familiar songs' evolutions. Crosby and Stills can be heard on the demo of "Long Time Gone" recorded in June 1968, just a few weeks before Nash joined the group. Neil Young, whose arrival in 1969 launched CSN&Y, performs with Crosby and Nash on "Music Is Love," a song the three cowrote that appeared on Crosby's 1971 solo debut, If I Could Only Remember My Name. Crosby performs as a solo on the demo of "Almost Cut My Hair". Stills performs unaccompanied on a 1968 demo of "My Love Is A Gentle Thing." Recorded in 1968, the song was never released on a studio album, although a 1975 recording of the track did surface in 1991 on the boxed set CSN.

More than half of CROSBY, STILLS & NASH DEMOS comprises early versions of songs destined for solo projects that each member focused on following the success of Déjà Vu. Stills released his self-titled debut in 1970, which introduced "Love The One You're With," his biggest solo hit to-date and a live favorite. Stills recorded this version in April 1970, more than six months before recording the album version in London. Another Stills demo, "Singing Call," features a song that would appear on his follow-up, Stephen Stills 2.

Nearly all of the tracks on CROSBY, STILLS & NASH DEMOS were recorded at Wally Heider studios, a popular recording destination on the West Coast for everyone from Jefferson Airplane to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Nash chose Heider's studio to record his 1971 solo debut, Songs For Beginners, demoing much of the album there as well. This collection includes three of those demos: "Sleep Song," "Be Yourself," and the politically charged "Chicago."

Listen to track samples and view "Marrakesh Express" video on Amazon.com.






Also, see review of Dave Zimmer's book CROSBY, STILLS & NASH: The Biography.







Lastly, here's an interesting take on comparing Fleet Foxes’ career so far to that of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on Crawdaddy! magazine.

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"Burned" by Neil Young in Concert in Dublin, Ireland - 6/21/09

First live performance of Buffalo Springfield song "Burned" in 40+ years by Neil Young in concert in Dublin, Ireland on 6/21/09 from YouTube.

Thanks BSM & nychnych!

According to Young's own account of this song from the Decade liner notes:

"My first vocal ever done in a studio late 1966 (Gold Star). The boys gave me some uppers to get my nerve up. Maybe you can hear that. I was living in a $12.50 per week apartement at the time and everybody on the floor liked it too. We stayed up all night listening to it."

More concert reviews of Neil Young in Dublin, Ireland on 6/21/09.

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Nottingham, England Neil Young Concert Reviews:6/23/09

Neil Young will be performing tonight at Trent FM Arena, Nottingham, England.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2009 Europe Concert Tour & Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Dublin, Ireland Concert Reviews of Neil Young: 6/21/09

Harvest Moon was played tonight!

Gavin and his family's wish in memory of Papa Joe is heard.

Just in from Gavin on Neil Young News: A Request for "Harvest Moon" in Dublin:

Hi folks

Yes, it was incredible night for all of us at the concert. Neil was absolutely amazing in Dublin tonight.....as you say Christine, the O2 was rocked to its core. Pure Magic.

Like you, Liza, we had tears of sadness and joy mixed together.

I still can't believe that the three requests for Harvest Moon that came through Thrashers Wheat were all successful.

Neil just said.....

"This ones for a friend of ours out there, Happy Fathers Day!"

...and then started into Harvest Moon.

The father's day reference really hit the spot, we were turned to jelly.

Even apart from the request, Neil played one of his best concerts ever tonight. The Irish crowd gave him so much back, and he looked to really enjoy it.

Neil, the gestures that you have made have a huge impact on people. Simple things like this really do make a difference. We are all eternally grateful for your generosity.

The healing is happening, that is for sure. Of course we will always miss Papa Joe, but memories like tonight will keep him alive in our hearts.

God Bless You All!

Take care and keep on rockin'

Gavin
p.s. Vittorio, thanks for your kind words and generous offer, apologies but I didn't get to see it in time.

Gavin, we're so happy for you and your family.

It is all about family.

For more see comments below.

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at O2 Arena, Dublin, Ireland.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2009 Europe Concert Tour & Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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A Wish for "Harvest Moon" is Granted

There are times when we really are left just simply speechless and find it impossible to find the right words to type.

Today is such a time.

Many may recall last January when Steve and his girlfriend Danielle made a request for "Harvest Moon" in Brisbane, Australia. And by some extremely wonderfully little miracle, Neil Young performed "Harvest Moon" that night and it brought a tear of joy for many around the world.

Is it ever possible that such a song can bring such sweet, sweet sorrow and overwhelming joy simultaneously?

Well, last night at the Neil Young concert in Köln, Germany we had another instance where the collective global community of Neil fans came together again to send some good karma out to one of our dear friends Liza.

You may recall that Liza was the winner of the "Johnny Magic" Video Contest only to have her husband Michael -- who shot the video -- tragically pass away shortly thereafter. The broken hearted Liza informed the Neil community that she would not be able to attend the upcoming Köln concert because of her mourning.

Earlier this week, we posted a similar heartbreaking story from Gavin in Ireland also requesting "Harvest Moon" in memory of his father.

When Liza read Gavin's story, she resolved to attend the Köln concert afterall. Liza commented:

Dear Gavin,

My deepest condolences go to you and your family and thank you for the beautiful photo.

I hope that your wish comes true in Dublin... The funeral service you arranged for your father sounds just so special....

Today it is three weeks ago since my husband Michael suddenly passed away on that Tuesday morning in his office. Two weeks ago we had his funeral and it was also very special, my church choir sang, our youngest son, 14, played a beautiful Adagio on his clarinet.

At the end of the church service a very dear friend of us, Albert from the NY Coverband "Crazy Young" played "Light a candle" for Michael and for me.

It is such a beautiful song and to hear these words, when you feel like in a tunnel of darkness and sadness, is very moving. I was deeply touched and so thankful.

In the other thread I wrote that I would be happy about Neil playing "Harvest Moon" in Cologne this Friday, but that I wouldn't go there, that friends could tell me about it.

"Harvest Moon" because it reminds me of the first time Michael and I heard the song together on TV. We suddenly zapped in the MTV Unplugged Show and Neil started playing "Harvest Moon". Michael and I both looked at each other and we started dancing in the livingroom together, with me singing the words along with Neil: "I'm still in love with you...."

Now when I look at Michaels picture, he seems to be saying to me: "go, go to Cologne, go to the concert with Neil, there is the ticket laying on your desk and it will do you good..."

Another dear friend from the German Human Highway Mailinglist offered me to pick me up, so I won't have to drive myself..

And to think about Neil playing either Harvest Moon or maybe Light a candle for Michael would be surely unforgettable...

Love, Liza

So last night, about 2/3's into the concert, Neil says "we heard about you on the internet, so this is for you.... hope we don't mess it up". And then Neil played "Harvest Moon" for Liza.

Watch it.


This morning, Liza responds:

Yes, Neil played "Harvest Moon" for me and words aren't enough to describe my feelings yesterday evening......

Neil, since all the words I can think about don't seem enough, all I say to you is:

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR PLAYING THIS SONG FOR ME AND MICHAEL

Also thank you to Pegi and the rest of the band, of course.....

I was standing in the second row right in front of Pegi and I raised my arm, to show that I was there and listening......

When "Comes a time" started I called my boys at home, because it was one of Michaels favorite songs, and they were listening at the cell phone. When the song was over, I was thinking, maybe this could be the place for Harvest Moon and then I saw that Larry brought a different gitarre, but Neil said something to him and went to the micro and said:

"There's a young lady out there tonight and we read about what happened on the internet....he paused a little....and said:

THIS SONG IS FOR YOU

He didn't say: don't mess it up, at least I didn't hear him say that.

Tears were rolling down my face and sadness and so much happiness and thankfulness at the same time were in my heart.....

And I felt Michael was with me at that moment and I was so glad, that I was there.

I also want to thank my friends for their support, especially Albert from K-town and Albert from Hülchrath Castle and all my friends from the German HH Mailinglist.....

Love, Liza

So Liza, our dearest friend who we've never met. Thrashette and I say bless you and your family. We're all here for you whenever you need us. We love you.

And Gavin, may tonight be your night for you and your family as well in Dublin in memory of Papa Joe.



But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.

Here are the 3 Harvest Moon stories:
- Steve and Danielle in Brisbane, Australia
- Liza in Germany
- Gavin in Dublin, Ireland

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