It's Only A Dream: Buffalo Springfield 2011 Tour

Buffalo Springfield
2010 Bridge School Benefit Concert
Photo gallery by Nan Philpot | Facebook

When word spread last year that Buffalo Springfield would reunite at the 2010 Bridge School Benefit Concerts, reaction amongst fans was ... well... somewhat delirious.



Now -- with the news of Buffalo Springfield headlining the 2011 Bonnaroo Festival -- folks are carrying signs and saying hooray for our side.

Per a comment from the oh-so delightful Mr Henry:

Seems like the stars are moving into alignment...check out this possible scenario.

Bonnaroo is June 9-12 and I'd assume Buffalo Springfield plays over the weekend. Two weekends later, Wilco has the second Solid Sound Festival in North Adams, MA.

The tour starts off at Bonnaroo to universal raves and acclaim. The band begins the East Coast portion with a few shows down South, then starts to work their way north. Some big venues, some smaller...maybe even a stealth club show or two on the way. That gets them to New England around June 22 or so, where they do a couple shows and then visit Solid Sound.

Wilco has already said they'll be headlining two shows there, so that would be the Saturday and Sunday shows on the large stage. Mavis Staples comes back for a triumphant return ('...I tell you Tweedy, you and I have really done something now, haven't we' are her first words when she hits the stage)and she later joins the Springfield for the greatest version of For What It's Worth in the history of the world...and then encores with The Weight.

With tears streaming down his face, Stephen Stills hugs Mavis and Neil while Jeff Tweedy and the band look on in awe. Rolling Stone names this the best music moment of 2011. Buffalo Springfield go on to play Madison Square Garden (three shows) to close out the East Cost portion and each night has amazing guests show up, including Patti Smith, Sonic Youth, Elton John and Yoko Ono.

Part two of the tour goes back West and starts with a surprise show at Humphreys by the Bay in San Diego. Actually there are two shows, with a special matinee for sailors and family stationed at the Naval Station across the harbor. Heading north, there's another stealth show at the Malibu Inn ('sure are lots of memories in this old place' says a smiling Neil as they take the stage), and there's a free show on the Santa Monica Pier which ties up traffic on the PCH twenty miles in both directions.

Next up is San Fran where Neil heads right to North Beach and the newly reopened Mabuhay Gardens for the first time in many years for yet another stealth show. Devo shows up for the encore which is a Mr Soul/Whip It medley that goes on for twenty minutes. By this point, Rolling Stone is calling this 'possibly the most memorable and unique tour of the 21st century'. They play The Warfield and a free show in Golden Gate Park. Then up to Portland where Sleater Kinney plays their first show in five years as the opening act.

After a break to enjoy some rest, the tour continues into the fall. Criss crossing the USA, they hit Farm Aid and then finish the tour where they started at Bridge School shows in late October. They take a break through the holidays, then go to Europe with the rested and ready Crazy Horse for a triumphant double bill tour, then come back home for Springfield and The Horse 2012 in America Tour.

Mr Henry

We can imagine, can't we?!

Thanks -- as always -- Mr Henry!


The Buffalo Springfield, v. 2010
Joe Vitale, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Neil Young and Rick Rosas
Photo by Eleanor Stills (via Rick Rosas | Facebook)

Also, see The Triumphant Reunion of The Buffalo Springfield, Pearl Jam and Neil Young @ 2010 Bridge School Benefit Concerts.

Fans React to News of Buffalo Springfield Headlining Bonnaroo 2011

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