Concert Review of the Moment: Neil Young at Massey Hall, Toronto, May 10, 2011

Neil Young - Massey Hall - May 11, 2011
Photo by Ed B.

The Concert Review of the Moment is from Neil Young at Massey Hall, Toronto, May 10, 2011 by Alex:

This was my first Neil Young concert even though I've literally been obsessed by the man for the past few years.

During the show, I distinctively remember thinking that seeing Young live is as impressive and strange as it would be seeing the other voices that changed my life (Lennon and Cobain). It is just strange that Neil Young has been there for almost 50 years and MOSTLY that he's totally at the top of his game.

The show for me was exhausting, in a good way. Exhausting because there was no laying back, it was intense from A to Z, just living through all these emotions but also not being able at all to relax to a song I don't know or don't enjoy as much. Everything was simply fascinating. I had the chance to meet two Rusties who have seen Neil about 40 times and they both told me after the show that this was a show defined by the amazing guitar work. And it was... The acoustic performances were stunning, unlike anything from Canterbury to Dreaming Man... The new acoustic guitar is CRAZY. You Never Call, Love and War and PVB were simply stunning. And the White Falcon with the Lanois electronics are stunning. I'm amazed that an old player like Neil would change his rig after so many years... Old Black is just fine but I'm definitely happy with the change. I will forever remember the strange, raw, beautiful and ethereal performances of Cortez the Killer (so wild), Walk With Me (incredibly touching and raw, i cant help but think of ben), Hitchhiker (the energy in that!), After the Gold Rush (beautiful), Ohio (rightfully angry) or I Believe in You (beautiful, again).

Neil is amazing and is perhaps the most brilliant performer alive because he just forgets about barriers... I see the Le Noise era as something that's as innovative as the Rust era, the Dead Man material and the Weld/Ragged era! It's an untamed beast of its own. Just like Sonic Youth, Nirvana or Syd Barrett, Neil Young is an artist that can't be pigeonholed... He has discovered his own voice and he's consistently reinventing it. Thank god music has creative souls like him.

Alex

Thanks Alex! Good to hear you had a great 1st Neil show. And thanks Ed B.!

For more, see Concert Reviews of Neil Young at Massey Hall, Toronto, May 10 & 11, 2011.