Concert Reviews: Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Pittsburgh, PA, Oct. 9
From Concert review: Neil Young and Crazy Horse rock like a hurricane - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette By Scott Mervis:
That proud little rocker gave way to the night's tour de force, "Walk Like a Giant," a new song that addresses his generation's failings and still-glimmering hopes.
It was a launching pad for a furious jam that sprawled to 20 minutes, culminating in seismic stomps and monstrous bursts of feedback. The sound that comes out of his guitar is unlike anything ever on the musical landscape. It's an old blast furnace raging. It's two battleships colliding. It's Godzilla fighting Mothra. Maybe it's whales, or a metal machine apocalypse. It's frankly hard to describe, but you can check Musician Magazine or Wikipedia if you want the specs.
...
After all that, the main set could only end one way, with "Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)," an anthem for rock 'n' roll, and the people who have lived and died for it.
This, ending with a 13-minute "Like a Hurricane," was a rock 'n' roll show for the ages -- and arguably the best of the year so far -- from four guys who have refused to burn out, fade away, die before they got old ... name your rock cliche. Long may they run.
Neil Young Set List (with the time played)
1. Love and Only Love 9:08-9:21
2. Powderfinger 9:22-9:29
3. Born In Ontario 9:30-9:34
4. Walk Like a Giant 9:35-9:55
5. The Needle and the Damage Done 9:56-9:58
6. Twisted Road 9:59-10:02
7. Ramada Inn 10:02-10:17
8. Cinnamon Girl 10:17-10:21
Fuckin' Up 10:22-10:34
10. Psychedelic Pill 10:36-10:40
11. Hey Hey, My My 10:41-10:48
Encore:
12. Like a Hurricane 10:52-11:05
Neil Young & Crazy Horse will be performing tonight at the Petersen Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
Got a report? Drop a comment below.
Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates and Chronological Grid, Recording Summary, Statistics and Extras.
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Neil Young & Crazy Horse
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Labels: 2012, concert, crazy horse, neil young, pittsburgh, review, tour
by thrasher@PermaLink: 10/09/2012 09:21:00 PM
18 comments
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18 Comments:
awesome show, a little rocky at first but midway through they hit their stride, got hurricane in the encore, crazy crowd, a lot more into it than cleveland was. having a pabst enjoying the new vids, night
What a tour...what a show. I lost my mind when the mad scientist pointed towards the rafters after stopping the road cases halfway down (encore) and the organ drifted down to the stage....hurricane encore was unexpected and a true musical highlight of my life.
I'd say the new material went over we'll with most of the crowd. (Took my mom...she loved "ramada inn"). Heard some hillbilliy women bitching after the show that it was horrible, sucked etc because that neil didn't play no "old man" or "heart of gold". .......uh....okay?
Great write up in the Pittsburgh post:
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/music-reviews/concert-review-neil-young-and-crazy-horse-rock-like-a-hurricane-656926/
In case you missed it, Uncut has their full review (assuming it's the same as the review in the new issue, but can't say for sure) of Psychedelic Pill up on their website: http://www.uncut.co.uk/blog/wild-mercury-sound/neil-young-crazy-horse-psychedelic-pill-full-review
Lifelong Neil fan but last night was my first time seeing him live. My life has been changed.
My observations: The crowd LOVED it. After reading some of the reviews on here, I was nervous. Not because I was unhappy with the setlist but I did not want to hear others complaining, leaving or otherwise bringing me down. Luckily, the crowd (at least as far as I could see) was really into the show. I will admit that after the twenty minute WLAG, the crowd bordered on polite attendees rather than rabid fans but that was fixed after CG. By the finale, the crowd was pretty loud and we were treated to an utterly mind blowing LAH. Hurricane is a great song but it is not on my top ten list of NY/CH songs, but I flipped my noodle anyways.
As for the new songs, Ramada Inn is heartbreakingly good, like REALLY good. WLAG is just a straight jam- can't wait for the album so I turn that on full blast.
The real highlight for me was Needle. The power of that song is never lost on me and to hear Neil sing with CH in the wings is an image I will always remember. Loved the Live Rust beginning as well. No Rain, No Rain, No Rain!!!
Finally, I found Neil and the guys to be happy, energetic and charming. Here is a group of guys that for fifty years have been doing what they love. As a younger person working in a passionless job, I envy them. As for Neil himself, he was everything I wanted him to be and more. I have read it several times but it does seem true; Neil is at his best when hes with Poncho, Billy and Ralph.
all within 9:08 and 11:10 minutes.
Thanks for the great review, anon 9:18.
I'm not going to get to see them this time around (Aaargh!) but I do get to attend and enjoy the entire tour vicariously through fans such as yourself.
And thank you for the phrase, "I flipped my noodle," I love it.
And thank you for confirming that the crowd wasn't STREAMING OUT IN ANGRY MOBS. Ha!
All it takes is someone seeing 1 person leave for any number of reasons and it becomes "mass walkouts!" or something.
Love hearing about someone's first NY concert experience - reminds me of mine. If only I could see him with Crazy Horse...but of course they tour right near my hometown when I'm on the other side of the world.
I agree with all the positive comments on here. Awesome show.
For all the criticisms I've heard of this tour, it's proof that people have just lost their minds. Yeah, you have a lengthy feedback stomp at the end of Walk Like a Giant, but it rolls with the song.
Kind of funny, I was dancing with some lady during Love and Only Love, I was pumped never heard the song live before. Her husband came and scooped her away. I'm married! Wasn't trying to hit on her, but when some sings "Let me feel the magic in my heart!" while pointing at their cardiac region with me, I'm going to dance and enjoy myself!
Also, I really haven't heard anyone comment on Powderfinger yet. It's played nearly every tour, yet it's so powerful and so great. Everyone around me was singing along and grooving. (And we're talking a young crowd in my region, most under 30)
I think the layout of the tour helps, you have your GA where people can stand and dance, and for those who disdain that, you have the reserved seating. I did not see anyone leave. My buddy who came with me was not a Neil fan. He was apprehensive, but ended up thoroughly enjoying himself.
Thew new songs went over well, Ramada Inn is powerful. People actually seemed to really enjoy Twisted Road a lot too.
The sound at the Pete is usually an acoustic nightmare, but somehow Neil's techs made it work. The guys looked 20 years younger up there. It was unreal. It's like they just started another tour right after the last Greendale show.
I also agree with the previous reviewer, I nearly lost my mind when the organ descended. Such power, these guys are timeless. Do yourself a favor, see this tour, it's good, it's crazy good.
Being a child of Neil's music since '71, I wasn't sure what to expect having seen him with various defile over the years. Neil and the Horse did not disappoint! It was my 16 yr old guitar playing son's first NY show and we were fortunate to rock the rail. The guys not only sounded but looked great and seemed to be having as good of a time as the audience. Magic happens when NY and CH unite, particularly when everything is in alignment as it was last night. Powder finger and LAH were personal favorites but the new stuff was Neil at his best - powerful, unbending, and always about the music. As we were leaving I asked my son how he enjoyed the show and his reply was " for an old f@ cker, man that dude can still ROCK! Nuff said! Long may they run!
And as long as the subject is shopping, here's a literary excerpt from Neil Young's new memoir, "Waging Heavy Peace": "We started off at Costco by mistakenly going in the OUT door and being redirected by a helpful associate. ... My first big purchase was a set of replacement brushes for my Sonicare toothbrush, a product I am very impressed with."
from todays SF Chronicle. makes me glad the book was a gift, no exactly titilating stuff NY.
Anon 2:21:
You do realize that you're potentially judging the contents of a 500 page book based on one part of a single paragraph, right?
Honestly, I find it fascinating that Neil would even include a musing about replacing the brushes on his electric toothbrush at Costco.
Though I must say I'm disappointed that he let that sales associate lead him though the "appropriate" door like a cow to slaughter.
He really should have fought harder for his right to enter through the exit!
That show completely blew my mind. Fuckin Up was one of the highlights of the show for me. I loved how they completely fucked up the ending "I can't fuckin play my guitar!" and then billy goin "he's just a fuck up. fuck up fuck up fuck up fuck up"
absolute gold. WLAG was fuckin massive, and Ramada Inn blew me away. Such a heavy song, so much feeling in it. I don't know why Twisted Road has been getting a bad rap by some posters because I think it sounds great. Seems like the whole crowd really enjoyed it.
Like a Hurricane was incredible. Best version of the song I've ever heard.
facinating ? you gotta be friggin kiddin me. could you imagine Neil Young being entertained by a book passage about how much someone likes their electric toothbrush ? I cant. does anyone else have terrible problems trying to interpret the codes needed to post a comment ? Im guessing here most the time.
Yeah, the codes are a pain in the butt.
I guess you have to have a certain fascination with the mundane qualities of our heroes to really enjoy the whole Costco thing.
Heck, I never even imagined Neil Young brushing his teeth before, much less that he uses an electric toothbrush (which he admires the design of). I get a distinct enjoyment out of the mundane human qualities of people I admire.
Kind of like Glenn Danzig buying cat food. Who'd have known Danzig was a cat lover? It almost doesn't make sense. Cat eater, maybe. But then there's the divide between a rock star's persona, and his or her real self, which is just a normal human being with normal human problems, having to go through the same boring daily tasks as the rest of us.
We build personae for people like Neil Young in our minds. Taking a crap or brushing his teeth just never enters into the equation of our projections, so yes, it is quite fascinating to peer into the mundane human details Neil's life.
Im a big fan of NY but I'll call him out on his mediocre to bad work. Its a little bit entertaining to see how defensive some people are of the guy. You ever wonder how he makes so many records ? especially in last 15 years ? It really is all one song and it sounds just like it. Are you passionate, Prarie Wind, Fork in the Road, Living with War, Le Noise and much of Psychedelic Pill, all very forgetable stuff. He feels a need to keep writing but much of it doesnt hold a candle to things 20 yrs and older. and Ive seen him live 29 times.
Anon, it's all very forgettable to YOU. Fortunately, you are among a minority of people who appear to lack whatever it takes to enjoy the music for what it is.
Don't accuse people of being defensive for defending Neil's work because they LIKE it.
The majority of people here are able to actually see the quality and artistry in what he's doing. I wouldn't fault those who do see it just because you don't.
youre right Matthew, I think I was overly harsh. I apologize.
Alvy Singer: " A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies." That may be how NY feels about song writing, Im guessing here of course. Just my thoughts on it.
I wish I could get the chance to watch them around here to get some good tickets for royal albert hall and see them perform their hopefully.
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