Fairfax, VA: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews - 11/30/12
UPDATE: On The Rail: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concerts - Philadelphia, PA & Fairfax, VA
Neil Young staring me down before ripping into Like A Hurricane. Psychedelic Pill Tour; November 30, 2012, Patriot Center, George Mason University. Found this in my old Photobucket album taken with a Nikon D90. pic.twitter.com/cInAW4lVrZ
— Bill Bride (@Bill_DC) May 10, 2019
Neil Young & Crazy Horse will be performing tonight at Patriot Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Doors at 6:30, Everest at 7:30, Patti Smith at 8:05 and Neil Young at 9pm.
Got a report? Drop a comment below.
Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates and Chronological Grid, Recording Summary, Statistics and Extras.
Also, see Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012 Concert Tour Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Don't Be Denied!
Labels: concert, crazy horse, neil young, review, tour
51 Comments:
Amazing. Don't listen to the doubters. Ears now ringing. The horse is running wild.
- Robert Ford
Just as the feedback began at the end of WLAG, I turned to the woman next to me and said "this is going to go on for a while" with a huge smile on my face.
She responded with palpable disgust as she proclaimed "This sucks! This is the worst concert I've ever seen!"
She then grabbed her coat and her husband and left.
Sucks for them I guess.
For me - I suddenly had more elbow room to continue in my bliss!
Great show, Cortez was a treat. The noise outro to WLAG is really well arranged I think, one of Neil's best [in that genre]...ti actually kinda carries the narrative of the song along, and it's a perfect length. I went to Philly as well, and both were excellent concerts, quite similar [not surprising]. Seemed like more cell phone videoers in Fairfax which sort of sent me into a mini-rage at the beginning as I pushed my way toward the front to get away from them [will we find a way to stop this new horrible concert phenomenon?]. I apologize if I pushed you :(.
Calling Mr. Henry...Patti Smith won me over - I was not expecting her to be anything special & was blown away!!
Is her band doing the same set at each show?
I loved how all the guitar players took turns playing bass...except her son I believe.
And for the love of man - her son shredded that guitar in a way that made me sit up and take notice,,,
My only gripe is Patti called Old Black 'Blackie'...made me cringe a bit...
So glad that you enjoyed and appreciated Patti. Makes me very happy to turn someone on to great music and poetry; she has a boatload of each. Her band is especially great during this tour and I've been looking for more information. I was so far from the stage at The Garden show, pretty much as far away as you can be. So I couldn't make out all of the individuals in the band, except for the core group that I'm most familiar with: Lenny, Jay Dee and Tony. Seemed that Oliver Ray was also on stage playing. I had my Tante Betty's opera glasses, which are older than I am and have seen much great music and theater, including Vienna operas, Young at Heart Chorus and PJ Harvey shows, sporting events and pretty much anything in between. But their magnification is only 4X and that wasn't enough to bring things in close. The solo during April Fool sounded a lot like Tom Verlaine, I was hoping that it was Tom, but I couldn't really tell and there was no band intro during that show. And Jackson playing is a real plus, he's a great guitarist who is making his mom very proud, and I'm sure his dad too. Long live the great Fred Sonic Smith!
Back in 1995 when Patti was first performing again and she her family were recovering from the loss of Fred, I saw her and the band perform at Great Woods. Patti brought Jackson out at one point, and he and the band played the best version of Smoke On The Water that I've ever heard, totally sincere and without a trace of irony. Legendary Boston DJ Charles Laquidara was sitting in front of me, and he was duly impressed, as was I and my friends.
I was hoping to hear Patti's version of After The Gold Rush played during her set. Banga ends with that performance, with Patti's daughter Jesse on piano and a small children's chorus singing at the end. Jesse and Patti performed Only A Dream at the Carnegie Neil tribute, I was in the center front row and it was one of the highlights of my life.
While I've been typing this, a very funny thing just happened! I'd been asleep for a few hours, woke up, decided to check out TW and see about the Fairfax show and wound up reading your nice Comment. I realize there's some kind of strange movement on my left in back, turn and see that my dog has woken up and has a blanket completely covering him. He's slowly working his way around, can't see a damn thing but not panicking, moving forward and sideways in our Family Room open area. Someone must have put the blanket over him--it's cold tonight and he's just been groomed for the first time in months and is a bit buzzed right now with about 4 less inches of hair/fur. Wish that I'd had a video camera handy to record this...what a riot! Just wanted to share that with you, and also these links with a wonderful review I just found (of a Patti concert in England this Summer) and a video of First Aid Kit doing their version of Dancing Barefoot while Patti looks on (I mention this in my earlier review). So for Christmas, you should buy yourself a copy of Banga and Just Kids--you won't regret it for a second. Also a First Aid Kit CD or album; I met these young ladies after a show a year or two ago, also their mom and dad. And if there are any tickets left (but probably not), Patti and the Band are doing a show tonight at Rams Head in Baltimore; wish that I could be there too. Take care.
http://sloucher.org/2012/09/12/patti-smith-and-her-band-manchester-academy-07092012/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJkbShz3c9Q
What can you say..pure bliss. Neil is a gift that keeps giving. Chills all over when they broke into CORTEZ, very solid version maybe the best played I've ever heard. The horse deserves this tour and let's hope that they can have this energy to show us all again before the decades over. Wow..still grinning!
Phenominal show, I'm still on a high. Neil Young and Crazy Horse were incredible. Fantastic live show. I was able to get my camera in and I got some decent shots despite the lighting, of Patti Smith and NY and the band. I'll see if I can send some to the owner of this site.
Mr. Henry - too bad about your seats in Boston - sounds like I had the opposite seating experience - I was so close it was beyond great...Patti did 'Only a Dream' last night as well...she performed every song with such passion it was inspiring...just like Neil does...
And let me repeat - her son Jackson is beyond amazing as a guitar player...Nels Cline came to mind as he was soloing...
Great show, of course.
GA - gotta love it. After 5hrs on my feet, I knew there was a good reason I brought 4 Motrin tablets with me. Well worth the neck and lower back soreness.
A special thanks to the woman yelling Harvest Moon a zillion times the entire night.
I agree with the other poster about all the people holding their iPhones above their heads taking massive amounts of photos and videos, and obstructing everyone's view. How many blurry photos and crappy videos do you people need anyway? I like my iPhone a little less today.
If I'm right, it seemed like Poncho missed the guitar change for Neil's first solo during F*!#in' Up, which led to a funny exchange between them.
I was pleasantly surprised they played past eleven.
On the way home, I was beside Neil's tour bus, and I contemplated following the bus back to the hotel, but then I remembered I was a guy and I didn't look like Penny Lane.
I thought it was an amazing show. Would have loved to hear more of the classics but thoroughly enjoyed Neil and the band jamming to their own tune. Reminded me of watching a garage band lost in their own rhythm oblivious to their surroundings. Neil doesn't have to play to the audience. He can play whatever he wants at this stage if his career. Certainly not a show for those who showed up yo hear their favorites but a real gift for those of us who understand.
So cool that Patti included Only A Dream in her set! And I actually loved the seats we had in Boston, was not complaining but just saying that's why I couldn't quite tell everyone who is in her band. I've seen Neil from the 4th row and from the last row, and it's all good (great). The acoustics were huge and crystal clear in the back seats of The Garden, especially for the harmonies during Singer Without A Song where Ralph and Billy showed they could still do a mean Doo Wop session if the mood ever hits them. Sometimes the back seats can be great for sound, e.g. Sonic Youth at Great Woods for the '95 Lollapalooza where I heard The Diamond Sea for the very first time.
But good that you had such up close seats, which are always something to experience and remember. And Nels Cline might be the best, most diverse guitar player in the world right now. I've seen Nels maybe a dozen times in many different formats, and he's always totally there for each one, just like Neil. There's a duo tour with him and Julian Lage coming up later this month which will just add to his amazing bag of accomplishments. Thanks again!
Thoroughly disappointing concert, Neil Young's extended guitar "jamming" was unsatisfying. I came to hear his traditional hits, and I left let down. Volume was too loud, and was an impersonal experience. The concert was ruined by the length of Neil's songs (was on his 4th song after 40 min on stage). I kept waiting for his well known hits... Disappointed with audience members standing in the seat area blocking others' views not to mention bumping into those seated in front of them by their intoxicated girations in the seat area. Extremely bad experience. Finally heard a popular song, Cinnamon Girl, about an hour into the set. No "Rockin in the Free World" or "Southern Man" in over an hour and 45 min. Had to leave during an extended version of "Fu#$%@Ked Up" - we had had enough, I agree with other's comment here "This is the worst concert I've ever seen!" Neil appeared disconnected with with the audience, and didn't care to perform songs that made him famous in the first place--which we came to hear him perform. Thoroughly disappointing experience.
I loved this concert, one of the best I've ever seen. Neil gave 110%, clearly reaching for the guitar solos of his career. Neil's guitar playing was completely out of this world. The end of Fuckin' Up was thoroughly bizarre (what was Poncho saying?), and I swear I thought Neil was trying to get Poncho to fuck up the guitar parts in the bridge on purpose, and then pointing at him and saying, "You fucked up!" Absolutely hilarious. The end of "Walk Like A Giant" was incredible, Neil punched through the front of the giant amp to grab a guitar pedal, sounded like Sonic Youth. You know, people walked out of Velvet Underground shows 45 years ago for the same reason. Long live Rock and Roll, and may it always challenge, excite, and yes, piss people off! If you want a safe greatest hits show go see The Eagles. Don't miss this tour! Neil, please bring it to Atlanta-Cheers!
Last night was my first time seeing Neil live after all these years. Neil did not disappoint.
Going in, I knew the mad genius that is Neil was sure to crop up in this show, so I was not surprised (was actually grinning noticing the cringing amongst the 20-something ladies on the floor) to see Crazy Horse hit their new longer numbers with huge garage laden vigor.
Crazy Horse's sound was huge, Neil's acoustic segue was touching, and the launch into Cortez was sublime...wholly sublime. Ralph Molina hit his drum groove hard, and I rolled along with it. Best song of the night to this 1st timer.
BTW - Everest's new material had a good sound - Rapture, Into the Grey of note. And Patti Smith was outstanding. Only a Dream and her son's guitar solo were excellent. And Gloria...well it was Gloria as only she can do it.
Great show as always. Started off a little slow (LAOL choppy at moments), but once Giant came on the band held a steady groove.
WLAG, Ramada, Fuckin Up the highlights as with every other show, but played uniquely just like every other show.
Cinnamon Girl lit up the crowd (great intro w/ the Arkansas Girls) as did Cortez. Hey Hey had a lot of energy.
Mr Soul was on point... One of my faves from this tour.
Patriot Center visually was pretty cool to see the show... Intimate for an arena show... Didn't have to arrive super early for a great standing spot in GA, and could see practically every person in the stands from where I was. Crowd's energy was much more into it than previous shows (Red Rocks, Outside Lands, Ottawa) and I think size of arena helped with that.
But am I the only one who thought the sound was terrible??? Could have been where I was standing (about 20 feet back on floor dead center), but when I saw them in Ottawa (from the nosebleeds dead center) the sound was crystal clear. The mix last night was pretty muddled. Got better going into Ramada Inn, but the first half of the show the Horse was sounding muddy.
the show would have been great without the new songs. Our old dog Sam would wrap herself in a blanket every winter so it just looked like a bedspread thrown on the ground. My friend poked it with his toe one time not knowing she was in there and she bit him right on his big toe right through the blanket! Hilarious. Patty Smith and Leonard Cohen, 2 of the most over rated performers out there. Fight the Power but Keep Rockin in the Fee World
Thanks for the mindless comment about your dog Anonymous@12:59... you're no Mr. Henry...
Yes the sound last night sucked...not enough of Billy and simply not loud enough overall...
"Fucking doubters."
Other than the awesome musical perfermances, that was the best part of the show for me last night.
Anonymous @12:59 "Patty Smith - one of most overrated performers out there." => You sure could not have been "present" at the show. Patti delivered - across the entire set.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Was at the show in Boston, and I'm sittin here laughin about the comments. It was just so fuckin' awesome. People that don't enjoy it probably don't enjoy sex either.
I'm trying to figure out how to get from Maine to Bridgeport on a school nite. I've already taken all my vacation days following Bob this year, but there's still a few seats in G/A standing room only, and it is almost my birthdy. Maybe it's time to use some sick days too bad all my co-workers know exactly where I'm going.
Mr. Henry, love your comments.
Love the comment from anonymous who got himself more elbow room. Perfect.
An interesting nugget: The only other time Neil played the GMU Patriot Ctr in 1986, it was with Crazy Horse as well.
Ya know, you would Think in this day of the internet that some are so clueless. "well known hits", I mean, come on, be serious!!! Hey, I betcha would more go for the Monkies, they played in Philly same night as Neil!!!!
Complaining that NY&CH songs are too long is kind of like complaining that Kiss wears too much make-up. Personally, I would have felt ripped off if I didn't get long songs with extended jams. It's Crazy Horse for crying out loud!
Further (I just posted above), if you want to spend a lot to hear the hits, go see the Stones. I love the Stones, but not that and they sound terrible in concert. Neil is not for the PBS get your free tote-bag concert crowd. He's still creating! He's in it, not looking back on it. That's what makes Neil different than all others. He's still doing what he did 40 years ago and that's what he brings to the shows. He's still having fun.
The only complaint I have about this blog is that everyone has the same name. It must have been one of those trend years when everyone named their kid Anonymous.
Be bold, Neil was never afraid to say the "F" word in public, we shouldn't be either.
See you in Bridgeport, just bought the standing room only ticket.
Yeah, there's only one way to live,
all the way.
Still editing pictures, I took over 1,200 but a lot were blurry due to lighting but overall I got some keepers. I'll drop the link on here later tonight.
The folks who want a "greatest hits" show probably have only one CD of NY's in their collection. Decade. Spin that if you want greatest hits.
Love that Neil, Springsteen and Dylan are still out there creating. That is what makes them great.
I can't the negative reviews. Clean your ears out and open your mind. Neil and horse sounded better than I've ever heard in four decades of listening to them. And the new material is extremely strong. Is Walk Like a Giant not a classic? Old cranky hippies stay home in front of the flat screen and save your coin.
March, 1970
Dear Diary,
I am so disappointed in Neil Young. I just went to see him at the Fillmore, and I had to leave before the last song ended, it was that bad! Did he play any of the beautiful songs he did with Buffalo Springfield? No! Did he even give us one number from "Neil Young" ? Again, NO! He just had to shove all this noisy stuff from his new album down our throats. Just six crummy songs, two of which just went on and on in a self indulgent, repetitive noise fest! I thought hat stupid "Down By The Lake" or whatever lasted forever, like a record skipping but you're too stoned to notice. And I just up and left during the even longer song, "Girl Cow in a Sand Dune" or something. I mean, my friend Staci, who was talking to some cool guy stayed, and said it must have gone on for 16 minutes! And that was it? Those two songs took up more than half of the whole show! I mean, that's practically a whole album side!. That 's like listening to that weird jazz guy who was also playing. BORING! Well, never again, former Mr. Dreamboat Neil Young. That new record should be called "Everyone Knows Neil Young Is Nowhere"! Ha! He can just die! Now I know that David Cassidy of The Partridge Family will the real Mr. Dreamy musician I will always luv.
Kristie
Rock On jrc!
I am still riding high from the show 4 days ago.
Watching the SEC Championship game, it's halftime and they just aired a University of Georgia ad with REM's song Oh My Heart as the soundtrack. Pretty cool, I think even Neil would approve of this! Should be a great second half.
And quite the lively discussion going on here...good stuff. Only time my dog ever bit was when I had to pry chicken bones out of his mouth to save him from himself. But he can have a pretty scary bark at times....
It's a miracle that Neil Young has any fans. Lets look at the track record:
- just a few years removed from Harvest, NY comes out and plays Tonights the night twice, and in some cases three times on his tour... Had never heard the material before. terrible...
- just a few years removed from his triumphant return with Rust Never Sleeps and Live Rust, NY comes out and plays Trans.... Didn't recognize a single song...terrible...
- Just a few years removed from (see previous bullet), NY comes out and plays a bunch of country songs with a country band called the international harvesters. Didn't recognize a single song until the encore. terrible...
then we jump to 2003.
- after a huge comeback decade, NY comes out and plays an entire unreleased album with a high school quality cast....didn't recognize a song until the encore....terrible....
Of course we could go on and on. This tour we have Ramada and WLAG. Last full tour in 2008 we had 22 minutes of No Hidden Path and 20 minutes of Words.
We joke about it being all one song, but maybe it is. New songs, familiar chords. Its all good.
I've concluded that Ramada Inn is officially the best guitar song ever recorded. Period. At a minimum, it is the purest power tube saturation ever recorded. Its not about gain, its about the sound of electricity. You feel it. It is so organic.
If Jonathan Demme should film this tour, I have a suggestion for the movie title:
The Horse Bit: An Unexpected Journey
Can I get a rimshot there, Ralph?!
Arkansas Girls intro for Cinnamon Girl?! Ladies?! Someone needs to elaborate here!! Thrasher, you're awfully quiet. Wish I could have been there. Sounds like quite the night.
Steven James
Think I might agree with you there, Ramada Inn could be the greatest guitar song ever. It's Little Johnny Jewel, Mountain Jam and Stairway to Heaven combined with lyrics that are equal parts The Grand Tour, For The Good Times and Hallelujah.
Of course Neil would probably still insist that Expressway to Yr Skull is the greatest guitar song ever written.
Arkansas Girls intro: 2 ladies (can't recall the names) who were standing next to us in the second "row" have been following the tour around the country for several shows. They have been carrying and showing a sign "Arkansas Girls (heart) Crazy Horse" with Ralph the main one noticing as they've established a rapport with him in particular. At the end of the show, he threw one of his drumsticks directly to them and the other drumstick ended up in their hands as well.
Oh, by the way, the show was awesome. And, while Neil did "punch" through the amp, I had noticed the hole there when the box was first raised.
Everest was very good, and Patti Smith was phenomenal. Neil and the guys are on fire, gaining momentum at each stop - who knows how crazy this will be by the time they get to Australia!....Cortez was a beautiful surprise, and that was one of the best versions of F'in Up I've ever seen.
Of course, being one of the Arkansas Girls, the highlights of the evening were finally getting a drumstick from Ralph and Neil taking a minute to address us personally - it doesn't get any better than that!
As Neil would say...it was definitely "groovy"!
Tami C. (SandCowgirl)
That is so incredible Tami, couldn't happen to nicer people, very happy and pleased for you and Sandy!
Rockin' out this Sunday morn with the great JD McPherson and figured I'd share a couple of his videos with you: version of Farmer John from this year's SXSW (much more traditional than Neil and the Horse) and his cover of my favorite Chuck Berry song. Keep on Rocking, these notes are for you Arkansas Girls!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=890DB-OssN4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd8Frzgprt0
Well I must mention that the way in which the Alchemy shows are beginning is the coolest opening to a concert that I've ever seen.
There was something surreal about the way in which Neil & CH & the crew all just walk out there for the national anthem.
It was a feeling I can't yet describe watching them all sing along as the HD camera closes in on each person up there.
And then when the US flag drops down to reveal the Crazy Horse banner - man I don't know - it was fucking great!!
And I believe it is Neil making a statement about Native Americans and their land that was taken for this great albeit flawed country.
I just wanted to mention the opening because I keep coming back to it in my mind's eye.
Come on Thrasher - we know this was a hometown show for you - thoughts?
While at the Fairfax show, I met two sisters who have traveled extensively to see Neil's concerts for years...including present and prior Crazy Horse tours. They shared some great stories of their adventures...one of them broke her ankle at the Bridge School and had been waiting in line at shows for hours to get on the rail (her sister very protective of anyone who came too close). Dedicated Neil fans will do anything...won't they? They both received drumsticks in Philly from Ralph - well deserved! Although they decline the attention, it was inspirational to see them (together) catch one of the sticks and pass it along to the Ark Girls. It's all about "paying it forward" even when riding The Horse.
Thanks all for the concert reports!
@Jonathan - it's been awhile?
As for reports, last night on TW Radio we shared a bunch, so check the podcast when we upload soon.
But still recovering from the road and trying to get our stories together.
But as with all things Neil, you can read, write, photo, video, watch youtubes, listen to CDs, etc all you want. But nothing ever comes close to the live NY music is not only just better. It is simply the best. ever.
peace
Tami C. and Sandy H.? So what exactly went down? Did Neil dedicate Cinnamon Girl to you? What did he say? How did he acknowledge you? I'm dying to know. That is so cool!! The drum stick story is pretty cool too. See why the boy from Kansas was interested in riding your coat tails?! You guys deserve it. What's the drum stick look like?! Doesn't it have some kind of logo on it or something. Damn. Sweet
Steven James
now youve done it. youve gone and offended my delicate senseabilities. I knew Mr Henry, Mr Henry was a friend of mine. You senator are no Mr Henry. I dont like Patty Smith. I hope I said that wrong. I love Los Lobos though. They never disappoint. David Hidalgo rips.
I thought the concert was potentially great but was ruined by the sound; the issue wasn't so much poor sound as it was a lack of sound. It sounded like Neil was an opening act and was only provided with 40% power. The sound just didn't project at all and made me think for a moment that I was watching the show from Mars, the sound seemed that removed and distant. Haven't really experienced sound that was bad in that way before. A shame.
To Anonymous at 11:21. You must be a complete fool. Certainly do not know a thing about Neil Young. He has never and will never retred the same songs "that made him famous." Neil has not done what you Heart of Gold Toe tapers want for many a year, see Tonights the night tour and Greendale. Hell before PP was released, I said in comment that he would play most songs from that LP. F'ing up was subperb,brillant. The feedback was highlight of the show. Neil and Ponco were so into each other and the audiance. You must have been in the beer line most of the time.Have you heard of Psychedellic Pill?
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v415/Bill-DC/Neil%20Young%20and%20Crazy%20Horse%2011-30-12/
As promised. Not the best light to shoot at but some of these came out pretty good. I moved down from the nosebleeds and stationed myself in the hearing impaired section. Enjoy!
Loved this show was in general admission about 3 people back. Check out my vids from the show if you like - http://youtu.be/5juTeCPbRtE
Bill - Thanks for posting the photos. They're terrific!
Rick - thanks for the vids! I was in the 2nd row just to your left. What a show!
Finally getting to post here for the Fairfax Event...which was awesome to say the least! First I have to say it was a whirlwind day for my Kelly and I, as we were honored to be aboard CVN-76 The USS Harry Truman for my nephews re-enlistment in the US Navy in the Admirals Mess! Traveled to Fairfax riding that high and met some wonderful Rust Folks at the Irish Pub Pre-Show!
Patti Smith was tremendous! It appeared she was blown away from the response to Because The Night, which was GREAT! Pattis' cover of Only a Dream really set the tone for the evening to be ...well Dream Like! Her calling Ole Black "Blackie" was her only miscue and we can forgive her 'cause she gave her heart to us all! The Lab Coat Guys were inspiring with A Day In The Life keeping time for the raising of the Big Mic, using a Goalie stick no less, EH!!!
The Lads were in top form! For all that were questioning the sound, it sounded real good from our seats stage right (Neils left), but I have a feeling the Whizzer didn't like it's situation cause the Fender Deluxe kept cutting out when Neil kicked it into saturation on Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) and Walk Like a Giant. Have a feeling the GA floor area doesn't sound too good just from a perspective view.
I've posted some stuff on YouTube, including the Arkansas Girls (Tami & Sandy){love you! Sorry we didn't get there early enough to meet you!} in the Crazy Horse Analog Time Machine, which includes the F@#$in' Doubters! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go0p0pINQOo
A small warning that I have always gone Crazy Horse when I see The Lads and apologize for driving Kelly and others around nuts with my antics. I should be put in the rafters where no one will hear me or get hurt 'cause I get a bit Looney Tunes and always have. Anyway, many Thanks to the RUST Community, Thrasher (you know who you are!) and all that Love the Smell of The Horse! I'm excited for our brothers & sisters Down Under and across the Pond for the continuing saga of Alchemy! Long may WE Run! Peace!
Palace in the Sun
Owen
Hey there. Check this also:
On The Rail: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concerts - Philadelphia, PA & Fairfax, VA
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