Neil Young News: Ottawa: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews

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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Ottawa: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews - 11/24/12

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Photo Gallery by Jana Chytilova, The Ottawa Citizen

Norm and I went to a fantastic Neil Young concert last night. You felt the music right into your bones. Unbelievable guitar playing.
— Kit Redmond (@kitredmond) November 25, 2012

From The Ottawa Citizen | Review: Neil Young show ‘most epic celebration of Canadian culture’ By Lynn Saxberg:

Forget Canada Day. Neil Young’s concert at Scotiabank Place on Saturday may have been the most epic celebration of Canadian culture the country has ever seen. The rock legend was in peak form as he wrapped up the fall leg of a tour that reunited him with his old cohorts in Crazy Horse. Young played hard, sang with intensity and goaded bandmates Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank ‘Poncho’ Sampedro into a frenzy of psychedelic turbulence over the course of a 140-minute show.

The Neil Young show was fantstic..he just killed it. Played Powderfinger & Hey Hey My My. I was singing along with the old ppl in the crowd.
— julie shirazi (@JulieShirazi) November 25, 2012

From Neil Young rocks Scotiabank Place with feedback | Music | Entertainment | Ottawa Sun By Denis Armstrong:

Young and Crazy Horse hadn’t played a note and I was already won over both by his patriotism, and his willingness to go his own way.

After that and a wave, it was time to get down to business, opening the gig with a long guitar jam with bassist Billy Talbot, guitarist Frank “Poncho” Sampedro and drummer Ralph Molina on Love and Only Love and Powderfinger before dipping into the new (old) material on Young’s latest album Psychedelic Pill, Born in Ontario, which got loud cheers, and another clash of electric guitars on Walk Like a Giant that was loud and fuzzy enough to shake the arena and throw the light show into disarray. Young kept building on the feedback like a primal scream. It reminded me of the storm scene when a mad King Lear screams “Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!” It was awful. It was wonderful.

I can die happy. Neil young checked off the #bucketlist
— Jordan Hall (@jordiehall) November 25, 2012

Neil Young & Crazy Horse will be performing tonight at Ottawa, ONT – Scotiabank Place, Canada.

Doors at 6:30, The Sadies 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, ottawa

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18 Comments:

At 11/24/2012 11:52:00 PM, Anonymous said...: We got a great one in Ottawa tonight! Neil was relentless!
At 11/25/2012 12:15:00 AM, Ottawanna said...: Absolutely brilliant! Impeccable voice, phenomenal guitar.
At 11/25/2012 12:46:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Hey guys, just a little question here, are small cameras allowed in the arenas on this tour? Don't i'm not one of those annoying guys trying to record the hole shows or anything, actually just want to take a couple of discreet shots of The Horse. Thanks!

Jess
At 11/25/2012 12:49:00 AM, Anonymous said...: WOW. Exceeded my expectations, which were high.

A quick aside: I knew Neil was going on at 9pm. I live about 30 minutes from the venue. At 7:30pm, I had a 4yr old projectile puking at home. I had a great ticket and had been patiently waiting and watching youtube coverage for months. But it was all going up in smoke at the last minute....

Miraculously, things settled, wife let me go, and I got to my seat just as the national anthem started.

I will keep it short. Seen all NY shows since 1986. This show was for me as good as any of the previous shows. The sound mix - perfect. But it was the strength of Neil's vocals and his incredible fret work that really made this show stand out. That, and the interaction between the guys on stage.

Of note: this show had the best camera work I have ever seen at a live show. Strangely, there are no spot lights at all on Neil or the group. But the camera work on the big screens was not a distraction, but really added to the show. Things like close ups on Neil's foot on his big red pedal board. Close ups on Poncho. Super job.

Standouts: Cortez included guitar work that I had never heard Neil use on this song. One of the best versions I have heard. F'cking up was amazing - Poncho actually took over lead vocals on the extended second half of the song. I you have a problem with the F word, beware. This was as punk as the sex pistols could ever be. In fact, there were several moments during the show that could be described as mountain punk (a play on Vedder's reference to Neil's music as "mountain funk").

For me, Ramada Inn was the highlight of many highlights - the guitar work and energy was unstoppable. PS. this followed a magical version of the new song with Neil on piano.

I'm gushing - sorry. For a show that I almost missed, it lands squarely on my top 10 ever shows by all artists. Replace roll another number with DBTR or a similar classic and it would be top 5.

Do not miss this tour - sobriety has neil strong of mind and body and he destroys any other classic rock artists past and present. Hendrix would have been impressed (and so would Briggs).

Peter in Ottawa.
At 11/25/2012 02:12:00 AM, Mr Henry said...: ...and now on to Boston! Glad that you made the show Peter and thanks for a great review. Also glad that your child recovered just in time...I know how that goes and have made and not made some great occasions because of such emergencies. You only remember the ones that you make and sounds like this was one for the ages. Too bad that you missed Patti's set because you would have loved that too.

On the late news earlier tonight I saw a clip with the opening scene from Episode One of I Dream of Jeannie while they were doing a Larry Hagman tribute (RIP). Zuma Beach looked beautiful as ever!

I'll be ready now
I'll be ready when my train pulls in
--Gary Clark Jr
At 11/25/2012 08:06:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Both the ottawa newspapers gave glowing reviews.

somebody captured cortez and posted it (almost all of it) on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0VLxOJX9swU

This is one of the best audio captures of the tour, and definitely a memorable version of cortez - any complaints? didn't think so. neil is better in 2012 than he was in 2002, 1992,1982, or 1972 - sings better, and his guitar work these days is just dynamite. having the best front of house man in the business never hurts either.

would luv to hear this on blue ray someday.
At 11/25/2012 09:02:00 AM, Anonymous said...: here's another video capture of F'kg up - same great audio. 15minutes of pure F'g punk rock.

the real fun starts about the 9 min mark. Poncho, your mother should wash your mouth out with soap LOL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FujPLIA7Gyw&feature=plcp
At 11/25/2012 09:28:00 AM, Anonymous said...: RE: Anon 8:06
excellent version of Cortez, I'd Love to hear it on bluray someday too - WITHOUT ALL THE DOUCHEBAGS CHATTING IT UP IN THE BACKROUND! C'Mon people, shut the F@#K UP and enjoy the show! there is nothing you have to say that is more important than this, no matter who you are OR think you are.
I only hope these peeps (or their friends, if they have any) see this video and recognise themselves & their Big pie holes.r
At 11/25/2012 09:55:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Ok here goes. The show last night was spectacular. I have been following the setlists on Sugar Mountain and was sad to see Cortez removed from the last few shows. Of course, this changed last night and what a treat it was! It was the first time for me to see Neil and the Horse. I've seen him multiple times solo and with the band on the continental tour. This was the icing.
I have to say I was a little skeptical in how long WLAG would be but it flew by for me. The show had a great flow to it. I was on the floor and was able to get real close and the vibe was intense. The floor is the place to be for any show in my opinion. Needle and Twisted Road fit in nicely and maybe the only thing that bothered me was all the chatter from everyone around during those songs. I got over that quickly though. I think Neil is really on top of his game right now. His playing and singing are top notch. I was with a friend and his brother who are not big Neil fans but were curious to see why I'm such a huge fan and they were quite impressed. I kept hearing "this guy is amazing!" and "he sounds incredible!". That put a smile on my face. Anyways, I'm rambling here and I check this site daily and read everyone's comments but don't comment very often myself so I've made up for it! Thanks everybody, and enjoy the tour!

Eric in Ottawa
At 11/25/2012 10:47:00 AM, Anonymous said...: RE Anon 9:28
Amen to that, brother! People paid mucho $ for those tix. Nobody wants to hear you over The Horse!
At 11/25/2012 11:14:00 AM, JeffH said...: That was my biggest complaint from the Winnipeg show, only complaint actually - loud drunks.
At 11/25/2012 01:07:00 PM, Anonymous said...: On November 24, 2012, Neil Young and the Horse walked on stage, dropped a large Canadian flag, and joined the crowd in a very pleasant version of Oh Canada. NY&CH wandered over to their instruments, turned on their amps, and proceeded to rip Scotiabank place to shreds.

It was not pretty. At times it was downright vulgar. It was fantastic.

Mr. Soul played on with Buffalo Springfield would be polite. Nostalgic. Mr. Soul played with the Horse on saturday night was the antithesis of polite and nostalgic: it was CBGB's in the mid 70's. Perfectly suitable for a night that began with a rock legend from NYC.

Neil Young is not about the past. Neil Young is not about nostalgia. Neil Young is about the present. And his presence today is a much needed alternative to the pretty packaged Bieber and that young blonde chick who sings country songs and shows up on the weekly gossip mags in the grocery store.

Page, Hendrix, Knopfler, Clapton, etc... These are the names people toss around as the great guitar players. On saturday night, an almost 70 year old Neil Young put them all to shame.
At 11/25/2012 02:19:00 PM, Geoff said...: This was a great show all around with some real stand-outs for me. 4th time seeing Neil and the Horse ('96, '97, '03 and now 2012!). I got there early enough to be a few feet back from the front rail in front of Poncho with a great angle to the big Mic and much of Neil's guitar work! People were into it on the floor and it was great to be so close and feel the music vibrate inside. It was loud and spiritual.

The highlights for me were Born in Ontario, Ramada Inn (this is a great driving song too that my 8 year old and I were listening to earlier that day), Cortez (haven't heard his guitar sound better than this), and Fkn' Up (like someone else posted, this may be the most fkd up version of this song yet, but it was improvised sick and dirty).

I thought that Poncho had a cold or something because he looked like he was coughing and he didn't sing on Ramada Inn like I thought he had in the past, but then he came in to lead Fkn' Up through the second half and sounded great.

I'll remember this one for a long time.

Thanks Neil and Crazy Horse, and thanks Patti Smith and the Sadies for setting the stage with really quite stunning opening sets.

Geoff in Ottawa
At 11/25/2012 07:57:00 PM, John EH Connelly said...: Oh My !
As so well described by others who attended , this was a very special night .
Caught the show earlier in Kingston on the 5th Oct.
That was a treat , this was mind blowin !
The groove of the Sadies
Followed by an amazing Patti Smith set , never having seen her live , I was in awe ! so strong and passionate !

Having had a chance to listen to the Pill , since the Kingston show , had me stompin my feet to the new tunes in a way... as I did as an 18yr old , when I first saw Neil in TO in 82
Twisted Road , Giant , Inn ....
The Wall of Unique sound , like a wolf pack howlin in Algonquin

To hear that version of Fuckin Up, hard to describe , un fnn believable!!

The new live tweek of the Organ in Ontario ,
Rain coats and the storm of sound on the finale of WLAG ...
The encore ,sung with a grin ...
The new tune on the ivory , without a song
This is a classic Horse show !!!!

My parents saw Elvis and Johnny Cash in concert

Neil Young and Crazy Horse is my Elvis !
At 11/26/2012 03:48:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I'm I the only one who hated this concert. Was looking forward to hearing some of Neil Young greatest hits. Instead I heard distorted guitar riffs that went on and on. I was at his 1976 concert when he played with Crosby, Stills and Nash. He was great back then.
At 11/26/2012 06:52:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Anonymous@11/26/2012 03:48:00 PM

Ha Ha Ha Trollmeister! You can't fool me,CSNY didn't tour in '76.
At 11/27/2012 06:00:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Your right. Crosby, Stills and Nash did a concert in Montreal (Aug. 76). Neil was not part of the group then. They did however had a reunion tour in 74 where Neil was present. I still hated his show Saturday night.
At 12/01/2012 10:43:00 AM, Anonymous said...: I was shocked to read the user comments in the (very positive) Ottawa Citizen review. People were complaining about everything good about the show (loud music, distortion, jamming etc.)One week later and I am still annoyed! It's like going to the opera and saying there was too much singing!

I didn't notice anyone at the show complaining as I was having too much fun!

I have been seeing Neil in all his forms since 1989 and this was by far my favorite show! Really love the album now too