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or YOUR COUNTRY's FLAG. Thank you!!!)
An unofficial news blog for Neil Young fans from Thrasher's Wheat with concert and album updates, reviews, analysis, and other Rock & Roll ramblings. Separating the wheat from the chaff since 1996.
Labels: crazy horse, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/30/2013 10:06:00 PM
0 comments
Labels: neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/29/2013 06:36:00 PM
1 comments
Labels: barenaked ladies, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/28/2013 05:20:00 PM
2 comments
Exactly where does that legendary guitar sound come from? You bought a guitar, patched it into an amp, unsheathed your plectrum and played your favorite riff note for note, yet it sounded nothing like it should.More on Neil Young’s guitars and sound and Anatomy of ‘Old Black’ Guitar .
The beautiful thing about an electric guitar is the endless ways you can tweak, modify and manipulate the sound. Whatever guitar sound you have in your head is possible through some combination of pickups, pedals and powered speakers.
This infographic was designed to put together the details of the most legendary guitars (and their sound) of all time. From Neil Young’s Old Black to Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Strat Number One.
Labels: guitar, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/28/2013 08:25:00 AM
11 comments
Labels: neil young, video
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/27/2013 05:03:00 PM
6 comments
I was so excited that NY&CH were coming down under. Our Aussie Rustie group had all contributed to designing a t-shirt to wear to the shows and I liked the design so much I decided to have a permanent reminder of the occasion.Now here's Lee's report from the Neil Young and Crazy Horse Australia leg where she made all of the continent's concerts.
I only received my T-shirt on the Monday the 25th Feb and on the Tuesday the full moon and the date of Neil and the guys arrival into Australia I went down to "The Tattoo Shop" in Bundoora Victoria to get it done that night after work! (Neil does his best work on the full moon) so that's when I wanted it done as well but arrrrgh, Britt (young lady 30yo) couldn't do it then, so l had to wait until the 27th...only 3 days before the first Oz gig in Perth. It took only 1 1/2 hrs to stencil, outline and colour.
Wooohoooo It was a breeze, NO it did not hurt!
As part of the privileged group of Oz Rusties, 8 of us graced the front row at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre "looking for a good time" for the 2nd gig of Neil Young & Crazy Horse's Alchemy Tour - Australia and New Zealand leg, and certainly a good time is what we got, only it was so much more than we all imagined it would or could be!
I have always held the notion... "Have no expectations in life and the unexpected will definitely happen". On the other hand one of my friends has an opposing view with the idea of, "If you have no expectations then you will get nothing", so I can now tell you, she is sooooo totally wrong lol!
After waiting on the western side of the venue for GA to open, the day was hot enough to get badly sunburnt and when the venue finally let us in, there was no time to grab water as taking up pole position was the far greater priority! Phew made it to the front rail..lol..hog front frail...stare down anyone coming within two inches of OUR personal space and you are going to cop it!! Yep, us Aussies are brutal but after all this was, NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE!
Precisely at 7.30pm the support act "Husky" an Indie band from Melbourne came on and we all politely listened through "Husky's" melodically harmonised acoustic setlist which included the songs "Tidal Wave, Fake Moustache and The Woods". At times some of the words sung by Husky Gawenda, the bands' lead vocalist, were a little short on fluid diction however the use of their instruments and the bands harmonisation more than made up for the little nuance of not quite hearing all the words! Husky are the discovery of FM radio Triple JJJ with the band winning the "unearthed" title in 2011. They are currently working on their 2nd album after releasing their first album "Forever So" to critical acclaim in July 2012, which they backed up with a short tour last Sept/Oct 2012 to the Netherlands, France and United States. During Husky's setlist they played 3 new tunes, "Wolfman, Weary Soldier & Years Gone By", whether these 3 songs make it to the next album will remain to be seen, as they are still works in progress.
As 7 of the 8 of us on the rails, had previously attended the Perth gig 3 days before, we all knew that we would be thoroughly entertained with the antics of the crazy mad scientists reminiscent of "Rust" days whom ran around frantically tuning the oversized amps and generally ensuring that the stage was correctly set to precise measurements as well as ensuring the oversized mike would be lowered in place and correctly positioned with a little help and adjustment from a "digeridoo", which is a wooded wind instrument created by the original aboriginal inhabitants of Australia, consisting of naturally shaped timber, internally bored out and ceremoniously painted and played by using circular breathing techniques in order to produce a haunting sound.Lee "Astrolee" concludes with this:
We also basically knew that the setlist would be roughly the same...however we also, all know "that it's only real in the way Neil feels from day to day...so having no thoughts, preconceived or otherwise, about how the gig might progress, we waited and then waited some more, for the lights to dim with the familiar strains of the "Beatles" intro "Day In The Life" whilst the crazy scientists (roadies) stood erect in their white lab coats; as Neil and the guys casually walked on stage to the strains of "Advance Australian Fair", thankfully shortened this time to one verse! The Perth gig included our lesser known and not usually sung 2nd & 3rd verse causing much hilarity amongst Neil's camp when we didn't sing along, so thankfully it was dropped off at the Adelaide gig after much jestering from our end that we dont usually sing it!! One Rustie with the "handle" of "The Old Laughing Lady" remarked that we all probably knew the "Star Spangled Banner" anthem better than our own...haha what sacrilege, and we all bet that Neil would have known the Canadian anthem backwards lol!
Anyway with all that over, Neil slapped Ralph on the back as he headed to the drum riser and then nodded knowingly to Poncho and Billy that it was time to Rock, Loud, Gloriously Loud and with that first strum on the chords, "Love and Only Love" exploded with an unleashed force into the venue, so much more powerful than even the previous Perth gig, 3 days earlier. Maybe it was the smaller intimate venue that made it more vibrant, I'm not sure however from that moment on, we all knew they were all on fire and Neil was gonna show all the whingers, whom only wanted his Greatest Hits repeated, how it's done with The Horse! On hearing that first power chord from Old Black, from the rails, we all went nuts!!!
And so the night progressed with long joyous guitar jams between Neil and Poncho; thunderous feedback distortion fed directly back into those huge amps by Neil and Billy especially during "Walk Like A Giant". Some of songs were interlaced with little side riffs, duals between Poncho and Neil too, as well as borrowed tunes within the tunes, especially when they did "F@#kin Up" which was hilarious! Neil especially added to Poncho's antics of being given the finger and kicked up the bum by refraining in a high falsetto voice, repeating the words " Feels So Good"! It was a brilliant display of the commaradrie between the two with Ralphie and Billy grinning along. Ralph throughout the night gave both his arms and the drumkit an absolute workout with some well timed, powerful drum strokes, in the purest tone, no fancy, artsy fartsy shit that rock drummers today seem to engage in, just for show. This was just tremendous pounding that was a force to be reckoned with which was perfectly executed, the years of experience showed as Ralph made it look like a cakewalk! It was a joy to watch!
Oh Yeah, have I mentioned about some of the best harmony to date, from Billy and Ralph during all songs but especially on Ramada lnn, which was truly epic, and always makes me cry..shit we have all experienced a Ramada Inn situation in our lives, and getting old and reflecting back is an essential part of life's process!
Billy's Bass was truly beautiful in this song, needless to say the bass created the mood and feeling for all the songs, the bass always tells its own distinct story and is often overlooked especially in light of the brilliant guitar work from Poncho complimenting Neil's brilliantly worked lead. If at times you have been guilty of ignoring the essential requirement of adding mood and emotion to a band, like I often had, then try taking the Bass out of this band and you've have nothing but a raucous mess lol!
And now to Neil ....he was amazing, mesmerizing, totally into it, the music he created that night consumed and impassioned him, he was on fire, completely encapsulated by its power to be completely taken to his own private head space and I know us fans revelled in those moments where we were sucked into that vortex and were taken along with him for the ride...it was so Fckn Extraordinary that I know I did not ever want the songs to stop! One of our mob even yelled out to Neil after finishing Ramada Inn, "Do it again"....Hahahahahaha but this night was never gonna be a repeat of Neil's "Tonight The Night" days...lol!
Now we all know that Neil can really rock it with The Horse, real loud but they also have their quieter moments. The acoustic songs numbered to only three. "Twisted Road" from PP as well as a newie named, "Hole in the Sky" and then the usual singalong from the crowd for "Heart of Gold". Then the unreleased "Singer Without a Song" was tunefully played by Neil on the piano whilst a "un-named" person sauntered wistfully across the stage with a guitar case in hand, to visually display the content and forlorness of the song!
The setlist http://www.sugarmtn.org/getshows.php?venue_key=962 numbering in the low teens was a mix through the decades with Mr Soul and Cinnamon Girl from the 60's, Hey Hey, My My & Like a Hurricane from the 70's, Love and Only Love from the 90s.
The night of course went too quickly and one the biggest highlights for our mob came at the end of the show when Neil embraced by his mates to do their final bow; that was when Ralph pointed out our "WooHoo" sign to Neil, Poncho and Billy to which they responded by all shouting back to us, several "WooHoo's" It was a real hoot and we loved it!
Other highs for the night were of course ...
"Fuckin Up", "Walk Like A Giant" "Ramada Inn" and the encore "Like A Hurricane". Yep the night was memorable even psychedelic without consuming any "pill" to induce euphoria as the magic came from the thrill of seeing and hearing Neil and Crazy Horse in full flight!
Woooooooooooohoooooooooooo!
I love getting tattooed...feels pleasant and soothing, you can just zone out...key to success just talk to the other guys in the shop...yep thats easy, l can talk heaps.. lol....talk about music..even easier.....and bingo you're done..lol!
Folks reactions - hahahahahahhahaahahahahahha....ranged from:-
OMG OMG OMG OMG CRAZY (Sister)
AWESOME (Niece)
KEWL (Nephew)
AMAZING (Best friend)
OUCH (Friend)
DON'T GET "IT" (Friend)
WOW - DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD GO THROUGH WITH IT (rustie - Little Reggie)
LOTS OF POSITIVE COMMENTS FROM ALL THE RUSTIES - YAY!!!!
and my reaction
WOOHOOOOOOO LOVE IT
"The Tattoo Shop" provided a professional and hygienic experience. All staff were a treasure and l will go there again.
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/27/2013 05:04:00 AM
8 comments
Neil Young: Rock star as journo? It essentially happened in 2006 when Neil Young, son of a famous Canadian sportswriter, hurriedly wrote and released (only online at first) his ripped-from-the-headlines Living With War CD. He even proposed impeaching the president "for lying" (and "for spying"). In one of the songs in the collection, Young sang repeatedly: "Don't need no more lies."
He emphasized the prohibition against the media showing pictures of coffins with the American dead being returned from Iraq, singing: "Thousands of bodies in the ground/ Brought home in boxes to a trumpet's sound/ No one sees them coming home that way/ Thousands buried in the ground." In another song: "More boxes covered in flags/ but I can't see them on TV."
When Young urged that Americans "Impeach the President," he included audio clips of embarrassing Bush statements ("We'll smoke them out ..."). But a highlight of the collection was the blistering "Shock and Awe," which, along with its antiwar lyrics, included the more philosophical "History is a cruel judge of overconfidence." He also recalled that "back in the days of Mission Accomplished ... the sun was setting on another photo op."
Labels: living with war, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/26/2013 07:20:00 AM
14 comments
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I went to all Australian gigs and each night was different, even with mostly the same setlist...differing towards the end of each night and not once did I come away bored, dissatisfied or pissed off because they hadn't done this or that!Nice Astrololee! So you made all the AUS concerts?! Awesome. :)
Neil and Crazy Horse could have played "God Save the Queen" all night long and I bet each time they did, you would have heard different riffs, solos and "lol" even words!
In fact after each gig I left elated, on a high and fckn impressed...so much so I still have not "come down" even yet and not likely too for the rest of the year....NOTHING compares or even comes close to seeing these guys all perform together, so tight, totally in sync with each other with an understanding and awareness of each other that only years of experience.
All gigs were fantastically performed with passion, enthusiasm and ferociousness that is sadly lacking from a lot of younger bands..and believe me I'm old but still get to around 20 bigger concerts a year plus other smaller gigs in clubs and pubs!
No Neil does not owe you a damn thing..it's the other way around...I owe him and these guys for giving me a life filled with words that personally mean a lot to me, melodies that have woven a pathway to my heart and soul and have become part of my psyche and who I have am today. Neil has been in my life, throughout my troubled youth and even more stressful early adult life. I owe them for probably saving my life from despair and depression on many occasions. Neil and Crazy Horse have given me a life worth living to the full...the passion in the music that these guys have created has put me in touch with other souls whom feel the same, for which I am externally grateful.
Long live Neil, Frankie, Ralphie and Billy....I owe You and I can only repay you guys by saying Thank You...it's not enough but believe me, it's said with "Rustie" love...wooohooo!
Labels: concert, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/25/2013 05:57:00 PM
3 comments
Jason, you are missed. You never call.We are deeply saddened to announce that Jason Andrew Molina passed away in his home in Indianapolis this past Saturday, March 16th of natural causes at age 39.
Jason was a world class musician, songwriter & recording artist. He was also a beloved friend. He first caught international attention in 1996 when he began releasing albums under the name Songs: Ohia. In 2003 he started the band Magnolia Electric Co. Between those two bands he released over a dozen critically-acclaimed albums and — starting in 1997 — he toured the world every year until he had to stop in 2009 to deal with severe alcoholism. Jason was incredibly humbled by his fans’ support through the years and said that the two most important words he could ever say are “Thank you.”This is especially hard for us to share. Jason is the cornerstone of Secretly Canadian. Without him there would be no us — plain and simple. His singular, stirring body of work is the foundation upon which all else has been constructed. After hearing and falling in love with the mysterious voice on his debut single “Soul” in early 1996, we approached him about releasing a single on our newly formed label. For some reason he said yes. We drove from Indiana to New York to meet him in person and he handed us what would become the first of many JMo master tapes. And with the Songs: Ohia One Pronunciation of Glory 7” we were given a voice as a label.
The subsequent self-titled debut was often referred to by fans as The Black Album. Each Songs: Ohia album to follow proved a new, haunting thesis statement from a prodigal songwriter whose voice and soul burned far beyond that of the average twenty-something. There was organ-laced, sepia-toned econimica (1998’s Impala) and charred-hearted, free form balladry (1999’s Axxess and Ace). There were the dark glacial make-out epics of 2000’s The Lioness and the jungle incantations of 2000’s Ghost Tropic. There was the career-defining agnostic’s gospel of 2002’s Didn’t It Rain, an album about setting roots that also seemed to offer solace to a world that had recently seen its bar on terror raised. It was followed in 2003 by a thrilling about-face, the instant classic Magnolia Electric Co., which took Jason’s songwriting to ’70s classic rock heights. The move was such a powerful moment for Molina that Magnolia Electric Co. became the new moniker under which would perform until 2009. With Magnolia Electric Co., Jason found a brotherhood in his bandmates, with whom he built an incredible live experience and made a truly classic album in Josephine (2009).We’re going to miss Jason. He was generous. He was a one of a kind. And he had a voice unlike any other.
Fans can contribute to Jason’s medical fund as a memorial gift by sending money via PayPal.
Hold on, Magnolia, to that great highway moon
No one has to be that strong
But if you’re stubborn like me
I know what you’re trying to be
Hold on, Magnolia, I hear that station bell ring
You might be holding the last light I see
Before the dark finally gets a hold of me
Hold on, Magnolia, I know what a true friend you’ve been
In my life I have had my doubts
But tonight I think I’ve worked it out with all of them
Hold on, Magnolia, to the thunder and the rain
To the lightning that has just signed my name to the bottom line
Hold on, Magnolia, I hear that lonesome whistle whine
Hold on, Magnolia, I think its almost time
Labels: jason molina
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/25/2013 09:08:00 AM
8 comments
[This negative reaction] brings up the debate on what an artist owes the audience for the price of their admission.Thanks Nick! Nailed it.
Isn’t buying a ticket to see an artist perform… just that? As long as they perform with conviction, haven’t they done their job? Seeing an artist like Neil Young – who is a legend in his own lifetime and continues to write fresh, influential and vital rock recordings – is, as I mentioned, a privilege. Does an artist owe the audience their most popular songs? The short answer is “no”. The slightly longer answer is “of course they fucking don’t”. For personal reasons, it’s momentous to see and hear an artist perform a song that you have some emotional connection with. But those moments are special and rare. Your admission fee does not guarantee them. You have no right to demand them.
To all the people that thought Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s show was “self-indulgent”, I’ll let you in on a little secret. All creativity is, by nature and definition, self-indulgent. Every live act you’ve ever seen is self-indulgent. The whole process of writing, recording and performing music is about self-indulgence. Every touring act is self-indulgent. Fair-weather fans, who buy tickets to see artists with the expectation they’ll hear all their favourite songs and have a nice little sing-along, need to pull their heads out of their arses. They need to get a grip on reality. They need to take a long walk through the hall of mirrors.
Labels: neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/24/2013 12:19:00 PM
13 comments
Labels: crazy horse, neil young, video
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/24/2013 09:32:00 AM
6 comments
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/23/2013 12:20:00 PM
26 comments
“I sense the very same energy in photography that I find in music. Through these rock ’n’ roll photos we are conveying what is so difficult to put into words: how the spirit of rock ’n’ roll is mainly an attitude; an attitude of ‘get out of my way, I have something to say here.’ Whether you’re a country singer, a pop, rock, blues, or gospel singer, it makes little difference to the unceasing eye of the camera.”"Graham Nash: Life on the Road" will be showing at Proud Camden, The Horse Hospital Stables, London, UK from 3rd April 2012 to 19th May 2013.
Labels: graham nash
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/22/2013 05:59:00 PM
4 comments
Labels: pegi young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/21/2013 05:29:00 PM
2 comments
Neil Young & Crazy HorseAs far as I can remember, I’ve seen Neil Young at least a dozen times.
He remains as vibrant and vital now as he was when I first saw him with CSNY in 1974. If this is my last chance to hear him play live, then I have no complaints…this is rock and roll that hits all the senses and lingers long after the final chords have died down. Long Live Neil Young. And long live Crazy Horse.
Rock and roll will never die.
Neil Young concert rockn roll will never die view from cheap seats at Vectra auckland twitter.com/malckiwi/statu…
— Malcolm Roberts (@malckiwi) March 21, 2013
In the last week I've seen Neil Young, Santana & Steve Miller Band. Verdict- Santana:overrated, Steve Miller: awesome & Neil: hail the king!
— Jo (@QueenKibi) March 21, 2013
Okay that's it. I'm done. I am complete. Neil Young. Crazy Horse. Alchemy 2013. Auckland. Thank you. @neilyounglyrics twitter.com/janglingjack/s…
— Tim Judson (@janglingjack) March 21, 2013
Just saw Neil Young and Crazy Horse play Cinnamon Girl! Life complete!!
— Paul Flynn (@FlynnyZM) March 21, 2013
Unbelievably good guitar solos.. This is how a band should sound - Last minute Neil Young gig #truelegend twitter.com/robjholmes/sta…
— Robert Holmes (@robjholmes) March 21, 2013
Alchemy Tour Labels: auckland, concert, crazy horse, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/21/2013 05:41:00 AM
22 comments
Neil Young with Crazy Horse - 4 shows is not enough but the last was unforgettable.Phenomenal indeed! Thanks "Old Man Emu"!
Hurricane On The Hill at the Hill Winery in Geelong, VIC. When they started Like A Hurricane I was so elated as I've never seen it live. But when the heavens opened and Poncho's organ was getting blown over the edge of the stage like a child's swing with torrential rain pouring down and Poncho giving up and then when the tarpaulin on the roof overflowed right onto Neil and the sheets of water came in they started to shut the song down. I was bitterly disappointed.
Then what ? Neil saw all the equipment was still working, he shoke off a lightning strike, eyed god squarely, and said "Go on I dare you, electrocute me it's your choice". God choose to let Neil and Crazy Horse complete the song. I have never experienced anything drive so much emotional energy through my body. Stage, performers and equipment flooded. 66 year old guys should take more care !
Phenomenal !
Labels: crazy horse, hurricane, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/19/2013 11:44:00 AM
9 comments
Alchemy Tour Just back from epic Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert tonight. 2hrs 45mins of great rock'n'roll - introduced by NZ national anthem!
— Tim Jones (@timjonesbooks) March 19, 2013
Neil Young and Crazy Horse - one of the best concerts I've ever been too. Just short of three hours.
— Mike Brown (@maupuia) March 19, 2013
@neilyoung your Wellington NZ gig rocked. Expectations met big time. Rock and Roll.....you know the rest
— Hamish Girvan (@girvana) March 19, 2013
The real salt and grit is when Neil is strangling that guitar, arguing for it to spill the beans, to tell its truth/to yell his truth. He’s like the standover man of the electric guitar; he wrestles and wrangles, he tilts and whirls, he angles back with a cartoon walk one minute then next thing it appears he’s been using his guitar to catch a fish all the while. Hendrix may well have stood at the edge of the mountain and chopped it down with the edge of his hand. But you get the feeling, now, that he was instructed to do that so that Neil Young could tunnel out from the rubble.
Every guitar solo is different, every guitar solo is sacred. Neil Young’s guitar solos when he’s riding with the horse are not toilet-break material, unless you couldn’t make it the whole way to the show in one go because your knuckles were skinned from all the walking. Neil Young’s guitar solos when he’s riding with the horse are a surprise every time – to him and to us. He plays them as if he’s hearing them for the first time. That’s the real (genuine) treat. His severe case of guitar-face so genuine; he so thoroughly means this shit. He’ll fight for it too. His guitar carries the scars to show for it. He’s so wrapped up in this and his body language suggests the power runs through the lead and on through him before it gets to the guitar’s pickup.
So last night was amazing. Neil Young was peeerfect.
—Astrea (@Woah_Astrea) March 19, 2013
Nearly three hours of rockin good times from Neil Young & Crazy Horse in Welly tonight. Total legend show. #rocknrollwillneverdie
— David Ridler (@davidridler) March 19, 2013
@blogonthetracks review for tomorrow: the set list, follow by "Neil Young is a fucking legend. That is all". Maybe add "value for money"
— Emma Harrison (@kiri_te_karnage) March 19, 2013
Neil Young & Crazy Horse were amazing last night. Played for two hours forty! Setlist was great too.
— Andrew Voerman (@andrewvoerman) March 19, 2013
Neil Young may look 107 years old, but his voice sounds 27. Immaculate concert.
— Paul (@WeAreAllCylons) March 19, 2013
Whoever set the fire under neil young, it's still going #atwellingtongig
— richard langston (@richlangston2) March 19, 2013
Dad just called from Neil Young. Didn’t say a word, just held up his phone. Legend.
— Duncan Heal (@duncn) March 19, 2013
Just had to quickly pop on Twitter to let you all know how amazing Neil Young is. Particularly for such an old bugger. He's still got it.
— Ashleigh Lambert (@ashtron) March 19, 2013
Filling up for Neil Young and Crazy Horse. #cantbeatwgtnonagoodday #goodtimeswgtn twitter.com/shaw_alistair/…
— Alistair Shaw (@shaw_alistair) March 19, 2013
Labels: neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/19/2013 06:20:00 AM
16 comments
Labels: allman brothers band, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/17/2013 10:04:00 PM
7 comments
Labels: crazy horse, neil young, video
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/17/2013 01:16:00 PM
4 comments
The need to take a deep refreshing drink of Neil Young and Crazy Horse each time they come to Australia is always something that the faithful believers of his art will try their best to do.Full review on Tone Deaf - The Home Of Australian Music by Paul Busch.
The people that ‘get’ Young and his muse come with open eyes and ears knowing that whatever is offered up will be honest, soulful, and mesmerising. He and Crazy Horse proved that New South Wales would not soon forget this galloping force after two stellar gigs at Bimbadgen Winery in the Hunter Valley on Saturday and at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney this past weekend.
From the opening and extended jam of “Love And Only Love”, the Horse was in full flight from the get go. This sonic force washes over you and then eventually Young sings and you sigh with wonder that his voice has not lost that aching quality.
For 15 minutes Frank “Poncho’’ Sampedro and Young duel with their guitars while the equally stunning Billy Talbot lays down a solid wall of bass. Ralph Molina is a modest rock on the drums.
This first number is just an announcement to all where this concert is going tonight. It will be loud, it will have feedback, and it will be amazing.
Labels: concert, crazy horse, neil young, review
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/16/2013 10:00:00 PM
10 comments
Alchemy Tour Labels: australia, concert, crazy horse, neil young, reviews
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/16/2013 06:33:00 AM
16 comments
Labels: neil young, video
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/15/2013 05:53:00 PM
11 comments
Neil Young and Crazy Horse killed it again in Melbourne. Seriously, he's performing at a whole other level!.
— silvia monzon (@SteelGaffneygnl) March 15, 2013
Neil Young: I've seen bands a third of his age that don't rock nearly half as much.
— Ben Carson (@somerandomben) March 15, 2013
Neil Young and Crazy Horse played another sizzling show tonight in Melbourne, just as good as Wednesday night!
— Richard Sharman (@blackshadowpix) March 15, 2013
Neil Young just melted my face off. #thatisall
— Matthew Rees (@mrees1985) March 15, 2013
Neil young. twitter.com/andreamaryb/st…
— Andrea Bowden (@andreamaryb) March 15, 2013
Labels: australia, concert, crazy horse, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/15/2013 05:35:00 AM
26 comments
To quote Stevie Wonder,
"I'm too high, I'm too high, hope I never ever come down".
The Plenary gig was transcendent.
I don't expect the Horse to match it at Rod Laver, but really don't care.
To have been there, was to witness some of the most alive and truly live,performance moments. Neil was right out there, and the Horse did there best to follow. The guitar work was awesome's big daddy, and the Crazy horse harmonies, angelic.
Danger Bird...what a treat! It was so slow, the whole thing was in danger of stopping mid air, but somehow, miraculously, the bird flew, and soared. Incredible. Sedan delivery and Barstool blues, also unforgettable. It felt like we were carried into a timeless space, and honestly, I could have stayed all nite in that space. It was amazing to see the time at the end.
There was magic over the band, and magic for all with eyes to hear, see and feel.
I've been to many NY gigs over the years.
Nothing...nothing comes close to this gig.
Thank you Neil.
Thankyou Crazy Horse.
Godspeed to you and yours,
see you on Friday nite for more 'hit you in the heart' music.
I've thrown away all my medicine.
I've taken the cure. :-)
Labels: cortez the killer, crazy horse, neil young, video
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/14/2013 08:04:00 AM
18 comments
3 hours of @neilyoung & Crazy Horse tonight! Great to see Cortez the killer get a run.#2moretogo twitter.com/Matt_W_JBaus/s…
— MattW (@Matt_W_JBaus) March 13, 2013
Neil Young played for exactly 3 hours. He blows young musicians out the water. A different class. Wow!
— Brett Schewitz (@SchweppsRocka) March 13, 2013
No exaggeration - This Neil Young show is one of the most astonishing gigs I have ever witnessed. #neilyoung #plenary
— Stan Lee (@BrandDNA) March 13, 2013
. Neil Young and Crazy Horse delivered three hours of bliss tonight at The Plenary in #Melbourne. One of the best gigs of my life.
— Richard Sharman (@blackshadowpix) March 13, 2013
Neil Young brilliant tonight @triplemmelb ....you could smell the Horse.....none better than Neil
— Barry Denner (@bazman14) March 13, 2013
Neil Young / Crazy Horse = three hours of brutal bliss...
— Wes Holland (@wes__holland) March 13, 2013
by Paul Cashmere on March 14, 2013
With a capacity of 5000, tonight’s Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Melbourne’s Plenary Hall was the smallest room Young has ever played in Australia. Every other show to date has been arenas. The Plenary show was billed as a special show and indeed it was because Neil was making a movie.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse filmed this Melbourne ‘Alchemy’ show for their next concert documentary and by the set and the setlist you can expect ‘Alchemy’ the concert movie to be ‘Rust Never Sleeps II’.
Tonight, Neil Young fans got to see him up close and personal for one of his most ferocious shows ever, with thanks to his band of pitbulls, Crazy Horse. I challenge any musician even two thirds younger than 67-year old Neil Young to go a few rounds with him on stage. He would destroy you musically.
I’ve seen Neil Young on every one of his Australian tours and by far this was his most powerful. In total, three hours from head to toe. Neil Young & Crazy Horse were like a hurricane this evening. Tonight he was totally switched to 11.
Let me start at the end. After ‘Cinnamon Girl’, Young threw away the standard setlist played in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney and played a completely unique set with a few rarities over the extended hour. All of the other shows ran for two hours and 20 minutes. This one was exactly three hours.
Alchemy Tour Labels: australia, concert, crazy horse, neil young, reviews
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/13/2013 05:19:00 AM
39 comments
Sydney 2013-03-10 - Crazy Horse at their finestWonderful review AlbaN! What an experience with your son, too!
Last night I (53 years) and my 20-year-old son got to experience the horse at their absolute finest.
Yes that's right, at their absolute finest! This experience left me in no doubt that the horse are at the top of their game right now; raw, rowdy, grungy guitar-based primal stomp music. The muse is still flowing, my foot is still tapping, even after a few hours sleep. Still in awe how they do it. If you're a horse fan it don't get any better than this I can assure you.
I was a little concerned before going re some of the comments about the concert and the extended endings & huddles etc, but I was more than impressed and it was above all expectations, far far above. These guys were on fire; they threw everything they had into the performance and they were having so much fun. We were right on the rail (front row GA) in front of Poncho. What a gentleman he is, gave me the finger and I gave it back twice as hard. He was in party mode and loving it, he was singing along to the songs even though he was far from the microphone. You could see and feel he loved them and doing his thing. Who would think they are all 60+ years. It was really great to see them interacting and how they interplay the guitar bits and to see them play their new stuff, artists doing what’s closest to them at the time. And we got to hear a new song performed prior to most of the world, what a treat. And the piano song (Singer without a song), none of us have really heard that before, how sweet it was. Neil provided one acoustic staple old fave in heart of gold, but it was then back to the new and how great they are, twisted road what a tale.
The concert had a range of emotions, power and drama. Ramada Inn, what a classic this will become, and the analog time warp classics of Cinnamon Girl and Mr Soul, how solid and powerful were they.
And I reckon Neil & Poncho interacted with the crowd more than I have seen before, they were both humorous, gesturing with the crowd and joking with each other. And the horse huddles were not too much, this is how they interplay and to experience how they work it with each other was really a treat. Maybe you need to be down front to really appreciate all this, and to actually see and feel how they play together. Hey, but that's where rock n roll is, in the mosh (not so moshy with all the oldies), but not to be sitting back in some far-away stand where you can’t really feel the muse and see what the band is doing. Its all part of the experience; seeing and feeling how they interact. Neil’s voice was great and the harmonies from Billy and Poncho, wow much better than expected. Much, much better. And the guys are looking good too! And it was good to actually see Ralph on stage after he crawled out from behind those drums, felt him all night though.
And the encore, Prisoners & Opera Star – how unexpected was that, what a treat to hear some hidden gems (even with some nuances and the odd bit of slop) from some mostly forgotten about albums (or not even known albums by the non-horse lovers). They pulled no punches here. Thumped it out till the final note came down. Clearly they were loving it and we the horse-lovers right at the front loved every second as well.
Whatever substances these guys are not on now, feed em more of it! Hopefully the horse will capture the magic they have at present and get some of their new songs recorded (am sure Neil has a bucket load stashed away in that brain of his). Can’t wait for the next album, preorder now as it will be a cracker. No doubts here, No fading away here, And it surely ain’t over. Long live the horse. Keep fuckn’ up guys!
Labels: concert, crazy horse, neil young, review
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/12/2013 05:36:00 PM
17 comments
If you've been following the concert reviews coming out of the Neil Young & Crazy Horse tour down in Australia, you may have been scratching your head like us. As in, what's going on Down Under with these Neil fans?
Drunk Yet Sensitive Aussie Fans Storm Stage at Neil Young ConcertThanks Zuma Band! That's a priceless riot. Definitely helping us back off the ledge.
March 10, 2013, Sydney, Australia
In what will be billed as the White Zin riot, crying and inebriated audience members at a Neil Young and Crazy Horse concert reacted violently to the perplexing and unfamiliar music they were confronted with at the "A Day On The Green" Festival in Hunter Valley.
"Crikey," sobbed Mel Cowhan, a retired petting zoo maintenance man, "I was 'ere wiff me missus, enjoying a gallon or two of some fine wine in a box, expecting to do a right-o sing along with Neil Young, at least the Neil Young I thought I knew, and what was this? Sounded like the aliens lifted up Uluru and dropped it gob smack on our 'eads, thas what!"
Incensed at what they felt was their right to demand the material that the artist was performing that night - "I came to hear all the hits and only the hits from "Harvest" and, uhh you know, "Horse With No Name" blurted Lilly McPie- a determined, though woozy and staggering clot of concert goers attempted to attack the stage to convince the "imposter" on stage to find the "real" Neil Young and make him perform. "I know you expect us to all behave like our ancestors, the drunken and violent prisoners who landed in Botany Bay in 1788. Yes, we're drunk tonight, and yes, we're certainly prone to violence." said Nigel Tusselwaithe as he hurled an empty Fosters can in the general direction of the stage and screamed "Play 'effin' "Old Man" you sods or I'll personally bugger you all!!", but, he continued, " We're also quite sensitive, indeed maudlin when we've been in our cups, and we demand sensitive music to calm our savage instincts. This audio bludgeoning is awakening something in us that we thought had been tamed with 200 years of sunshine, alcohol, and more immediate concerns like salt water crocodiles and poisonous snakes and spiders. Of course, not being in gaols in Britain also helped."
The mob was repulsed before they could even breach the outer perimeter of the General Admission zone by repetitive and crushing sonic shock waves. "Knocked me flat on me bum" mutttered Matilda Snopes as she crawled along on the festival grounds, "That, and the liter of tequila I just quaffed."
"If this was war Crazy Horse would be on trial for violating the Geneva Conventions on the use of sound as a weapon!" said Bertie Swiles, as he limped back towards his blanket and barbeque at the farther recesses of the festival grounds. "Anyways, I ate too much shrimp, and I'm thirsty for some more gin and I have to pee."
The mood of the evening was summed up by Lucy Blight and her sister, Drusilla, as they contemplated a musical world and (now former) idol they found confounding. "Well, he doesn't look like he did 40 years ago, and that is certainly unsettling. I mean, every time I play my Neil Young collection (consisting of "Harvest" ) the songs are just the same, so why can't he do that? You know, get a brown wig and a buckskin jacket and just make everything like 1972." said Lucy, with a wistful whine. Added Drusilla, sniffling, "I'll admit, I did try "Comes A Time" but it had that creepy song. "Look Out For My Love," so no more of that wild new stuff! Reminded me of Bobbie McSchwetty, my beau back then who I had to get a restraining order against. But I ended up marrying him! Of course, he doesn't look at all like he did in 1972....it's like he was eaten by an even drunker and immensely fatter version of himself."
Labels: neil young, satire
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/11/2013 05:37:00 PM
25 comments
Online this morning, the reviews have been mixed.But then if you actually go to Day on the Green Facebook site , here's what you find (as others have noted): There are a total of *2* review comments on Facebook, one positive by "Tiller" with 7 likes and one negative by "Benny" with ZERO likes and 8 comments by folks ridiculing him.
But this on the Day on the Green | Facebook probably sums up the reaction:
‘‘. . . if the booing wasnt enough as a guide that the crowd wasnt enjoying the concert. Singing "you’re a f..k up" over and over again for half an hour. We left prematurely. Was NOT worth the price we paid.’’
Of course, I knew basically what to expect – a loud, electric show framed around the Psychedelic Pill double CD – but that was way more than some of the people sitting around me knew. The chap next to me hoped that Neil would do a lot of songs from Harvest (the only Young album he owned) and was surprised when I suggested that might not happen (he did do ‘Heart Of Gold’ to rapturous applause).Now that's a review written by someone who attended the concert. As opposed to the lazy hacks at Newcastle Herald.
Then, after Young played a new song someone yelled out, ‘This is boring, play your old songs!’ Some people still just don’t get it. Not that Young is too concerned. As he has written, he has the urge to constantly move on. Luckily, there are enough of his fans who have also moved on.
...
Perhaps the surprise of the night was an extended version of ‘Fuckin’ Up’ with Frank Sampedro improvising lyrics, singing doo wop at one point, and the audience encouraged to sing the line ‘Why does he keep fuckin’ up?’ back to Neil. It was kind of cheesy, but funny.
A great, rocking ‘Mr Soul’, another obvious crowd favourite, led into a fabulous and grungy version of ‘Hey Hey My, My (Into The Black)’, the final song.
The encore of ‘Like A Hurricane’ was also an unexpected treat and was elongated to the point where you felt that Young just did not want it to end. There were more false endings than a TV drama series. Billy Talbot knelt and placed his bass next to the speaker to extract more feedback, while Young placed his (with shredded strings) against another. Unfortunately, after 15 minutes, it did end after Young intoned the line ‘Once I thought I saw you’, and gave it a dreamlike sonic quality. Stunning.
I’ll think of a better word to describe Neil Young & Crazy Horse live, but for now ‘awesome’ will just have to do!
"Some things never change,"Prisoners Of Rock 'n' Roll"
they stay the way they are.
You were born to rock,
you'll never be an opera star
Some things never change,
they stay the way they are."
"People tell us that we play to loudSo here you go, this is for all the doubters.
But they don't know what our music's about
We never listen to the record company man
They try to change us and ruin our band.
That's why we don't wanna be good
That's why we don't wanna be good
We're prisoners of rock and roll."
Labels: neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/10/2013 11:58:00 AM
41 comments
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