Drunk Yet Sensitive Aussie Fans Storm Stage at Neil Young Concert
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?
We tried to take a stab at understanding it all with the recent post The Essence of "The Doubters": Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews but made little head way... until this little gem popped up.
Here's a report on this weekend's Neil Young & Crazy Horse concert at A Day On The Green, Hunter Valley, AUS on Mar 9, 2013:
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."
Some of these AUS reviews were starting to almost get the better of us. Imagine that...
More on the perplexing The Essence of "The Doubters": Neil Young & Crazy Horse Concert Reviews.
Or, at least Australia fans aren't as rude as Bridgeport, CT fans who find out what happens If You Text During a Neil Young Concert, This Could Be You.
Labels: neil young, satire
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/11/2013 05:37:00 PM
25 comments
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
Thanks for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!
This blog 
(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
25 Comments:
Zuma, please be honest: how long did that take you, from conception through to completion - please tell me at least two hours, cause it sure good...
in fact, one of the best in TW history I do believe...good on you, mate...
Comic gold... made me laugh out loud :)
Roll on Auckland next week...
What annoys me about this whole thing are:
1) People claiming that Neil should have played something they recognised or something old. Well, the fact is he did and does, 9 tracks from 1990 or earlier, including his only #1 single and classics such as Powderfinger and Cinnamon Girl.
2) Folks claiming they were somehow misled about the concert. Seems odd they manage to post here yet claim not to have known the setlist.
3) As true 'fans' have you listened to Arc and Weld? If so, you would have had a good idea of what to expect.
Folks, we get that you may not have enjoyed the show, that's fine and dandy; but please stop posting complete fabrications.
Brisbane, Australia, 7th March 2013 was the perfect Neil Young concert. I know a few people who have wished he had played less of The Pill and more oldies, but hey, Neil never does that. At 67, Neil walked the talk of a giant. This for me Giant is the new Hurricane. The Pill will go down as one of the classics. This was a concert for the true Neil fans, weaving through a majestic career - no, a majestic life.
It had the feel of a farewell concert, and for those of us down-under who only get a concert tour every 4 or 5 years, this may well be the last time we see him. The reminders of the past; the giant mic, Fender amps and covers from Rust, the Indian pole, etc and most of all the music gave the impression of a lifetime’s work rolled into a few hours of live music. But even touches like heart of Gold were perhaps a link back to the controversy of his early hit and subsequent refusal to play it live. What a trip
If it is the last time I get to see Neil live, I’ll still be a happy man.
Not all Australians are ignorant assholes, despite the pathetic representation from the media on this tour. I'm really enjoying the disappointment from people who were looking for a comfortable nostalgia trip and feel they are somehow entitled to have their expectations met (rather than challenged) by the artist. Fuck 'em. I was at the Sydney show and the stuff from Psychedelic Pill was excellent, full of life and passion, easily the highlights of the set.
Hey now,Hey now
I have friends down in the land of Oz. This is not that far off. They can drink Brit friends of mine under the table. It's fun to watch. But really they are nice people and like Psychedelic Pills with their wine. Rust on Aussies !!
for those looking for a nostalgia trip, check out the url below ... not sure if its truly from Joel Bernstein but its really good Neil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr8JJe9-6BE
I was at the Sydney show and let me tell you it was VERY well received. Maybe 5 people left out of 12,000. It was my fourth time seeing Neil and this was easily the best. The other times were great, this was transcendant. Neil even said, "We are certainly feeling the love tonight."
Glenn
I for one enjoyed the sydney show
After experiencing an awesome Crazy Horse set at Perth Arena I was gobsmacked at some of the comments stemming from a great review of the concert, I have only seen one or two reviews that echoed the negative sentiments from concert goers yet never really panned the Horse, it is fact that there were a few disorientated concert goers, thats life.
I thought to myself, brace yourselves for an abslolute barrage of dissapointment when Neil and Crazy Horse, play for the ABSOLUTE WRONG CROWD IN THE ABSOLUTE WRONG ENVIRONMENT for the Horse, at a wine sipper festival!!!
Right age group yes, but by and large non appreciators of the loud and rocking and jamming side of Neil. A Neil solo set at such a festival would have worked great. Anyone with half an idea shold have known exactly what A NYCH show entails!
Neil and the Horse are welcome in my garage for their next ride around, that and the arenas and venues such as the Planery which will be the gig of the tour
I lived in Australia, on the Gold Coast, for one year a few years ago, and regularly go back there (and other places: Tasmania, Adelaide, Darwin, Cairns).
I saw Aussies drink a lot, but I mean A LOT (even more than Belgians, I think, which is quite a reference...), during some festive occasions, such as the Indie Car race or the Big Day Out (outdoor music festival), and also for no specific reason. Some individuals were particularly violent when drunk.
But you can't say that all Aussies drink that much and are all violent. I'd be like to say that all Frenchies drink wine with each meal, eat croissant for each breakfast and snails (or frogs) once a week. You cannot turn exceptions into a generality.
That said, the guy interviewed here is a complete moron and this has nothing to do with his citizenship. If he wants to hear 'A horse with no name' (!), he should definitely attend another show!
I think that for most people, Neil is 'the guy who recorded Harvest and sang Heart of gold'. those do not even know what Crazy Horse is (or who they are...) and think they will attend a laid back 'country-folk-hippie' show. I guess they are really surprised indeed and probably 'disappointed' if they are not sensible to saturated guitar solos or open-minded enough to be interested in the other side of Neil...
From the music history, we know that artists that never surprise their audience are not the best...
Nicolas (From France, who regularly drinks beer, sometimes eat croissants and seldom snails, frogs, etc...!)
Brilliantly written, Zuma!
And good job pointing out the utter lunacy of people expecting an artist to not continue to creatively evolve.
I think some people have just been asleep at the wheel for 40 years. Neil and Crazy Horse have so much material and have put our so many albums since Harvest. He has got to be one of the most energetic and cutting edge lead guitarists from his era. The new album is really powerful and it is a new album tour. What do old people go to new album concert tours for if they don't want to hear the new album material. Try going to one of Bob Dylan's new album tours, you might get lucky and hear one song from the new album, at least til he get's warmed up ten shows in! Saw them both this fall and if I had more money I'd be down under right now!!!!!
Well, I don't know about all this fuzz. This always happens when Neil is on the raod but to pay so much attention to it... Have to say I really did enjoy all the positive reviews from Aussies over here on TW. Great response and great to be part of it. But then again I didn't go to the shows so I can't speak for those who did. But hey, I did listen to RustRadio over the weekend and all I can say is that it sounds amazing and thes guys are really in a good mood and they rock like they are the greatest rock'n'roll band in the universe.
BSM
.......hilarious ........no less ! no arguments needed !
I attended the Bimbadgen concert and absolutely loved it.
Since I've been back home, I've checked my music collection and every album I have that has Neil Young and Crazy Horse mentioned on the cover is hard rocking. I also dragged out Harvest, Comes a Time and After the Gold Rush. While Neil Young is mentioned, no matter how hard I looked I could not see and Crazy Horse mentioned anywhere on those albums. So based on the evidence, Neil Young and Crazy Horse gave exactly what I expected and more.
My wife also attended and while she was hoping for a little bit more Neil Young, she enjoyed Neil Young and Crazy Horse almost as much as I did.
Just once...just once, I'd like to hear a "Neil Young fan" complain that he didn't play Tonight's the Night all the way through while pounding tequila shooters onstage.
As The Dags (the Adelaide Dags) used to say; "If it's too fuckin' loud, you're too fuckin' old".
I would have thought that a lot of these "fans" complaining would have looked at Neil and Crazy Horse as inspirational. I certainly hope to have his energy at 67.
Tony of ACT nails it. It would seem a lot of Neil Young "fans" have found there way here post gigs. There's no way they could be regular lurkers here and be that ignorant about the current tour.
Either that or they're completely stoopid.
@ setlistthief:
What on Earth do you mean "tequila shooters"??? I want entire wine glasses full of tequila and no less than THREE versions at LEAST of "Tonight's The Night", each at least 20 if not 40 minutes long... "Put a little light on that palm tree, BJ"...
EVERYTHING IS CHEAPER THAN IT LOOKS
... At least here in sunny FLA
-- Eric
"The lyrics in both encore tracks speak a great volume about Young’s output with Crazy Horse: loud, loose, uncompromising and with a small dash of humour. With apologies to the critics and punters alike who have complained about the noise, the length of the songs and the lack of hits on this tour; it was never going to be any other way when the tour is billed as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. For that matter, the fulfilment of your wishes probably wouldn’t have been much higher had it been billed simply as Neil Young. As a live performer as on record, Young continues to show himself as an artist driven by his own inspiration, even if it sometimes doesn’t inspire others or meet their narrow expectations. "
http://www.themusicnetwork.com/reviews/live/2013/03/13/review-neil-young-and-crazy-horse
Neil those "ozzies" have the ambulance blues and they are all just pissing in the wind. Get out of town and come back to TO where you are appreciated for your musical talents and artistry. I will take you and the horse as you are in the moment any day!
A DAY ON THE GREEN WHAT A PACK OF UNGRATEFUL FANS THEY SURE HAVE A SHORT MEMORY.
Hey Nicolas - you did get that the original post was meant to be sarcastic right?
Or was your meant to be as well and I totally missed it?
Sigh - all too cerebral for me.
Next time I'm in France we can talk about it over a few glasses of something or other :)
To Tony ACT
My post is a mix, and looking at it it is actually not that easy to untangle (maybe also due to my English)...
Obviously that was a FAKE interview with PRETEND concert goers because the writer had no idea as to what constitutes Aussie slang, profanity or even ordinary names of blokes & sheilas!!
As a general rule though, pissheads the world over are a pain in the arse to sober people always.
Neil's back catalogue is huge, if you add in Buffalo Springfield, CSN&Y, NY solo and NY+CH - but CH albums have always been Neil at full throttle,so why act surprised. Harvest was his only major radio suitable album, and also showed a veneer of his personality at that particlular moment - then the artist moves on. John Coltrane never played the same solo twice - ever.
Post a Comment
<< Home