Photo by Jay Blakesberg
(Click photo to enlarge)
The Comment of the Moment was inspired by an earlier post on 1980's Roadtrips with Neil Young as My Co-pilot by Dan S.:
One of my most cherished memories with Neil was at the Horde festival 1997 @ Portland Meadows in Oregon. It was an all day event and Neil and Crazy Horse were the headliners, but there were several artists on the bill like Primus, Morphine, and Ben Folds Five to name a few.Thanks Dan! Great Neil roadtrip memory. Yes, we recall those side stage mini concerts. However by the time the tour reached the east, Neil seemed to do few and fewer. Of the 4 or so Horde shows we made, waited patiently each time to no avail. Larry would bring out the guitars. Then 45 minutes later, take them away.
There were several stages set up throughout this huge race track area and my friends and I had set up close to the main stage where Neil and the Horse were going to play at the end of the day. It was July 13th and hot as the dickens, so I walked over to this area where they had a bunch of fire hoses shooting water to cool folks off, and as I was walking back to my group of friends I heard someone announce a surprise guest on this tiny little stage set up.
I turned around and out walks Neil with his acoustic guitar about five feet away from where I had stopped. He sits down and proceeds to play ten or twelve songs solo to around twenty people who just happen to be in the right place at the right time. It was sublime to say the least. I can't remember every song he sang but I do remember Heart of Gold, Comes a Time, and Needle and the Damage Done. By the time he was done and walked off this little stage, I turned around and there was this huge crowd that had gathered while he played.
It really felt to me at that moment as if Neil was playing those songs just for me, and although the crowd grew behind me as word began to spread, I had no idea that anyone else was there. It was just such a beautiful moment, and completely impromptu. No one saw it coming, and there I was having my own private little concert with Neil Young.
I still have the ticket stub for that day, $36.00 for the whole day and ten bands. Those were the day's.
I'll never forget how it felt in that moment. Just amazing!
So good on lucky you!
More Neil Young 1997 Horde Memories from Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California on July 11, 1997.
1997-07-13, Early Show
ReplyDeletePortland Meadows, Portland, Oregon, USA
HORDE Festival
Solo
1. On The Way Home
2. Out On The Weekend
3. Sugar Mountain
4. Comes A Time
Tape Exists:
Yes
I was there...it was pure.
ReplyDeleteI believe this tour kicked off at Shoreline. Unusual as tours seem to start in the east. Id heard he was going to play solo on small stages and did catch his last 3 tunes on one. Sometimes he was joined by Popper. Primus was allot of fun that day also.
ReplyDeleteI was there...it was pure.
ReplyDeleteKiller bill! I was only 10 at the time. Neil sadly wasn't on my radar yet.
ReplyDeleteI was so bummed when Neil didn't do a solo set at the Jones Beach stop. I remember standing around a lot, just hoping, maybe, crossing my fingers. Fortunately, we had decent fake Ids and could drink overpriced beers!
ReplyDeleteHe did solo sets at 10 of the first 15 shows, none at the final 14.
ReplyDeleteMy dad and I were at the Arts Center show in NJ that August. We waited right in the front row of that tiny stage, hoping for the solo set. A little later, Neil walked by with Elliot Roberts and I shouted out "Hey Neil!?" in my 12 year-old voice. He gave us a wave and continued on his journey. Probably in search of some homegrown.
ReplyDeleteHe did the same thing in Phoenix during that tour...hot as hell as I recall, he told us all to keep hydrated. Reading this memory triggered mine...same scenario, except it was Larry Cragg who I just happened to spot setting up 15 minutes beforehand who told us. An almost identical experience.
ReplyDeleteya gotta love memories. "10 or 12 songs", eh? looks like it was 4. i got to see 3 side stage performances that year, and neil played "too far gone" in columbus after i requested it. so there. i also saw some epic jams with members of morphine, primus, and medeski martin and wood. i was at the epic thunderstorm show in chicago when the power went out (but neil and the boys kept playing).
ReplyDeletethat was a HELL of a tour.
I saw every Neil Young show that he played with Crazy Horse in Chicago Between 1979 in 2012. While rust never sleeps was a real eye-opener and smell the horse was a real ear opener that horde Fest show at Tinley Park during that unbelievable thunderstorm was by far the most magical of all the Neil Young and Crazy Horse shows I've seen. He literally thrashed that guitar during f****** up and when he turned around after at the end of this song and held up the guitar the strings were shredded. I'd love to see the video of that one. I know it's out there
DeleteAhhh,1997..... The year I got burned by the dreaded "Ham Sandwich". Neil and the Horse had played the Catalyst the night before, but I missed it. So the next morning I went down to the Catalyst hoping for an announcement of a 2nd show. Sure enough, it was happening. I waited patiently in line on a beautiful Santa Cruz day, and finally got a ticket to a Neil Young Catalyst show. I was in high heaven.
ReplyDeleteI went back home, got my mind as hazy as possible, then stumbled downtown to have my dream come true and see Neil and the Horse at the Catalyst. As I'm getting near, I notice there aren't that many people hanging around. I started to get a bad feeling and sure enough, there's a sign posted on the ticket door window: Tonight's Hippie Dream show has been cancelled...... Ugh.
The story is Neil cut his hand making a ham sandwich......a ham sandwich..... I would have happily volunteered to make Neil's sandwich for him, just keep him away from the knives, please.
Almost 20 years later, and I still get sore anytime I see ham.......
I remember the sandwich incident. as I recall his comment was "If Id known it would jeopardize the tour I would have eaten the thing whole" 9 songs solo for the opening show Shoreline (re Sugar Mountain).
ReplyDeleteyou guys really believe that ham sandwich story? HI-lariious!
ReplyDeleteNot saying that I necessarily believed it, just reporting what the official line was.
DeleteThere's many stories that I've heard about how Santa Cruz was a haven for Neil to do certain things that he probably couldn't do at the ranch, but you gotta take these stories with a grain of salt.
Geez... I guess 19 years can really mess with your memories. I remember it being a short set, but I really thought it was more than just four songs. Oh well, my post was really about how it felt in that moment.
ReplyDeleteHey Dan, no worries. Tough crowd here @ TW sometimes but they mostly mean well.
ReplyDeleteBut you're right, it's all about the feeling first and foremost.
My sister and I must have been right next to you when Neil showed up at the side stage at Portland Meadows. I remember the crowd literally trembling, Neil asking for our song requests (he did more than 4) and the power going out on the stage *which did not deter him or us. It was one of the best concert moments of my life. Was that also the show that Eddie Vedder came out on stage with him during his main set, or am I confusing this with another show?
ReplyDelete