Völkerschlachtdenkmal Open Air, Leipzig, Germany Concert: Neil Young + Promise of the Real - July 20, 2016
UPDATE:
Another amazing setlist, per Sugar Mountain
06. Saddle Up The Palomino (first time played since 1984)
07. Hawaiian Sunrise (first time played since 1974)
+ a full-band "I Am a Child"
Neil Young + Promise of the Real will be performing tonight, July 20 at Völkerschlachtdenkmal Open Air in Leipzig, Germany.
Got a report? Drop us a comment below.
Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates and Chronological Grid, Recording Summary, Statistics and Extras.
Also, see Neil Young + Promise of the Real 2016 Concert Tour Dates for reviews, photos, videos and more.
Labels: concert, neil young, reviews, tour
by thrasher@PermaLink: 7/20/2016 04:09:00 PM
24 comments
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24 Comments:
Some surprises - Saddle Up the Palomino, Hawaiian Sunrise, full-band I Am a Child and Razor Love so far.
Razo love...Wow....these guys are amazing
Now it's time for Hitchicker
Also Don't Be Denied and a back-to-back Change Your Mind and Hurricane heading toward the encore.
Thanks Babbo B on all the updates!
Not only does it all get REAL but beyond surREAL!
Complete setlist (no encore):
1. After the Gold Rush
2. Heart of Gold
3. The Needle and the Damage Done
4. Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
5. Out On The Weekend
6. Saddle Up The Palomino
7. Hawaiian Sunrise
8. I Am A Child
9. Razor Love
10. Someday
11. Unknown Legend
12. Alabama
13. Words
14. Winterlong
15. Love To Burn
16. Powderfinger
17. Mansion On The Hill
18. Western Hero
19. Don't Be Denied
20. Seed Justice
21. Change Your Mind
22. Like a Hurricane
23. Love and Only Love
24. Rockin’ in the Free World
What a ridiculous setlist. Lukas and the rest of POTR are basically (and sadly?) putting the Horse out to pasture.
Did Booker T and MGs put Crazy Horse "out to pasture" back in 1993? Or Pearl Jam in 1995? Or the Lost Dogs: did they put Crazy Horse out of business? How about the Electric Band 2008-2009?
Of course not. So why is this any different?
Those bands could play all the classic 3-chord Crazy Horse songs in their sleep; and they were all much more accomplished musicians than Billy and Ralph. They had the talent, the chops, the attitude. And yet Crazy Horse were still there for Neil's very best records and tours, from Ragged Glory to Greendale to Psychedelic Pill. For nearly 50 years, and counting. Why? Because there is a chemistry to their sound that is very special and completely unique.
And yes, I adore all those other bands. But it's clearly a different thing. It's not Crazy Horse.
(To be clear: these recent set-lists are great, as are many of the performances; but the implication that this is somehow a stake in the heart of Crazy Horse is fundamentally incorrect, and in particular demonstrates a short-term memory).
Scotsman.
Aaaaaaaaaaaahh hawaiian sunrise!! Please please please play tonight at waldbruhne.... Great setlist in leipzig!
Don't be denied also......!!!
Saddle Up The Palomino, are you kidding me?!? POTR are kicking ass, and I'm stuck out here with Melody, ha ha!!!
But please......let's stop with the "Crazy Horse is done" stuff. All of us know what Crazy Horse means to Neil, how important they are in the Big Picture. I can totally see Neil riding that Horse again down the road.....I think even the POTR boys know, and accept this.
Did anyone read the Neil cover story in a recent issue of Uncut magazine? Micah says that he realizes that this is a wave that Neil is riding, and the band is fine with it whenever he decides to hop another one. And when Neil is asked about Crazy Horse, he said that without a doubt, he will head that way again.
I don't think Crazy Horse will ever be over for Neil, and there's nothing wrong with that. I love POTR, but I'll be the first in line to get Crazy Horse tickets when the time comes......Long Live The Horse.
"Ta Shuntka Witco" (Crazy Horse).....Never Surrender!
Agree, Neil can and will shift gears at any moment, thats why its so important to catch one these POTR shows before Neil drives back into the ditch ... POTR is the Crazy Horse for the next 20-30+ years (that would make Neil 100), but so long as CH is sound Neil won't give up on them ... that said, POTR's ability to play virtually all of Neil's cannon is a big draw for Neil, one of his frustrations with CH was the learning curve and the lack of versatility in changing up set lists (see his comment in Trunk Show about his electric band vs. CH) ... but CH will always have a special sound and special place ... I'm still waiting for Neil and CH to reschedule the Capital Theatre show in Portchester which would have been the smallest venue they've played in in like 20yrs :) ... and on the subject on making requests, agree that Neil should release soundbroards of the shows and also livestream video of the shows, Deadco has been doing it on nugs.tv and its so great, especially now with Neil varying set lists would be a real service to fans who can't travel to Europe but who want to follow every show ...
For me, any one of Neil's bands that doesn't feature Poncho Sampedro is going to be somewhere short of 100%. Kind of like seeing the Rolling Stones without both Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood. It's the combination of the two that is exciting; the chemistry.
I think Neil needs that massive punchy rhythm sound; his own lead playing falls a little flat without it. It flies, but it doesn't soar. The chemistry between Neil and Poncho's guitars (and their personalities) is world-class, and quite unique. Magic. That's what people pay to witness.
That said, POTR have a sound very different to Crazy Horse, as is evidenced on Earth. And that's why they succeed: they play by a different set of rules. Trying to out-Crazy Horse Crazy Horse can only lead to disappointment. If anything, the three-guitar combination of POTR seems a little forced; at any one time, one of the guitars is almost always redundant. 'More' is not equal to 'better'.
Worth noting too that Neil's most exciting bands have rarely been the most versatile. Crazy Horse, The Blue Notes, Lost Dogs, International Harvesters etc all had a particular niche of music they specialised in. Whereas the jack-of-all-trades bands like "Friends and Relatives" and the Trans Band were fairly dull, to be quite honest. The spark wasn't there. Self-imposed restrictions have almost always made Neil's music more powerful.
Nowadays the weak link in Crazy Horse tends to be Ralph. He's still good, but he's less reliable than he once was. Whereas Poncho still has it nailed. He's still razor sharp. Billy is unpredictable as always, which is part of what makes him great. There's a thrill to seeing Crazy Horse that isn't there with any other band. They walk a tightrope.
I think we will see another collobaration with members of CH within the next couple of years. Regardless, their legacy is established. You only have to put on a random bootleg from 1991 or 1996 to hear just how world-class they really were. Everything else sounds like mickey mouse in comparison, really. And the wonderful thing about music is that it retains it's power. The version of Like A Hurricane from L.A 1991 still gives me chills every time I hear it. Put on a bootleg from Old Princeton Landing and it might as well be happening now. Age hasn't diluted it at all. How wonderful.
Scotsman.
The set list above is as close to perfect as I could imagine. Some of my all time favorite Neil Young songs all in one show. No encore required.
Also... I really appreciate all the love thrown towards the Horse. They really are there own sound, and comparing bands is kind of pointless.
For now Neil is with the Real, and these young men really deliver.
... that would be...their own sound....
Amazing set-list, and as others have said we should enjoy it in the here and now, because it will evolve, devolve, fizzle out, fade away or abruptly crash and burn.
As far as Crazy Horse goes, it's highly likely they'll be saddled up again. To me, they are basically what they've always been, but the "problem" today is the way Neil chooses to interact with them. He sees himself and/or them differently--he places limitations on them that aren't necessarily there. He chooses to extend songs beyond the musical realm. Some fans see that as the magical spook and spark--I see it as tedious and self indulgent.
I still love NY and CH and their place in history has been cemented for a long time. Unfortunately, their recent collective musical relationship is out of synch like lovers who wake up one morning still in love, but pulled in opposite directions.
Take my advice
don't listen to me
Crazy Horse aren't quite at their best nowadays (as you'd expect from guys approaching old age), but still I think they have done some great things recently. I know both Neil and the Horse are proud of Psychedelic Pill. Walk On Giant is probably the most intense NY performance ever committed to studio tape. Yes, there is that horrible noise ending to contend with, but this sort of thing isn't exclusive to Crazy Horse. The noise ending to LAOL on Earth is 13 minutes long, for instance.
I think if you like electric "instrumental" Neil Young, then the Horse remains the gold standard that all others are inevitably going to be compared to (and fail to surpass). But if you don't like that style, then other bands may be better, as they gloss it up a little more.
The real beauty of Crazy Horse? Fusion. The way the instruments interact with each other. They don't collide or struggle for room, they just slot together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, becoming more than the sum of their parts. The songs ignite and head for the stars. It feels so natural, so perfect.
Have any other of Neil's bands achieved this perfect chemistry? Only a few have come close. Poncho and the MGs (live). The Bluenotes and the Restless, maybe. The short-lived SNL 1989 band. That's it. It's a rare thing.
Scotsman.
PS
...Honourable mention to the August/September 1985 line-up of the International Harvesters, a great band which really deserves it's own dedicated Performance Series release (in addition to the 3 songs included on A Treasure).
Scotsman.
Regarding the "noise ending" to LOAL on Earth, for some reason I think it's significantly better than the recent CH noise endings. To me, this version builds and releases, and there's always at least a thread of musicality.
To my untrained ear, there are always faint guitar lines/notes being played, and when intertwined with the animal sounds, it's weirdly interesting. With CH, I swear it's just sheets of feedback that I could replicate merely by holding the guitar and pushing it towards and away from the amps. Sure that's probably a slight exaggeration, but it represents what I feel I'm hearing during the truly tedious passages of musical wasted time...
Take my advice
don't listen to me
Topanga: Yes, I like the ending on Earth as well. Definitely better than the Giant ending.
Up until 1996, it was rare for even the most extended of songs to last more than 14 minutes or so. And often around 10 minutes would be the perfect length for Cortez, Hurricane, River etc. Most of the instrumental time was spent soloing.
Since then, songs can commonly last for much longer. Sounds good on paper, but I agree: often these over-extended versions are just padded out with superfluous noise sections. Most post-1995 versions of Like A Hurricane are tedious to listen for this very reason.
Don't get me wrong: as a 1991-electric-fanatic, I like industrial noise, but it's very easy to go overboard and break the spell.
Scotsman.
A tour for all ages. Great versatility and expansion of the setlists is something to behold. Neil stays young with these guys and they get to grow old with him. Love and only Neil will endure!
So many great, insightful comments once again proff that rusties are some of the most passionate music fans on EARTH.
@ Scotsman - once again (golf clap) and a future CotM.
@SONY - good to see you our friend. It's been awhile... don't be a stranger... ;)
Please pass this way again.
Hawaiian Sunrise jetzt auf Youtube!
https://youtu.be/QTmqfL4CoI8
Saddle Up The Palomino ebenfalls auf Youtube!
https://youtu.be/awu-kr5AAn8
Ich war dort! Es war gigantisch!
Super heißes Wetter und dann 3.05 Stunden langes Konzert mit etlichen Höhepunkten! Unvergesslich: Mein längstes von nun 14 Neil Young Konzerten.
Markus
Translation:
I was there! It was gigantic!
Hot weather and then the concert lasted 3.05 hours long full with highlights!Unforgetable: It was my longest of now fourteen Neil Young concerts .
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