Concert Review of the Moment: Neil Young Solo - Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, January 23, 2019

Neil Young Solo Minneapolis Residency:
Night #1 - Pantages Theatre, (Minneapolis, Minnesota) January 26
SOLD OUT! Photo by Donald Leary via Facebook (Thanks HtH!)

Jamjet has left a new comment on your post on Neil Young's Solo "Big 3M Theater Tour" Begins Tonight: Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, January 23 :

Milwaukee

Apologies Thrasher, I have been traveling

I was lucky enough to manage center front row seats with my wife.

For me, a Neil concert is always preempted with the anticipatory thought of: “Is Neil going to connect with us tonight?” “Will a 5 minute song morph into a 20 minute jam?”

You never know exactly what Neil you’re going to get. It is that journey of discovery which makes his shows so special.

Milwaukee confused me a tad. First, let me say it was, without a doubt, the best solo performance I’ve seen to date. There was something amiss. I don’t think it was a reaction to the crowd as a news article suggest. Yes he did comment on the crowd noise and the tuning of his guitar, although in between songs while he was praised by the audience. He didn’t appear to have a defined set list for the night. He wandered aimlessly from the guitar cluster to the multiple pianos, sometimes hesitating at each as if deciding which to play.

My confusion lies in the aborted songs. He started playing “One of these days” on the piano. As the news articles have posted, he stood up mid song from the piano and finished on the guitar. What I saw prior to him standing up was this, while playing he turned toward the crowd while seated as if to get up, I whispered to my wife “something’s up”. Immediately thereafter he stood up and walked over to his chair and picked up a guitar. No one knew whether he would remain with “one of these days” or not. He did.

When he aborted “Don’t Be Denied”-one of my favorites- and stuck out his hand, I didn’t see it as due to the crowd, maybe I was so damn immersed while listening to Neil that I didn’t hear the crowd. When he stuck out his hand, his hand was turned sideways not upright, as if putting your hand in front of your face to block a bright light. It appeared labored, hesitant and unsure, as if he couldn’t make up his mind. I just didn’t see it as a gesture of annoyance with the crowd but more as not feeling connected to that song.

Neil played one song on the electric, “Ohio.” It was grungy and thunderous. Probably the most passionate rendition I’ve ever witnessed.

I typically insist on purchasing a few extra tickets for friends in hopes they will have a near spiritual experience, as I do. This night would have made that happen.

We made the trek from Arizona and only wished we had committed to more of the big M shows.

Thanks Jamjet for the Milwaukee report and all of the details!

Sounds like you were pretty upclose to see all of those intimate details. "“Ohio.” It was grungy and thunderous. Probably the most passionate rendition I’ve ever witnessed."

nice

ps - it's great to be alive, Adam2.

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