Our Farm Aid 2023 Concert Report

 Neil Youngphoto by Jim McKelvey (Click photo to enlarge)  

Having barely recovered from our big Farm Aid weekend, we here at Thrasher's Wheat have an epic Concert Report on our finest Farm Aid experience ever -- and we have been to a few going back to FA 1999.

Here's a Farm Aid 2023 Concert Report by John Kwit along with photographs by Jim McKelvey, author and scholar (except as noted).
 

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Farm Aid 2023: 

Neil Young is Angry and Dammit So Am I

by John Kwit 

Photographs by Jim McKelvey (except as noted)

Let’s cut to the chase.

 

 

 

On Saturday evening September 23, 2023, Neil Young played a solo set to a sold-out crowd of 25,000 at Farm Aid in Noblesville, Indiana. He played 4 songs: Comes A Time, Are There Any More Real Cowboys, Love Earth and Heart of Gold. 

 

He was angry at the pre-concert press conference and he was angry on stage. I enjoyed every act on the bill except one. Oh, and Bob Dylan unexpectedly showed up. If you weren’t there in-person you missed it. But don’t dwell on your misfortune, just plan to attend next year. 

 

 Farm Aid Board of Directors

 

Like the swallows coming home to Capistrano, Neil and Bob may just show up again. But in the meantime support your local family farmer. For some of you, that might be enough of a summary to read but I encourage all to continue.

 

  Neil Youngphoto by thrasher 
 (Click photo to enlarge)
Thirty-eight years of Farm Aid. 1985-2023. Thirty-eight years of attempting to assist America’s dwindling number of family farms. It’s been pitted as a David versus Goliath battle. Factory Farms – bad. Family farms – good. Pesticides – bad. Organic – good. Throw in some modern day dashes of Climate Change hysterics and Diversity/Equity/Inclusion concerns and you have the recipe for a modern
day Apocalyptic Armageddon stew.

 

Press Conference @  Farm Aid 2023
 

Let me begin by focusing in on Neil Young. He hadn’t set foot on a Farm Aid stage since the Pandemic rolled into town. You could write until the cows came home about the damage the Pandemic and its related supply chain issues did to the world. It impacted Neil. It impacted you and it impacted me.

Neil retreated to his mountain cabin and touring went to the wayside. He made lots of music from his porch and shared it with the world on his massive Neil Young Archives website – still the best subscription value for the money on the web (actually tied with Thrasher’s Wheat). 

 

 Willie Gets the Big Day Started

 

Old new music, new old music, EPs, box sets, live shows, movies, lost studio albums, new studio albums: they’re all available on the Archives. In my opinion, the seed for the Archives started the minute Neil swiped one of his own bootleg records out of a local vinyl record shop in the early 1970s because it was his work. He took that simple idea that the music he created was his and 50 years later he turned it into a seemingly unending treasure trove of recorded gems (and swag) that he could share with the world at his own pace at his own price points in his own Greedy Hand shop. Record company executives and bootleggers be damned.

 

It was bad enough that Neil had announced that he wouldn’t be touring
until he found an environmentally friendly bus. But it’s all getting better now because Neil is concentrating on his music and he’s going out on the road and playing live music.

 Neil Young

 

Back to Farm Aid: At the pre-concert press conference Neil reminisced about being able to wander about in the woods with his friends as a kid and drink the water right out of the stream. Everything was natural and beautiful. He encouraged everyone to think naturally and follow natural ways. One pointed example he raised was walking. If you have a choice and the ability to walk a mile and a half to get something done then do it he said. Walking would be better than an unnatural way like hopping in your car. I’m all in favor of walking. I do it quite a bit here in Chicago if I’m not using public transportation.

 Neil Young

For the record I’m inviting Neil to join me on a walk the next time he comes through town on a tour. I would relish the opportunity to chat with him along the way as we walk from his hotel to the venue and back. I will even volunteer to carry his guitar case. Both ways. There are plenty of intimate venues in downtown Chicago that are a mile and half or less walking distance from a decent hotel. The Chicago Theater, Riveria, Aragon Ballroom and Thalia Hall come to mind.

 

 Willie & Neil

I love the American Farmer. I love all farmers. They feed you. They feed me. We need them to produce and they need us to consume. As the great philosopher Particle Kid pontificated from the Farm Aid stage: “It’s not rocket surgery.” Unfortunately for me, the current state of anarchy in Chicago makes walking home safely in the evening from job #2 more important on my hierarchy of needs than buying a bag of organic carrots in lieu of the standard variety. Frankly I think charging $10 for a cup of organic coffee at the Farm Aid venue was a bit steep. Economics has a way of dictating the purchasing choices of the population. Yes, eating healthy foods is important, but not if the price is out of your family budget.

 

John Mellencamp & Neil Young

photo by John Kwit

 

From the comments uttered by John Mellencamp and Neil throughout the day I got the sense that they were simply tired of seeing the dwindling number of family farms. John said he didn’t think we’d need a Farm Aid thirty-eight years later and he was disgusted that the Government had money for all sorts of things but not for the family farmer, homelessness or water issues. Neil encouraged concertgoers to read the label on food they buy, support family farms and come back to future shows in droves. 

 

 John Mellencamp

photo by John Kwit 

 

The show in Noblesville was a sellout so perhaps moving the venue to a large plot of land (know any farms in upstate New York that might work?) where 20 times as many people could come would help out. But the problem is one single concert a year is not the answer to the family farmer’s problems. It will take a seismic shift in thinking on the part of a considerable percentage of the population to make a significant dent in the problem. And with all the issues facing the U.S.: crime, immigration, politicians on both sides of the aisle under legal storm clouds I frankly just don’t see it happening any time soon.

 

But back to the concert. What were the highlights and low points?

John Mellencamp & Bob Irsay

The worst part of Farm Aid XXXVIII was enough to make my stomach churn. It was absolutely cringeworthy John Mellencamp graciously accepted a million dollar check for Farm Aid from Indianapolis Colts owner Bob Irsay who literally bought his way onto the stage with his band. And to rub salt in the wound, Irsay had the audacity to light up and  smoke a few cigarettes in the non-smoking venue while he was up there. Rules for thee but not for me.

The audience around me was roundly jeering Irsay’s every song.

 

But let’s end on some positive notes, shall we?

Bob Weir, Sturgill Simpson & Margo Price

 

Lukas Nelson

 

Lukas, Willie & Micah Nelson

The most joyful part of the day for me was seeing Bob Dylan amble out on stage as a surprise guest, along with Tom Petty's band The Heartbreakers. The photographer’s area had been cleared and the film camera crew was sent packing before he arrived. The audience was filled with excitement and theories on who was about to hop on stage. Is Pearl Jam coming, will it be Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Taylor Swift (does she have a garden)? 

 

"Maggie's Farm"

Bob Dylan w/ Mike Campbell 

photo by thrasher 

 

In my mind, the absence of photographers should have narrowed it down to two people: Dylan or his old mentor Ramblin’ Jack Elliott who is well known for stopping his show mid-song if someone points a lens his way. Of course it was Dylan. And he played the guitar for God’s-sake! God Bless him. 

 

 

Dylan & The Heartbreakers

 

And God Bless Neil Young for coming back on stage to play live music, especially in light of the fact that he played 2 nights at the Roxy with Crazy Horse just a day before.

 

 Jim, Renee & Paul

 

 
In summary, other than the Irsay debacle, Farm Aid XXXVIII was fantastic. Great food, great music, great weather, great venue staff, and a great audience. A special shout out to the Canadian FarmAidians Paul & Renee. You are a treasure. 

 

The FarmAidian Crew

 

 

FarmAidians Rock!

 

 

Will there be a Farm Aid 39? Of course there will. And the usual cast of performers will undoubtedly be there. Shoot for those planning ahead there will probably be a Farm Aid #139.

 

It’s just the natural thing to do to continue to help support American Family Farmers.

John Kwit

 

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Thanks for the coverage John! See you @  Farm Aid 39!  And FA #139, too, maybe hopefully, doubtfully.

w/ Jim

w/ Paul

 

w/ Craigy

"Ten silver saxes, a bass with a bow 

The blogger relaxes and waits between shows 

For his cinnamon girls ..."

"cinnamon girls ..."

 

w/ John (& Willie!)

 

 

Thanks again to all and it was wonderful to see everyone this year at Farm Aid. Many thanks to our intrepid TW reporter John Kwit and stellar photographer Jim McKelvey, author and scholar.  

 

And -- most especially -- thanks to our FarmAidian hosts Paul & Renee! We'll see you in 2024. 

 

Willie's Hat & Reserve Cup

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