"Fighting Oligarchy": Neil Young & Others in Los Angeles Today
"Rockin' in the Free World"
Neil Young, Joan Baez & Others
Gloria Molina Grand Park, Los Angeles - April 12, 2025
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Neil Young will appear on the "Fighting Oligarchy" protest tour in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 12.
Neil Young and Daryl Hannah
Hands Off Protest, Thousand Oaks, California - April 5, 2025
Neil Young is a "special musical guest" with Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, and others for the rally in Gloria Molina Grand Park. The "Fighting Oligarchy Tour" is organized by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders as a protest against the Trump administration.
"Fighting Oligarchy"
Gloria Molina Grand Park, Los Angeles - April 12
Neil Young's setlist: "Rainbow of Colors" & "Rockin' in the Free World"
Labels: concert, neil young, politics
by thrasher@PermaLink: 4/12/2025 09:02:00 AM
38 comments
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38 Comments:
Does anyone know if this streaming? Media coverage has been almost nonexistent here in the states.
It is streaming right now
Old Black already hit the stage, but April Verrett is still speaking. So assume that Neil Young will be next in line.
Slightly altered lyrics: Take America back and keep on rockin' in ther free world...
Neil came out after Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers which is live right now... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU_GhbFH2Gw
Missed it. Thnx Jim
Thnx
Thnx? As always…
What an inspiring set by Neil Young with help from Joan Baez & Maggie Rogers! “People have the power” said Joan. AOC was great. Bernie was awesome! We are taking America back!
Join protest in every state Capitol & local 4/19
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
There is a big shift happening. The Billionaires are nervous.
Are there any estimations as to how many people attended this event? I have a problem to contextualise demonstrations of this kind in the US. When Trump took office the first time, there was a Women's march in DC with 100 000's of participants. When recently the German chancellor-to-be Friedrich Merz just made a duplicit move in parliament regarding immigration we counted in between 250 000 and 300 000 in Munich alone (in between 10 and 15% of the population of the Munich and adjacent communities). Now I do understand that yesterday's event was a partisan affair, LA for large gatherings is difficult logistically and it might not be that a conventional American behaviour to take to the streets to protest, but the cameras showed a crowd of maybe 10 000. Or is it that the "big shift" is not televised?
It's hard to know the impact of these rallies, but I'm not sure a comparison with Trump 1.0 or the German protests against Merz's anti-immigrant legislation is apt. For one, there is a sense of futility and dumbfoundedness that people are taking awhile to overcome. Second, in Trump 1.0, the Women's March was both novel and one off. This time around, there are rallies every week now. The big Hands Off one last week, Bernie/AOC this week, another 50501 rally next week. Hard to get the same kinds of crowds over a dispersed set of rallies.
I was out of town and so missed yesterday's rally. Heard from friends it was good. Honestly, 36,000 is pretty impressive on the same weekend as Coachella and given that many who feel targeted by ICE may be avoiding getting caught up in a raid. We know that this past week, ICE tried to enter 2 schools in LA.
Whatever the case, we will continue to fight this authoritarianism and hope the movement grows. It's all we can do.
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There is power in numbers, so hopefully we see more people joining the fight against this regime. The constitution is being dismantled by these crazy criminals, and our only hope lies with the citizens of this country to step up and illustrate to them that we want our country back.
Peace to all 🙏
Really sucked yesterday to see the Local Tesla dealer allow MAGA/T Rump/Musk supporters into the parking lot.
With their blow-up T Rump doll & Maga flags. All Non-Tesla vehicles!
Whilst us peaceful protesters were kept on the side walk. Behind police tape & barricades. Heavy Police presence (T Rump requested to have police coverage @ all Tesla dealers).
The encouraging news, even though the weather was not great yet again, We Outnumbered Maga/Trumpers/Muskrats by MANY TIMES OVER. And they bailed earlier. Great Exposure ( @ this location) But absolutely NO media coverage!
It's great that Neil was at the rally. The song selection he played was appropriate, even though I don't like the music of Rainbow Of Colors, because it has the same melody as On Top Of Old Smokey.
Neil starting to look like a 1860 Mormon pioneer. Lol
Thanks for the background. Watching the speakers at the event and adding your assessment I understand it has yet to dawn on most Americans what they have done to themselves and others around the globe. It's still the seismograph individuals and organizations but not e.g. mothers, homemakers, and customers of home depot stores. I believe ultimately it will be those who will put an end to this nightmare. There's a lot of coverage about American supermarkets and their prices lately here in Europe.
Nice!
Boomer worth $200 million protests the system and values that enriched him and a president who encapsulates those values. Trump is far similar to Young than many of you would dare to believe. Anti war, with a high-value bride on his arm, and in the class of mega money, power and the platform that brings. And its fascinating how these old rock stars start to conspicuously appear on all channels doing good when they just happen to have a record/film/tour to promote. Do you ever feel youve been had? I love his music like the rest of you, but I just cant stomach his cheap cliched politics. Disregarding how artistically you got it, $200 million definitely puts you in the oligarch class too. Its only his old contrarian self that means he doesnt join them. Hannah and Neil could be at the top table at Mar el Lago and Musk could have a soundtrack for Starship launches of Old Black noise.
Bernie & AOC. are in Nampa Idaho tonight, so I’m driving out to hear them speak. Hoping for a huge turnout 🙏
"Boomer worth $200 million protests the system and values that enriched him and a president who encapsulates those values." Thanks, I needed that, an absurd sentence telling in a nutshell where the problem lies: a protection racket figuring as government does not have "values". And given the absurd handling of everything from tariffs to immigration to foreign aid, to dismantling the judiciary system: there is nothing but chaos. Now, that's a "system"? Welcome to 1984.
Correct. Going back to 1984 is the aim. Peak Reagan and American manufacturing. Smaller foreign aid budget. Less politicised judiciary. USA meant confidence not conflict. Neil was a wholesome family man yet still quite young hippy millionaire who loved it too. It was great, still the clouds of globalisation were gathering, and Neil sang about not driving a Toyota, and the plight of the blue collar American workers, the remnants of whom just voted Trump - twice.
David, what do you really know about the blue collar workers? On any reflective view, the blue collar worker (whatever that is precisely) has been and continues to be swindled. Reagan trickled down his own political urine on their heads. Trump is more overt because he is without any morals and so without a normative vision: a nihilist. Can we all agree on the positive vision? We need to meet the needs of our citizens, all of them. for this we need a real vision and real policy. Trump is destroying the country through wasted time. Four years from now we will not have anything of what we need. He is setting the country back in every respect. I hope we can agree on the environment? It makes no sense, literally none, to drill baby drill: this is foolish and gross "toxic masculinity" which is no surprise for a rapist.
"Nineteen Eighty-Four": "2 + 2 = 5", the rest of the world will pay tariffs, then income tax will be abolished... There is no way to debate absolute believers, they are beyond logic until they are at the end of their wallets and bank accounts.
“Rainbow of Colors”....what a perfect song to include, Neil! ✨
@ David Rart : “a less politicized judiciary” is the goal? Ya, that would be good!
But this time you dream of is gone. Americans don’t want to work manufacturing jobs for $7.85 / hour. Reagan has Alzheimer’s while he was prez! He didn’t know shit! He used to sleep thru cabinet meetings when he was Gov of California.
Anti Oligarchy tour is headed to a city near you! Join up and feel your spirits rise! Bernie speaks Truth to Power & destroys Trump!
Protest April 19, Saturday! All state Capitols, Tesla showrooms, local spots. #handsoff it feels great to flex your Protest muscle! I didn’t think the Americans had it in them. But we do. And Trump is pullings innocent people off the street & sending them to a horrible prison in El Salvador. This is too close to what Hitler did! Time to stand & Resist! The people united can force Democracy on the US! Dismantle the Oligarchy!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
Bernie is the definition of a loser, whose main achievement was to fail to be nominated in 2016. He had a good chance then to articulate his vision and ‘destroy Trump’. Instead his failure to do this led to Trump’s first term.
Bernies politics back then are closer to my own than Trumps. This really is my blue collar working class position, and this is why I can even sneer at Neil for living in a $200 million bubble and using it as a political platform. I am trying to remember a quote about Neil from I think one of Crazy Horse, or maybe Crosby who said he was a great guy but lived completely disconnected from reality/normal life and worries. Which we can all accept from an artist.
In fact I dont support Trump and would not vote for him, still, I am also not going to live waving my fist at reality/a genuine democratic victory. Also, its nice not to spend my days hating everything those who will rule over the next few years do. There is some good, and some bad, we see, and come on man, Biden certainly slept through the job too.
Meanwhile, keeping it on the Neil topic where was he in 2016 when support for Bernie might have actually led to something?
Just a note to say I like Neil can be contrarian and have changeable opinions. Still, I comment here in good faith, and the tension I read in responses I feel is a matter of Neil fans, at least here, being a bit of an echo chamber. Yet we don’t all think the same. Still, I am surprised how often responses are ad hominem attacks or imply anyone thinking differently is ill informed or stupid. Who are the thought police now, Alan, Dionys etc?
Still, I do come here because I am a long-term, though a little worn out by Neil these days, fan and am thankful to Thrasher for maintaining the blog.
@ David Rart : Bernie is the definition of a loser? Where did you get your info? You sound stupid. Bernie was stabbed in the back by the DNC in 2016, & they gave the nominee to the less popular candidate, Hillary.
The DNC therefore is responsible for electing Trump in 2016. Bernie is not a loser, he is one of the few fighting still for the people.
We are ALL losing under Trump. So we are all losers, you as well. You think you know what is going on, and that you can judge, but you don’t know what is going on. If you did, you would be with us at the protests this Saturday.
Trump has the American empire crumbling. He is a fascist and we will fight him until he goes away, limping off into the sunset.
There is a big shift coming & it is Anti Fascist. Join up or get the fuck out of the way!
Thank you Neil Young for joining Bernie for the Concert Against Oligarchy!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
How out of touch with basic humanity do you have to be to *not* be behind Bernie's message? It's utterly mind-boggling how 77 million people voted for what's currently infesting Washington.
Anyway, Bernie makes it a point to acknowledge that the Democrats are also bought and sold by corporate interests so he's willing to admit that they both suck. That said, does the Republican party have a single redeeming quality at this point? This current administration is leading us down a broken path of lies with their sights set on burning up critical resources in the name of “progress”, all while of course taking a piss on the working class (many of which voted for them!). And now the intent to punish anyone calling out their blatant corruption....It's insanity!
Bleak as it seems...another world is still possible!
@David Art, you raise the point that has been at the heart of contemporary analysis of changing partisan demographics, namely the split between the "working class" and the "credentialed class". I am unquestionably a part of the latter, but that hardly means I am uninterested or opposed to the interests of the former. I guess what I find confusing in your takes is the notion that Neil and/or Bernie are somehow insincere in their opposition to oligarchy. Yes, Neil has great wealth (as does Bernie). So, their current lived experiences are removed from those of working class people. Does that mean ipso facto they cannot be concerned with the plight of working people? Both came from much more modest backgrounds, as did, more recently, AOC. So, I think they are far more likely to understand the challenges working people face than an administration full of people who were all born into privilege.
And therein lies the mystery. How is it that an increasing number of working people ostensibly see their interests represented by the likes of Trump, Musk, and the other billionaires whose wealth and power did not come from the hard earned gains of social mobility. I genuinely do not know the answer to that question, though I suspect a lot of it has to do with susceptibility to media manipulation. Trump played a McDonalds worker on TV while Harris actually worked at McDonalds. Somehow the former seemed more compelling and meaningful to a (very slightly) larger portion of the electorate. I recognize that my emphasis on the media runs dangerously close to sounding exactly like the arrogant elite credentialed class that is currently thought to be so apparently out of touch. Well, then, please enlighten me (us) how this Trump agenda is working in favor of working people. Why is it thought to be elitist to have concern for due process, habeus corpus, and checks and balances?
You've said you don't support Trump, but find it somehow unrealistic to challenge him because he won a democratic election. That's very odd reasoning given the nature of the threat and chaos caused by his tweets and EOs and the relatively thin margin of that victory. The combination of those factors suggests, in fact, that fighting back has a fighting chance. And even if it didn't, I'd do it anyway out of a sense of moral imperative.
Knowledge Nomad, blue collar-working class people in our relatively small midwestern town do not seem to care about how Trump or Musk became so wealthy (rich). It is the belligerent attitude, the apparently macho, crude, and brutal attacks on the "credentialed" class that are so appealing. There is a violent undercurrent moving all of this along.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Except they're very obviously not a friend of the blue collar working class. Why is that difficult for them to see (again, apologies for potentially wading into specious claims of "false consciousness", something I always found rather arrogant about Marxism).
Confronting an undereducated consumerist populace with an increasingly complex society, technology and economic system will almost always result in shifts towards the authoritarian, because the authoritarian will stand for simple solutions of complex problems. All that needs to be done is to discredit all those working like Sisyphus towards reduction of complexity such as the serious media, the educational system, and science. The hatred directed at intellectuals and their institutions apparently also is the result of the dysfunctional (American) education system that is based on the assumption that the individual practically has to buy himself / herself an education because he or she mainly is the one to profit from being educated. The idea that a society as a whole might profit from everybody's access to more than basic education including values appears to be an outlandish concept to those who mainly have an instrumental understanding of education. (Instrumental understanding: I learn something because it will fetch me lots of money, good looking partners and fast cars. Btw I believe that Neil Young who dropped out of school learned that money, good looking partners and dream machines are not what life is all about, after all, all he had to do is looking at his son Ben, and he did.)
Not having been able to achieve a considerable level of education leaves a person vulnerable to inferiority feelings, to distrust in those more proficient, successful and lucky. Now hand these people a digital megaphone, a voting ballot and freedom to anti-intelluctual throw-ups mistaken for informed opinion and tell them to just go ahead in ever accelerating speed. And don't forget to hammer them with the suggestion that they are oh-so-underprivileged. As long as for a large part of American society the only way to assess what is going on in their country is by looking at their bank accounts that society is prone to fall for the next guy coming around saying "It's the economy, stupid!"
Yeah, I think your analysis is very plausible, @Dionys. Would that it weren't so, but here we are.
Let’s Make Music Great Again, Donny. ‘Nuff said…
So, you didn’t mean the book/film 1984? Seems to me either shoe fits…
@Alan
Well, the weather on the east coast finally co-operated and by my guesstimation the crowd was @ least double in size. I have never seen so many multiples of gripes, rightfully so. Pick a topic.
Sadly, yet again, no media coverage what so ever. Is it like that in yer neck of the hood too?
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