TODAY: Farm Aid 2025: Minneapolis, MN, Sat., Sept. 20
Farm Aid #40 (2025) will be @ Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, Sept. 20.
This year's lineup includes:
Billy Strings, Waxahatchee, Kenny Chesney, Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson, Wynonna Judd, Steve Earle, Trampled By Turtles, Jesse Welles, Madeleine Edwards, and Black Pumas’ Eric Burton, with more artists to be announced.
Board members performing include: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp & Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds) & Margo Price.
Also, see Farm Aid 2024 Press Event: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Margo Price.
More on 2023 Farm Aid concert @ About That Time We Went To Farm Aid and A Bob Dylan & The HeartBreakers Concert Broke Out ...
Labels: 2025, concert, Dave Matthews, farm aid, john mellencamp, margo price, neil young, photos, presale, review, tickets, willie nelson
by thrasher@PermaLink: 9/20/2025 07:19:00 AM
46 comments
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
Thanks for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!
This blog 
(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
46 Comments:
Last year they also aired the press conference to start Farm Aid that usually lasts about an hour. Really missing hanging out with the Farmaidians this year for the Farm Aid Eve celebration and the show today! Last few years were at a shed but this year it is a 35,000 seat stadium!
Not always, but more often than not Farm Aid is on the weekend of the equinox. Before contact this was the time of the Green Corn Ceremony. All fire would be put out and from one central sacred source the new fire would be set again for the year. It is/was a time of forgiveness and courtship that often lasted five days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Corn_Ceremony
Farm Aid 2025 will air on CNN, YouTube, Nugs.net and their website. This year they have moved it up from a shed to a stadium:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eS-DLKP7Pg
Farm Aid 2024 recap: https://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/.../our-farm-aid...
Farm Aid 2023 recap: https://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/.../our-farm-aid...
Farm Aid 2022 recap: https://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/.../our-report...
Watch for the Farmaidians in the first few rows and the camera for YouTube often catches them.
12:30pm: Wisdom Indian Dancers
12:42pm: Madeline Edwards
1:07pm: Jesse Welles
1:37pm: Eric Burton of Black Pumas
2:07pm: Waxahatchee
2:39pm: Wynonna Judd
3:10pm: Trampled By Turtles
3:47pm: Steve Earle
3:58: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
4:30pm: Steve Earle
4:40pm: Lukas Nelson & Friends
5:22pm: Billy Strings
6:07pm: Kenny Chesney
6:52pm: Margo Price
7:42pm: Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds
8:32pm: John Mellencamp
9:22pm: Bob Dylan
10:12pm: Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts
11:02pm: Willie Nelson and Family
Willie Nelson Farm Aid
Really innarested in Jesse Welles. Also, heard through the vine maybe a special guest dueting w/Willie. Not particularly a Journey fan, but when Willie duets w/ a dis similar artist, re-working a classic tune, well that’s the “special”. Imo
The late add of Dylan means this is gonna turn into a T Rump roasting, musically, me thinks?
Be gr8 if he joins Neil fer big crime. Just be sure to press that donate button. Farmers need our support now, maybe more than ever before!
I do hope Neil plays Big Crime. Maybe some of the farmers who need support will realize it's not coming from the guy many of them voted for.
Not expecting a peep from Dylan. Love his music, but he long ago gave up any desire to center politics in his songs or performances.
Jesse Welles is indeed the one to watch on this bill. I'm looking forward to catching him on his tour soon. Got me tix. This kid pulls no punches.
Neil said show me the money!
Live stream Farm Aid 40 on YouTube at this link. In progress, thank goodness! Your Brother Alan in Seattle
https://www.youtube.com/live/CJbXWbdBm5o?si=Z6EJlQkuPUzBIbFY
I'll say this for the event, it's got me actually watching CNN for the first time in around a decade. I feel my brain cells disappearing by the minute, but the music and idle thoughts of Neil and Bob maybe playing together keeps me here. I think I'm gonna have to mute the interviews and other propaganda lies, but keep positive energy for the tunes.
Yeah, better to just listen to Dear Leader. No brain rot danger there ..
Neil blew the barn doors off
My pick for the greatest Farm Aid performance ever from Neil!!!
Big Crime > Rockin' in the Free World > Long Walk Home > Be The Rain > Southern Man...as timely as it gets! Plus Hey Hey My My & Old Man as a bonus!
Band sounded great and Neil was raw and spirited as hell on guitar. Unbelievable!!!!
That was beyond rough.
Not his finest hour. Running on E. I too am glad he opened w Big Crime. Indeed. There is Big Crime in DC at the Whitehouse . No more great again no more great again. But unlike Bob at least he can play a song w the same arrangement we know and love. You should watch more CNN. Very informative.
Yes, that was similarly sloppy as the HB show. Neil is obviously tired from a long summer, and rightfully so. For me, it's not what is played but how it is played , and tonight was not great. I am always psyched to see him with a band but looking forward to a solo show again.
I added the CNN app as a backup to the youtube livestream. The youtube was mostly steady, latency issues were prob on my end. I did switch to CNN but quickly realized how “commercialized” their app is. Wasn’t even in sync with what CNN was calling “Live”. And it wasn’t just commercial breaks. They were using a delay & edit process. But the “Live” w/ a timestamp remained? I bailed. But I wondered, did they even broadcast Neil’s FULL set? Don’t get me wrong, ANY widespread exposure to the plight of the American farmer, MADE WORSE BY THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, Needs a spotlight. Just not sure CNN was it…
@Nomad:
You are one lucky duck. When i first heard Jesse I began searching for a live show. My search quickly expanded further & further out. Sold Out. Everywhere. Even abroad.
I loved his set on Farmaid.
Dude covered the Economy, Government, Healthcare, Cancer, War, Technocrats, Billionaires, Education & Walmart in a 30 min set. The shame is he was playing to a mostly empty stadium with such an early slot.
Think that will change…
You were so right about Dylan. Milk toast. And, as usual, most of what he sang was unrecognizable.
I so wished Neil was shredding “All along the Watch Tower”. Least, I think that’s what Dylan was playing?
More T Rump Derangement Syndrome on richie rich’s part.
Just caught a clip of Le’Orange Anus saying he was gonna sign a bill ensuring “Free Speech”.
That was his bs speech during his FIRST inauguration…
you know, before he refilled the swamp with bottom feeders.
Uh, Dude’s gonna be 80.
He’s burning out, not fading away. And the other Geriatric performers had similar hiccups. Steve Earle was hurting, it seemed. Melencamp’s 2nd git playa spent most of the set propped up.
We’re all getting older. I couldn’t keep up w/ Neil @ 15yrs his junior.
Neil’s Times Contrarian is more “ Fair & Balanced” then CNN. But I agree, Fox & “Friends (of T Rump)” is spoon feeding b/s to the brain dead.
I agree the performance was rough. Did Neil stop playing for a moment during Old Man, at a point he would normally be playing along? Band sounded good. Neil was ok.
The Hollywood Bowl show blew this show out of the water. I was paying attention. This was not in the same vein.
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
I don’t know, just watched it this morning and it seemed pretty damn good. I think It takes a lot for a near 80 year to get up in front of the country and go for it like Neil did last night. Really liked Old Man, maybe because I am one.
“Neil was ok” on vocals, specifically. Not as sweet sounding as at HB show, unfortunately. Old man has pain in his wrists, etc. He is not a spring chicken, but I am so glad he got the Chrome Hearts out there for one last bash after the tour.
I hope they continue with the Love Earth & the CH’s tour next summer!
Best new 2 word band name that uses CH as a requirement? Hmm.
“Camo Hearts” YBAiS
He might have swapped in Harvest Moon for Old Man. Maybe he's making another point ☝️. He did look pained. Allot can be forgiven. RITFW in the 2nd slot unusual and his playing didn't seem sharp . I think if it wasn't a cause so dear to him and long standing there's no way he plays last night. Congratulations on a stupendous tour Old Man by all accounts a great success with smiles all around.
Neil did not disappoint by performing five songs straight out of the gate that send the message these are not normal times. Messages about the ongoing racism in this country, the threat of climate change, the suppression of liberty, the abandonment of the underclass, and the flagrant corruption of the government. Each of those songs came from different periods in his career, and they are ominously all ominously deeply relevant today. I'm sure Richie thought the man doth protest too much, but on the contrary, this is the art we need right now and we need more artists to be standing up with such conviction.
As to the quality of the playing, it's worth noting that watching a live telecast is a very different experience to being physically present. I suspect if you were in the audience, some of the weaknesses evident in the broadcast, where you have these close up shots of the performers and you lack the energy of having others around you, would have been less pronounced, if noticed at all. Anyway, for a guy who fronted the 3rd Best Garage Band of all time, I'm glad Neil is no prisoner of rock and roll or the complacent amongst us who so obsequiously bend the knee.
I give Neil a B for the night. He knew he was on CNN, playing for the angry, so he definitely came out storming. Once he got done yelling at us lost souls with the first five songs, I felt he seemed more comfortable on Hey Hey and Old Man, though no doubt he is starting to show his age. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it's noticeable for sure. Also nothing wrong with the Chrome Hearts. It'd be nice to see Lucas there, but that's still an excellent backup band for Neil's music.
The rest of what I saw was mainly fantastic. No problem with Dylan at all, he's been rearranging his old stuff for a long time, but his band is great and at least you can understand what he's singing again. Willie, as usual, stole the show. Great to see him with his family, he doesn't yell or preach, but his music uplifts more than anyone else I've seen since Jerry Garcia. God Bless him.
My other favorite part was the interview with John Mellencamp after his set. Johnny definitely went off the narrative of the evening, and the CNN talking head was trying so hard to reign him back in, but Mellencamp was having none of it. Fun to watch for me.
Lol, to think Neil was tailoring his message to address CNN viewers. It was streamed on multiple platforms, including YouTube, where I suspect most people watched. Your accusations of being yelled at is classic revisionism. So, because you don't like Neil's views now, suddenly Southern Man or RITFW are bad songs? Truly man, grow up. That is the problem with libertarians (incl. Jerry, unfortunately). They never grow up.
I agree that Willie was delightful. He still has a remarkable voice and guitar-playing agility. A national treasure.
Thanks for all the comments.
We will publish a full report of our experience and memories soon. BOLO
Where did I say Southern Man or RITFW were bad songs exactly? Project much, pal?
Big Crime, however? Now that's a crappy song, and it's not because of the subject matter. I understand Neil's need to spew against Trump, he's gotta stay loyal to his tribe. I just wish he could put some more effort in the actual songwriting.
True, you did not say they were bad songs. I implied that because you lumped them into the category of being songs that "yelled at" you, which I assume you feel is negative. But, if I'm wrong about that and sometimes you like being yelled at and sometimes you don't, my mistake. You do you.
I don't disagree that Big Crime lacks the elegance of a Southern Man or Ohio, etc. But it speaks truth to power and when shit is hitting the fan, I'm okay with bluntness even if I prefer poetry. Beats silence or outright lies.
How those grocery prices going for you?
Again, thank you everyone for exercising your freedom of speech on this platform.
As folks have noticed, we suspended registration requirements to allow anonymous comments. This places are higher burden on us to moderate.
We do remind you of our Comment Policy which appears before each comment is published.
Respect one another as if you are face to face.
peace
I would have no problem saying what I've said face-to-face to anyone in these comments. Thanks for providing the platform.
Some grocery prices are better, some are not. But please remember, if you're going to bring up that topic, that grocery prices were fine up till 2020, when the "Biden" administration started printing money like it was a from a Monopoly game, with triggered the biggest rise in inflation that most of us have ever seen.
Yeah, CNN is real informative. Okay....
Reminds me of maybe my favorite Mark Twain quote. Something along the lines of, those who don't read newspapers are uninformed, those who do read them are misinformed....
KN. Pls don't dominate the rap Jack ... Ron M we hear you
The light Bob brought down at FA was deafening, esp. while reclaiming AATWT; weaving in the sounds of Al’s B YOTC.
Finally got the elephant ear.
Typo , no “B”
Typo , no “B”
I agree 100% My wife was watching along side & say’s “These aren’t Farm Aid songs”. My response was in these times with this Admin putting the screws to everyone, including & especially farmers (immigrant labor, tariffs, dissolution of us aid etc, etc, etc…) protest songs ARE Farm Aid songs. And to my ear, most sets included some form of a protest song. Some were more subtle than others. Neil was swinging a sledgehammer. Bravo!
@richie:
“Playing for the Angry”? WTF, dude. If you ain’t angry you ain’t paying attention.
@Nomad: well said. Same here. Ditto.
I'm a barrel of laughs, with my carbine on.
I'll keep you hopping, till my ammunition's gone.
But I'm still not happy, I feel like there's something wrong.
Always look on the sunny side of life, amigo.
Sheep
RC, you’re a full on cult member. Inflation was worldwide, and in most cases other countries had it much worse. It was a result of many factors associated with the pandemic. I’m sure you remember who sent out the first pandemic related stimulus checks? Hint: he has an ego so big he insisted his (auto pen) signature was on the checks.
Inflation rate in 2019 was 2.19%, Inflation rate in 2021 was 7%. I know actual facts don't work well with the Left, but it doesn't mean they don't exist.
And btw, before calling me a cult member or whatever, maybe don't post as anonymous. I might respect you more.
Let's discuss Farm Aid.
The concert's core focus was on using music as a vehicle to spotlight ongoing challenges in American agriculture, including corporate dominance over family farms, climate impacts, economic pressures leading to farm closures, and rising mental health crises among farmers (evidenced by increased calls to support hotlines).
Performances like Neil Young's debut of a new song critiquing political and corporate greed, Bob Dylan's reflective folk classics, and collaborative covers such as "Maggie's Farm" underscored themes of shared struggle, resilience, and the need for policy reforms to promote fair, sustainable farming practices.
On-site activities, including tents and tables educating visitors about regenerative agriculture, pollinator support, and food co-ops, amplified the message, turning the event into an interactive platform for awareness.
Overall, the outcome was a reaffirmation of Farm Aid's enduring impact: it successfully mobilized public attention to the plight of noncorporate farmers, fostering a sense of urgency around building a resilient, family-farm-centered food system amid modern crises.
Over 40 years, the organization has raised more than $85 million total for this cause, with the 2025 edition continuing to assist struggling producers while inspiring broader cultural and political dialogue through the power of live music.
The event's live webcast and widespread social media sharing extended its reach, ensuring the advocacy resonated beyond the stadium.
See you guys in 2026 right?!
Neil has never been able to deliver the same level of performance in a short set. Most of us should know that. He didn't embarrass himself but was cutting every solo short due to time constraints. I get it. He wanted to play very certain songs. Im sure it was great live but also exactly as expected. I ended up selling my tickets because Milwaukee was so perfect and I knew I was still soaking in that experience.
Post a Comment
<< Home