New Song - "Get behind the wheel"

Neil Young and his Electric band - Get behind the wheel - (This is a Love Song) - Madison Square Garden -15-12-2008

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Neil Interview on BSN - Part #2

Join the BSN network with anchors Nicole and Alex to learn the latest news from The Bridge School and the community. In this series, the BSN reporters interview a Bridge School supporter and hero, Neil Young!!

Thanks BridgeSchooler & Jeffry!

Here's Part #1 - Interview with Neil on BSN.

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I Sing The Song Because I Love The Man, I Know That Some of You Don't Understand

Neil Young and His Electric Band
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York - Dec. 15, 2008
Photo by penfifteenclub on Flickr

Just as this photo was taken, we turned around to look back at the crowd in the packed Madison Square Garden. As Neil and his band took their encore bows and soaked in the cheers of 20,000 roaring fans, those of us embedded in the Rust Rail Gang Zone knew that we had all just experienced something even more special than one of your best ever rock & roll concerts.

We had just seen Neil absolutely kill on "Rockin' in the Free World" with lyrics changes of "New York City, Yes We Can. New York City, Yes We Can. New York City, Yes We Can."

And there he was. Barely out of breath. Nary a sweat stain on a face that seemed to have reversed aged from 63 to 43 over the past several hours. Grinning and beaming as if to say, "Yeah, New York. We fuckin' rocked and it was good."


Rockin' in the Free World
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

Our excellent Neil adventure from Philadelphia to Boston/Worcester to New York City will be one that we'll always treasure. Sure, there were amazing concerts with a bunch of new songs. But we also met up with so many old friends and made so many new ones. And that's what it's all about when you go on tour with Neil. Hooking up with the Neil community and sharing the love. So here's a few folks we encountered on the road:

- Dee & Tim - thanks for the Philly fest and all the cool buttons
- Frankie Z. - an honor to be with you for your 110th Neil concert
- Bill Tired Eyes - Fun times on the road. Be the Handle!
- Keys Left Hangin - Finally, we're able to do a proper pre-show
- HarryO - Too funny on the CUT$'s t-shirts. Thanks for the Wilco DVD
- Brand New Guy & Paul D. - Making volume drinkers proud around the world. Hope you had a safe trip back to London. And thanks for the Grizzly Circus DVD, Paul!
- Union Man - Great to see you, bro. We'll send Wes some healing vibes.
- Rusted Sister Joanne - Free Jed Green. Peace.
- Leo E. - thanks for the miracle. Also, an honor to be with you for your 112th (?) Neil concert. Ps - Frankie Z.'s catching up.
- Mark Powderfinger & Trish Vampire Babe - You guys always make us feel welcome in Philly
- Todd & Steve - you guys ARE the Delaware Destroyers!
- Greg McG. - Great to meet you. Exc Philly review
- Nan - thanks for setting up the Worcester fest and the cool holiday card.
- Joachim from Germany - Need to get over your way and have some real beer rather than this American swill.
- Cheryl & Randy - it's like you guys are at every concert we go to?!
- Keith "Spin the Black Circle" - all the best on Grizzly Circus! You guys are awesome.
- Joe of Grizzly Circus - thanks for the late night blues-jazz seminar
- Sean - so glad I could turn you onto a ticket for your 1st neil show. Hope it was as fun for you as it was for me.
- Marilyn - terrific that you were able to work your way to the rail and have your closest Neil concert
- Ed "Wheel In The Ditch..." - Driving 95-S we had NYC#1 cranked and it was pristine.
- Sarah in DC - I must say that your uncle Lou C. is pretty cool to have such a cool neice.
- Ray Northern Man - Thanks for the NYC fest. Hope all worked out for the best.
- Stan the Southern Man - I can't believe it's been like 10 years?!
- Sarah in Philly - Great post-show fest at that Philly bar
- Robin BikerAlane - funny to hear your not-so-funny FarmAid story about the crasher
- Steve Babs - great stories in Worcester. Lookin fwd to the shots.
- Jeanie - hope you got your power back
- Jill Sweet Sweet Smile - I truly hope your camera is recovered. Love is a rose.
- Wanda - I never asked about being a left handed cook?
- Cristina Little Wing & Julie in CA - You guys deserve a medal for dealing with the Vol Drinkers
- Julio "Syscrusher" - great to see you but too brief
- Sharry "Keepin' Jive Alive in TO" - virtual thanks for cribbing the "excellent Neil adventure" concept
- and everyone else that we met and didn't mention or didn't get a chance to connect with!

And big thanks especially, a super special shout-out to Kathy, Summer of Love & Karen, loveandaffection for letting Thrasher crash on your couches. Your hospitality and generosity can't be forgotten. Love you guys!

So, the road trip. So many highlights don't know where to begin.


Philadelphia Spectrum - Pre-Demolition




In Philly, we had a final show at the Spectrum where the TFA cover was shot. Jill Sweet Sweet Smile had brought dozens of roses and passed them out before hand. Folks were tossing them onstage. On occasion, Neil would pick one up, sniff it, and toss it back into the audience. We had a long stem rose ready to go at the end of the show and tried to get Larry to take a shot to re-create the cover. But he said he had already taken some pix during ADITL and seemed in a hurry to do the breakdown.


Boston - 12/13/08
Photo by Tim Bugbee

In Boston/Worcester, we hit the JACKPOT: a trifecta -- a hat trick -- a triple play -- 3 first time song performances!:
- Cough Up The Bucks - Wall St bailout
- Fuel of the People - alternative energy
- Behind The Wheel - LincVolt love song

In NYC, we had the longest show, the most songs, more debuts and a double encore. Neil was just totally on FIRE. Burning down the house fire. It was our first MSG show, so it was just too cool to be down in the pit, near the rail and feel Neil just wail in our face. The New York lyric shout outs during HHMM & RITFW were great and NYC loved it.


Wilco - New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

First off, the openers were great. Everest was cool if for no other reason that they just seemed really stoked to open for Wilco, who opened for Neil. And Wilco was great too. Spiders/Kidsmoke was a blast and Nels Cline on guitar and effects just shredded.


Giant MagnaTone Amp dwarfs Larry Cragg, Guitar Tech
Photo by Paul D.

Otherwise, we'll just rundown a bunch of random thoughts. One thing that struck us right away that we had never seen before was the giant MagnaTone amp towering over the band. Apparently, it made its debut for the Philly concert as far as we can tell since no one had mentioned it previously. This cabinet was a monster and when Neil was crankin' Ol Black, we could literally see the case shake and practically feel the wind from the speakers pumping. And talk about the tone and volume in the pit! Sometimes, this is where the worst sound is but that MagnaTone amp gave us near Weld like volumes at the rail. Nothing like that feeling in your chest.


Heart of Gold
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

What else? The first 7 songs of the set are just a pile driver of greatest hits:
1. Love And Only Love
2. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
3. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
4. Powderfinger
5. Spirit Road
6. Cortez The Killer
7. Cinnamon Girl

Such a strong start and really gets the crowd going. A couple of observations. After Philly & Boston we really felt Neil was firing on all cylinders. But then came NYC#1 when he started tearing into HHMM he just went ballistic. Lunging across the stage, dipping and weaving and ripping off the lyrics as if to dare anyone to challenge the line "Rock & Roll will never die. New York City will never die. New York City will never die." Just an unbelievable highlight and it's only song #2?!


Hey Hey My My MSG 16DEC08
Thanks underthedesertmoonmonica!

Then there were the Cinnamon Girl's. We know that Neil is rarely -- if ever -- a rock star poser that works the crowd like a showman a la Bruce or Bono. But on CG when he gets to the solo jam after "Your baby loves to dance, yeah, yeah, yeah" he starts heading out to the right corner of the stage. The lights come up on the crowd who are usually just sitting. And he stands there working on Ol Black, looks around and rocks it. And that's what it takes to get some folks off their ass and finally begin to rock out. After getting that side of the house up, neil goes over to the left side and proceeds to do the same thing. He checks it out. Once he seems satisfied that the entire audience is now finally on their feet he works his way back to center stage to finish off CG. We hadn't quite seen anything like that before. (See this comment for the full power of the CG experience.)


Cinnamon Girl - MSG on December 16th.
Thanks www.feelinyoung.ca !

Another observation from up close @ NYC#1 was the conclusion of Spirit Road. After the song finished and Larry was changing guitars, Neil walked about aimlessly for a few seconds still singing the chorus of Spirit Road to himself. He was just so into the zone and doesn't even seem to leave it even between songs.


Old Man
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

Now those new songs everybody's talking about. We had 4 first live performance debuts of:
- Cough Up The Bucks$ - Wall St bailout
- Hit The Road - alternative energy
- Behind The Wheel - LincVolt love song
- Off The Road - another LincVolt car song

Then -- for us -- we were getting our first live performances of the new Fuel Line & Light A Candle. Also, we were getting our first live performances of the "old" new songs: Just Singing A Song, When Worlds Collide, & Sea Change.

So between the 3 shows we've had 10 songs that we've never heard live before. It just doesn't get any better to be a Neil fan.

Now, with that being said, it seems that a lot of folks think the new songs are lame, mediocre, or subpar.

At this point, we're just not going to get into a debate on the merits of these 10 or 11 new songs that were worked into various combinations the setlists in Philly, Boston & NYC.


A Day in the Life
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

For the doubters of the new songs, we'll just say that sometimes it takes time for them to age, breathe and to come into their own. The point being, that pushing ahead into new frontiers is sometimes more inspiring then plowing the same old ground. Breaking through the wall. We like to call it taking a risk. Without risk there is no growth. I for one, would be disappointed in Neil for not trying out something new and just giving us the hits.

That being said, Neil had some heavy duty messages. We'll challenge anyone - your Dylans, Springsteens, your flavor of the month band to go out and tell it like it is. Even if it's maybe not the most elegant lyrics Neil has ever written.


Cough Up The Buck$ Crew
HarryO, Volume Drinkers: Brand New Guy, Paul D.
Madison Square Garden, NYC, NY - 12/15/2008

So let's take "Cough Up The Bucks$" for example. Who wouldn't plunk down a few $'s to hear Neil sing @ MSG in NYC -- blocks from Wall St. -- a song about corporate welfare and reckless greed? It's like going into the lion's den with red meat. So we'll cough up the bucks to maybe hear "Cough up the Bucks" again! Afterall, it's only fuckin' money.

But we think that Aaron, "That Old Country Insufferable Knowitall"'s analysis An Alternate Theory of Change (lengthy, but perhaps offensive enough to read) pretty much nails the validity of new Neil songs. Good stuff Aaron!

Regarding fashion, much has been made of the incorrectly identified Zappa t-shirt. It appears to actually be an image of Emiliano Zapata, the Mexican revolutionary of the peasants. Hmmm.

A couple things we noticed on the lighting. During "Powderfinger", when the line "Red means run" comes up, the stage lights go to red on cue. During "Heart of Gold" the lights go to yellow. During "Mother Earth" the lights go greenish. And for "A Day in the Life" -- white hot.

Some seem to find "Mother Earth" rather ponderous but even New Yorkers cheered the lines:

How long can you give and not receive
And feed this world ruled by greed

It's significance was not lost on many that night.

As for the "old" new songs: Just Singing A Song, When Worlds Collide, & Sea Change we thought when these were rolled out in Europe last summer the latter 2 were clearly referring to the Obama campaign. Just Singing A Song clearly refers to the LincVolt project. We've always been partial to music with a message but hey -- that's just us.

Moving towards the end of the show, Cortez was simply sublime in it's majestic glory. Stunning. Cowgirl in the Sand had a newish interpretation that was even more gorgeous than many previous variations. These each both clocked in at 10 minutes plus.


A Day in the Life
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Jonathan Bayer | Spin Magazine


A Day in the Life
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

And then the Beatles cover of A Day in The Life - truly a mindblowing, transcendental & life altering experience. It literally leaves you slack jawed. I always loved this observation of Neil in concert sounding like "a jet plane in a thunderstorm". That barely begins to describe ADITL. The only flaw was that Neil flubbed the lyrics and for once looked so disappointed in himself as if to say "I can't believe that I blew it". A small error that many might have missed anyway.


Ben Keith and Rick Rosas
Photo by Joey "Feelin' Young"

So what can we say about Neil's band? We saw Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas actually solo on RITFW! Thump, Thump Thump, Thump Thump, Thump. And drummer Chad Cromwell has to be the driver of the band. The man pounds away on the kit and takes it all to a new level that was so much fun to watch.

I guess the other thing we can about Neil's Electric Band is that it seems to allow him to play virtually anything in his catalog. This range of intruments and styles could very well serve Neil for years to come.


Wristband from Madison Square Garden:
"The World's Most Famous Arena"

Regarding the whole ticket price issue which we're pretty sick of. 3 bands for 4.5 hours for $75. Basically, you can be front row if you make the effort. Wilco opening for Neil f'n Young. Anyone who complains about that value is out of their mind or cheap or stupid or all of the above.

However, you had to work pretty hard for the prime GA floor spots which turned into an endurance contest. With doors opening @ 6, cuing up beforehand, and then basically staking out your turf until 11:30+ was a 5+ hours on your feet commitment and not for the faint of heart. But this arrangement definitely solves the sit vs. stand dilemma once and for all. Thank you Elliot!

Lastly, there have been so many from the Neil fan communities of Rust, HH, RH, etc that we met up with. Thanks for everyone's encouraging support. It's appreciated.

Probably our biggest compliment came when someone accused us -- in a joking manner -- of being a dreaded "community organizer". And we've got one hell of an organized community that we're quite proud to be part of.

In conclusion, we don't think that anyone could possibly come away from this tour -- especially the home stretch -- without fully acknowledging that to experience a Neil Young concert up close is to witness a force of nature at work.

See you down the road.


Neil & Band with Wilco & Everest
New York City - Dec. 16, 2008
Photo by Lauri Stolworthy - Gallery hosted by Joyce - LAOL

Thanks for the memories Neil, Pegi & The Band. And, most of all, thank you Thrashette for letting me be me with all of our Neil buddies!

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Also, see:
- New York City Concert Reviews: 12/15 & 16/08
- Boston-Worcester Concert Reviews: 12/13/08
- Philadelphia Concert Reviews: 12/12/08

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Archives Update from Archives Guy comments moved here.

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Archives Update from Archives Guy

The Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 Trailer by Neil Young

The following Neil Young Archives news has been moved from the Road Trip Report thread since many folks missed the comments.

Archives Guy (who now posts using an official ID - beware of imposters) reports the following:

The launching our our new Archives website has been delayed, but is looking very cool, with lots of details and information. Please stand by.

NY Archives Vo1. 1 is scheduled to be released in the following formats:
* Blu-ray, DVD, CD, Digital Download

notes-
* the CD edition does not include the Hidden Tracks that are found on the BD and DVD editions.
* the Digital Download edition's track list is the same as the CD edition.

So what are you thinking of doing when The Archives are released?



NOTE: You can compare voting results from previous Archives poll when only 2 options were available.

More info follows in the comments section below which has been moved from post mentioned above.

Thanks Archives Guy!

Also, see
- Archives Q&A Session

- Is Blu-Ray Dead Already? Not So Fast Yet

- The Archives Turns Fans Blu


Neil Young Archives Cover Art
Zoom & Pan Art

Also, we've been doing some Blu-ray research and found this Amazon page helpful in comparing various players' specifications.

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New York City Concert Reviews: 12/15 & 16/08

Photo by Jason Decrow

From Music Review - Neil Young - Songs Old and New From a Familiar Face at Madison Square Garden - NYTimes.com By NATE CHINEN:

"At 63 Mr. Young is a figure of blunt efficiency himself, and a man comfortable with his own contradictions. Here in the first of two tour-ending New York shows, he presented himself not only as a stubbornly craggy survivor but also as an avid early adapter, a holdout hippie idealist, an evenhanded pragmatist and a sharp-eyed cynic."

EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS SOMETHING - New York Post By DAN AQUILANTE:

"At 63, his raw onstage energy is striking. Strapped into his guitar, Young writhes like a Pentecostal snake handler - head banging, hair flying and his already ugly kisser as distorted as the notes he plays when he gets lost in a musical trance."

Even Old, Young is Grand - NY Press Posted By David Callicott:

"Arena concerts aren’t necessarily my thing. But when Neil Young plays Madison Square Garden, and has Wilco open up for him, I try to buck up. So, for the past two nights, I’ve stood, or sat, in the “world’s most famous arena,” listening to what is arguably some of the best rock n’ roll music being played today."

Neil Young, Wilco / Dec. 15, 2008 / New York (Madison Square Garden) - Billboard.com by Lavinia Jones Wright:

"The floor of the Garden was almost completely cleared of seats to accommodate a standing audience, and the thousand fans who were devoted enough to stand for four hours straight were rewarded with an experience so intimate it seemed unreal. When Young finally took the stage in a paint-splattered blazer and Frank Zappa [ED: Emiliano Zapata] t-shirt, diving immediately into a fuzzed-out, energized of 'Love and Only Love,' it felt like being transported back in time to a crowded club."

New York - Live: Neil Young at Madison Square Garden - Sound of the City - Village Voice by Jesse Jarnow:

"Pity the bros stuck in the assigned seats 'cause down on the Madison Square Garden floor, it was a real rock show. While Neil Young shredded and warbled for two-and-a-half hours, dudes passed out down there (one during the stoner-doom jam of 'Cortez the Killer') and security guards sang along. Also Pity the bros confined comatosely to their chairs because the pace of Young's night--silver shrapnel jams from an eight-foot (!) Magnatone amp, classic strums, and long stretches of plodding songs about fuel-efficient cars--was well-served by being able to wander. That's exactly what Young did musically with his non-Crazy Horse combo."

Neil Young’s Journey Through the Past Takes a Detour: Culture and Celebrity: vanityfair.com by Michael Hogan:

"Needless to say, Young didn’t skimp on the classics during his protean three-hour set. (“We went long, but that’s O.K.,” he said toward the end. Tomorrow morning’s coming and there’s nothing we can do about it.”) Sticking mainly with Old Black, his beloved 1953 Les Paul, and playing through an amp the size of a small building, he blasted through “Powderfinger” and “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” in all their crunching glory and summoned hypnotizing sequences of bent and serrated notes on solo-heavy jams like “Cortez the Killer” and “Cowgirl in the Sand.” For anyone who has ever picked up a guitar, it was a seminar in how to combine technical prowess with the loose-muscled spontaneity that keeps rock ‘n’ roll from ever dying."

Photo by Joey "Feelin' Young"

EARVOLUTION: Young At Heart: Neil Young At Madison Square Garden By: David Schultz:

Time has taken nothing from the feisty Canadian. Numerous times during Monday night's show, Young bounded away from the microphone and careened across the stage, his guitar going through wild tremors as if trying to escape his grasp. No one would ever mistake Young’s voice for another but his incisive and defiant guitar style can be heard constantly in the artists that followed him. On “Cinnamon Girl,” “Cortez The Killer” and “Powderfinger,” Young reestablished himself as the Godfather of Grunge and the ancestor that atop the family trees of bands like My Morning Jacket and Dead Confederate.

Young has always been able to find beauty in the noise and he’s never flinched at the prospect of commercial or critical failure. That reckless spirit still lives within Young. To close the night, Young and his band tackled the nearly The Beatles’ nearly uncoverable “A Day In The Life,” finishing the song with a wall of feedback that became a backdrop for a revival of the song’s dreamy harmonies as a psychedelic peyote chant. Even when venturing into sacred and familiar ground, Young continues to find a way to transform it into his own inimitable style.

From jukeboxgraduate.com » neil young, msg, december ‘08 by caryn:

"I think a lot about the fact that Neil’s one of those people that I will just go see no matter what I think about their particular recorded output of the moment. That he has put out some, well, albums of dubious quality, and I still went (although I deeply regret passing on going to see Trans at MSG with the stoner guys from Bayside that were in my ethics class at Fordham and had an extra ticket. They did not know what the hell to make of the show the next day).

We were talking at dinner before the first show and referred to one album as the “I almost died” album, and it’s not funny to say that, because in this case, it happens to be true. But the thing with Neil Young is that he is still a cantankerous, obnoxious and overwhelmingly powerful force to be reckoned with. We saw Ray Davies two days before Neil and all I could think was how utterly fragile he seemed - yes, he was always a glorified stick figure and he looks great and has tons of energy but the fragility came through stronger than anything else.

But not Neil."

From Let's Avoid Neil Young's Next Record - Music - page 1 - Village Voice By Rob Harvilla:

"Look, you don't need me to gas on about the restorative, stupendously surly power of "Hey Hey, My My" or "Cowgirl in the Sand," grouchy and brutal under the expert care of Neil and his pummeling electric band, his wife Pegi's cooing backing vocals the only point of warming light. His own guitar solos are luridly violent affairs—he staggers crazily about like an enraged fisherman who doesn't realize he's hooked the seat of his own pants, his spastic jerks and lurches somehow not corresponding to any sound anyone is making, including him. The effect is profoundly ugly and equally mesmerizing, and initially, it enthralls even when the set list turns away from The Beloved Neil Young Canon: "Spirit Road," off last year's Chrome Dreams II, indulges in bald-tires open-road cliché ("There's a long highway in your mind"), but plays up the horror rather than the romance: The way an endless, inviting horizon dwarfs and overwhelms all who gaze upon it can make you feel like "A speck of dust in a giant world," as he snarls tonight. Somehow it's a fitting ode to the impending death of the American auto industry. But, ah, Neil's made this connection, too, and tonight, amid luscious dips into The Beloved Neil Young Canon, we are also graced/terrorized with multiple cuts from what would seem to be an impending concept album about eco-friendly cars."

From New York City Concert Reviews:

"In between Wilco and Neil, I took advantage of all the people scrambling and moved from the 200 level down to a third row seat right at stage right. I was about 100 feet from Neil. The magnetic pull was trying to take me right on stage but metal bars blocked the way. Luckily, Neil must of felt the magnetic pull. During Cinnamon Girl, he came over to the side of the stage and rocked out the ending screaching notes of cinnamon girl. The couple of people in front of me didnt even bother to get up as I stood up and just got pulled towards old black. I just gave every ounce of energy I had as I slipped into a surreal mental state. My arms started doing these helicopter spins and my eyes were just popping out of my eyes. It did not take long for Neil to spot me and once he saw I was giving him everything I had he gave everything he had right back. His eyes locked in on me he just kept feeding the high pitched solo to me right in front of me. My arms kept just kept revolving at the speed of light as I signaled to Neil to keep it coming. I can't really compare the experience to anything that I have ever experienced before."

A Day In The Life Neil Young MSG 16DEC08

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2008 Fall North American Tour and Concert Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Boston-Worcester Concert Reviews: 12/13/08

Photo by Tim Bugbee

Hello,
On the road and mobile blogging at the moment but just wanted to drop a quick update.

I guess the Boston show will go down in the tourbook as the "Jackpot" show.

We hit a trifecta -- a hat trick -- a triple play -- 3 first time song performances:
- Cough Up The Bucks - Wall St bailout
- Fuel of the People - alternative energy
- Behind The Wheel - LincVolt love song

We were getting our first live performances of Fuel Line & Light A Candle.

So between the Philly and Boston shows we were also hearing live for the first time for us:
Just Singing A Song
When Worlds Collide
Sea Change

Cortez was simply sublime in it's majesty.

And then Day in a life - a mindblowing & life altering experience.

So in the last 2 days we've had 9 songs that we've never heard live before. It just doesn't get any better to be a Neil fan.

For the doubters of the new songs, we'll just say that sometimes it takes time for them to age and breathe to come into their own. The point being, that pushing ahead into new frontiers is sometimes more inspiring then plowing the same old ground. We like to call it taking a risk. Without risk there is no growth.

And who wouldn't plunk down a few $'s to hear Neil sing @ MSG in NYC -- blocks from Wall St. -- a song about corporate welfare and reckless greed? So we'll cough up the bucks to maybe hear "Cough up the Bucks" again! Afterall, it's only fuckin' money.

So what will Neil have in store for us in NYC tomorrow?

Lastly, there have been so many from the Neil fan communties of Rust, HH, RH, etc that we met up with. Thanks for everyone's encouraging support. It's appreciated.

But a special shout-out to Kathy, Summer of Love & Karen, Love & Affection for letting Thrasher crash on their couches. Love you guys!

We'll try and have more later but we need to hit the road. Got fuel to burn.

Thrasher

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at DCU Center, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2008 Fall North American Tour and Concert Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Philadelphia Concert Reviews: 12/12/08

Cover photo by Joel Bernstein
Philadelphia Spectrum on either January 26 or 27, 1973

The album cover for the unreleased (on CD) "Time Fades Away" was taken at the Philadelphia Spectrum on the 1973 tour.

The Philadelphia Spectrum will be torn down next year to make way for the latest in trendy entertainment centers, but not before Neil Young plays a final concert tonight.

We're totally pumped up about this, have our GA floor tix in hand and are set for a road trip.

So bring a long stem rose to the concert and after the show, gather in front of the stage and we'll try and re-create the TFA album cover -- the holy grail of all Neil Young albums.

We'll be at McFadden's at Citizen's Bank Park, across Pattison Ave. from the Spectrum for the pre & post-show gathering.

The night is destined to be special with a full moon on the rise and a jumpin' tune. See you on the rail!

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at The Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2008 Fall North American Tour and Concert Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Ragged Glory Never Sleeps: Toronto Concert Review

From http://www.AltCountryTab.ca a concert review of Neil Young @ Toronto's Air Canada Centre, December 4, 2008 by Jules:

Ragged Glory Never Sleeps

Neil Young was in both his hard-rocking and acoustic folksinger modes on the first of two sold out shows at the Air Canada Centre. Fueled from last year’s successful Chrome Dreams Continental tour, where his shows started with an acoustic set, followed by a short intermission, and finishing with an electric set, tonight’s show was Crazy Horse-like from beginning to end, the intermission scrapped liked rusted metal.

Wearing a black paint-spattered jacket, white t-shirt and blue jeans, Neil took to an identical Massey Hall stage (of last December), a stage littered with standing lights, a wooden Indian to the left side and an old neon marquee filled with letters hanging above. This was vintage Neil, in that trance-like state, swaying back and forth. A rousing applause greeted Neil and his noisy Gibson Les Paul as he opened with “Love and Only Love” from 1990’s remarkable Ragged Glory. The music was absolutely exhilarating and you can see the intensity in the face of this ageless music icon as he continued with “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)”. With Young rocking back and forth and fans singing along to this classic, he purposely stuttered the line about it being better to burn out than to "fa-fa-fade away".

Neil Young was illuminated all night long. It was like having a trouble light hanging from the underside of his aging two-tonne Lincoln hood, casting a light down on him, His Electric Band in the shadows. It was after “Spirit Road” that Neil would say “How you doing Toronto. Thanks for being here. It’s nice to be here.” before continuing with “Cortez The Killer” and singing “And I know she’s living there / And she loves me to this day” as he turned his head back, smiling at his wife Pegi.

The mellower side of Neil would bring loud cheers, especially with the first sounds of his harmonica, singing “Everybody’s goin’ out and havin’ fun / I’m a fool for stayin’ home and havin’ none,” in his morose version of Don Gibson’s “Oh, Lonesome Me”, a song he first performed in the thick haze of cigarette smoke at the Bohemian Embassy coffee house in the ’60s. Sitting at a pipe organ at the back of the stage, Neil’s harmonica would start off “Mother Earth” before continuing on the keys. Now, alone on stage with his acoustic, “The Needle And The Damage Done” sounded exactly like it first appeared on 1972’s Harvest. The band would return, and a new song, “Light A Candle” would be played, before finishing with “Unknown Legend”, “Heart Of Gold” (with everyone singing along) and “Old Man” (Neil on acoustic and longtime roadie Larry Cragg on banjo).

The night would end in absolute mayhem with “Rockin' In The Free World” and a feedback-heavy cover of the Beatles’ “A Day In The Life” that concluded with Young ripping all the strings of his famous Old Black.

Thanks Jules!

More on Neil Young in Toronto, Ontario Concert Reviews: 12/4 & 5/08.

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The quiet and the damage done: Tongue Tied Lightning

From National Post "The quiet and the damage done: Being tongue-tied with Neil Young is something I may not live down" by Jian Ghomeshi:

"Last Friday I met Neil Young. It was a disaster. Not for him. He probably doesn't even remember meeting me. At least, let's hope he doesn't. If he does remember, Neil might recall it as an encounter with a mute. An awkward mute. An awkward smiling mute, inexplicably introduced to him as a broadcaster. I had so much to say to Neil. And given this outstanding opportunity, I seized the moment by saying ... nothing. I choked like the 2006 Ottawa Senators. Or the 2007 Ottawa Senators. Or the 2008 ... anyway, you get the idea. Not good. Disaster."

More on Neil Young in Toronto, Ontario Concert Reviews: 12/4 & 5/08.

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For Young's fans, Archives awaits...and awaits... : NoDepression.com

From NoDepression.com a very interesting article by Paul Cantin on the Neil Young Archives:

Obsessives typically don't play well together. Whether on the battlefield, the football gridiron or a backyard drinking party, when two hard-headed, determined, focused types come into conflict, like the old songs says, something's gotta give.

A similar musical tilt has been playing out in recent weeks, although the antagonists may surprise you.

In this corner, a fervid, loyal, vocal sector of Neil Young's fan base.

In the other corner, Neil Young.

Now if you hop over to the NoDepression.com article, regular readers will find some very interesting sourcing going on here which came as a bit of a surprise. Particularly, after we had been seeing some strange requests and observations coming our way.

So check out NoDepression.com's take on the bewildering spectacle that we call The Archives.

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Chicago/Rosemont, IL Concert Reviews: 12/9/08

Photo by Tom Cruze Sun-Times

From :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: "No one can gripe at this version of Young" by Jim DeRogatis:

"And, thanks to both the passion of the performances (I've never seen Young deliver more fiery guitar outside of his legendary garage band Crazy Horse) and his refusal ever to solely pander to expectations (the more-than-two-hour show also included a hefty chunk of still-unrecorded new material), it never seemed a bit like nostalgia or witnessing anything other than a musician still at the peak of his creative powers."

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Neil Young will be performing tonight at Allstate Arena, Rosemont/Chicago, Illinois.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2008 Fall North American Tour and Concert Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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"Love And Only Love" on YouTube: Detroit, 12/7/ 2008.

Neil Young performs "Love And Only Love" at the Palace of Auburn Hills on December 7, 2008.

Thanks bboris92!

Also, see Neil Young in Detroit/Auburn Hills, Michigan Concert Reviews: 12/7/08.

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Up Close in Toronto - Review & Photos: 12/4 & 5/08

Photo by Frank Yang .: chromewaves v7.5

Toronto's premier concert blogger over on Chromewaves, Frank Yang took some great shots from the pit and brings us some top notch reporting of Neil Young, Wilco and Everest at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on December 4 & 5:

It’s impossible to fully articulate how huge Neil Young is for me. Besides having been one of my very favourite artists from the very start of my “musical awakening” some 17 years ago, it’s also not an exaggeration to say that if I were to draw a single common thread through all the bands I love or the styles of music they play, it would be him. Some may owe larger debts than others, but whether they dwell in the folkier end of the spectrum or the noisy, one way or another, they’re in the shadow of Neil.

So when the man comes home for a show - yes, he began his career up in Winnipeg but the man’s birth certificate says “Toronto” - it’s going to be a special occasion. And when he does so with one of your very favourite bands in the world as support, as he did this time with Wilco, then the phrase “must-see” just seems woefully inadequate.

Frank & Neil

Awesome report Frank! Way cool on hanging with Neil. Rock on bro.

See more photos by Frank Yang and his full review.

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New Song: "Light a Candle"

Light a Candle - Toronto 12/4/08 debut

Light a Candle

Instead of cursing in the darkness,
light a candle for where were goin,
there’s something ahead, worth fighting for,

when the light of time is on us, you will see our moment come,
and the living sole inside will carry on,

It’s a chance to give new meaning to every move we make,
In the cavern, in the cave, where we’ve come from

Instrumental

When the light of dawn is on us,
we will see what we can be,
and the ancient ones will sleep the music sleep?/??

In the hallways of the ages, on the road to history,
What we do now will always be with us.

It’s a chance to give new meaning to every move we make,
In the caverns in the caves where we’ve gone wrong

Instrumental

Instead of cursing in the darkness,
Light a candle for where were going,
There’s something ahead, worth lookin for,

When the light of time is on us,
We will see our moment come,
And the living sole inside will carry on,

Light a candle in the darkness,
So that others might see it,
Light a candle in the darkness, when you go,

Instrumental

Light a candle in the darkness so others might see ahead,
Light a candle in the darkness when you go.


Thanks BSM & Gerry P!

Lyric corrections are welcome. Drop a comment below.

More on Neil Young in Toronto, Ontario Concert Reviews: 12/4 & 5/08.

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Detroit/Auburn Hills, Michigan Concert Reviews: 12/7/08

From Oakland Press By GARY GRAFF:

Young came out the gunslinger, with "Love and Only Love" setting both a lyrical and instrumental tone as he crouched low over his black Les Paul, playing guitar solos like spraying so much electric buckshot around the stage. And after making highly critical remarks of the Detroit auto industry, Young -- who was briefly signed to Motown in the mid-'60s with his band the Mynah Birds -- appeared anxious to affirm his ultimate solidarity; in "Hey Hey, My My" (Into the Black)" he changed the lyric to "Detroit City will never die," and he also shouted "Motor City!" repeatedly during "Rockin' in the Free World."

Thanks Pretty Pegi!


Neil Young will be performing tonight at Palace Of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills/Detroit, Michigan.

Got a report? Drop a comment below. No registration required.

Check Sugar Mountain for setlist updates. Also, see Grid Chart on Rust Radio.

Also, see Neil Young 2008 Fall North American Tour and Concert Reviews and the right, middle sidebar for continuous real time RSS feed updates.

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Photo Gallery of Neil Young in Toronto on December 4, 2008

Photo by Frank Yang .: chromewaves v7.5

Totally awesome photo gallery by Frank Yang on Chromewaves of Neil Young @ Air Canada Centre, Toronto on December 4, 2008.

Thanks Frank! Looking forward to your review and blog on meeting Neil backstage.

In the meantime, over on It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans by Bob:

"Well it turns out that my prediction that Friday night's Neil Young show at the ACC would be the concert event of the year was 100% accurate as both Neil and Wilco put on a show that will go down in the annals of personal concert going history as nothing short of legendary.

Although he was quite far away from me, the unmistakable frame of Mr. Young was obvious, and as he wailed away to Love And Only Love on, what I believe was his classic Les Paul, I knew that this night was going to be special. Prior to this show, I only half understood why the term 'Godfather of Grunge' had been appointed to him. However, seeing him rock out all hunched over while his guitar made that familiar high pitched whirr that will forever be associated with only this one man made it obvious to me as to how he has been able to influence an entire generation of plaid wearing angsters. The level of hard rockin' euphoria continued to escalate with each passing song, culminating in Cortez The Killer and Cinnamon Girl, which had even the people in my crappy section plugging in their air guitars and putting on a little performance of their own. Cortez The Killer was the best performance of the night in my opinion; chill inducing to say the least."

Thanks Bob and for h/t of the CW pix! So, how does Frank Y. get these shots??? Incredible.

More on Neil Young in Toronto, Ontario Concert Reviews: 12/4 & 5/08.

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Concert Review of Moment: Ottawa, Ontario, 12/2/08

The Neil Young Concert Review of the Moment is from Ottawa, Ontario on 12/2/08 by Tony C.:

Neil came on around ten past 9 to thunderous applause. And right from the first notes of his magnificent sounding guitar he was brilliant. When for his second song the opening notes of My My, Hey Hey blasted the rafters there was no holding the crowd. Everybody knew why they were here and were just wallowing in the gorgeousness of what Neil has made timeless.

This is a man of 63 who suffered a brain aneurysm in 2005, has had diabetes since childhood and walks with a limp from polio. Yet this is the best I have ever seen him perform and with such energy. His famous never-ending final chords were well represented. Half way through he took a walk up a ramp to a portable pipe organ, seemed to assume a new persona, and sang (with harmonica accompaniment) what I always call #89 in the green hymn book: "As longs the heart". This was Mother Earth (Natural Anthem), with his words replacing the many other versions. Wonderful.

Unlike most big name concerts I have seen in the last decade, Neil's performances and the support from the marvellous musicians including his wife Pegi Young were far better than the versions on disk, adding musical quality, spontaneity, excitement, dynamic range and visual excellence. And so the evening progressed through his acoustic classics from his After the Goldrush era always returning to the seminal rock numbers that he has contributed to the genre that will never die.

And then came the end - or was it. After several minutes of audience roar he came back to do . . . wait for it . . . "A Day in the Life."

I suffered pangs of pleasure as he recreated a masterpiece cover complete with both orchestral build-ups and the final chord that sufficed us for the evening and made us all proud and joyful and happy to be Canadian with him.

- Tony C.

More concert reviews of Neil Young in Ottawa, Ontario.

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The Goofiest Concert Review of All-Time

OK, folks seem to be getting a real kick out of this EdgeGirl YouTube video so we're re-posting by popular demand from the Neil Young in Toronto, Ontario Concert Reviews: 12/4 & 5/08.


And now for something completely different, a YouTube Concert Review?!

Thanks EdgeGirl & Leo!

More on Sit vs Stand: The Never Ending Dilemma.

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Hidden "Hidden" Track on Sugar Mountain

There appears to be a super secret hidden "hidden" track on Sugar Mountain.

In TW comments recently (which lunar_tunes on Rust pointed out), if you pop the CD in your PC, there's a download link for the track "#1 Hit Song Rap".

Of course, the track is so hidden that most folks can't seem to find it. So here's a spoiler tip -- go to Neil Young Download Page.

The rap is quite hilarious and another astonishing premonition of what would come over the next 40 years.

SML seems to be doing pretty well and is still rising to 18 15 14 on Amazon.com Bestsellers (updated hourly).

Here's some of the best of Sugar Mountain reviews that folks are raving about.

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“There’ll Never Be Another Crazy Horse”, says Neil Young

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Neil Young is quoted as saying “There’ll never be another Crazy Horse”.

For many, this news comes like a bullet through the heart.

And the bombshells keep coming. No Archives release in January or February, either.

Instead, we're now getting -- wait for this -- the Crazy Horse & Booker T. and the MGs album "Toast" recorded in 2000. (Thanks ShittyHorse & BSM for correction. Toast tracks were re-recorded w/BTMG for AYP?, we think?)

Check out the full interview in Rolling Stone and come back and let us know what you think. No, what you really think.

Hold back the tears.
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UPDATE: We're catching flack for this post. We took the headline and quote directly from the linked RS article. The quote is subject to interpretation and somewhat ambiguous. Read the full article and take from it what you will. Undoubtedly, there will only ever be one band that is CH, but will Neil ever play with them again? Who knows? As he says, "Maybe". Only time will tell. Are we being disingenuous? We think not.
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