REACTION: Neil Young Rehearsing "Forever Young" Backstage @ BobFest

"My Back Pages" - BobFest - 1992

Bob Dylan and Tom Petty & Neil Young 

(Click photo to enlarge)

Last week, we featured a post of what we thought was rare footage of Neil Young rehearsing backstage at BobFest in  1992.

Neil Young Rehearsing "Forever Young" for BobFest - 1992

(See video footage here)

Well, leave it to the RUSTie Grains (Neil know it alls) to let us know, oh no, Neil Young rehearsing "Forever Young" isn't rare.  It's right there on the Bluray anniversary edition, Track #9 of outtakes.  Well, excuse us?!  We hadn't seen the clip before (or maybe Lord forgive, forgot)  and enjoyed quite a bit.

Enjoyed almost as much as the surprising deluge of comments this unleashed here on TW.

Bob Dylan and Neil Young during finale "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"

Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, October 16, 1992

NOTE: Johnny Cash and June Carter on vocal backup among others

Before getting to TW comments, some background for the non- RUSTie Grains.

Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary tribute was held in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, on October 16, 1992. Neil said from the stage: "Thanks Bob for BobFest!". This was another star-studded concert featuring numerous legends including Neil Young. Young performed Dylan's songs "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" and "All Along the Watchtower". Many who witnessed the performance feel that Young's rendition of "All Along the Watchtower" was incendiary.

Sinéad O'Connor
Saturday Night Live (SNL) - October 3, 1992

2 weeks prior to BobFest, the infamous Sinéad O'Connor on Saturday Night Live (SNL) incident took place just up the block in NYC. New Yorkers were hot. (BTW, you'll never guess who had prime seats for the event and loved it?!)

As more background, per Wikipedia:

On October 3, 1992, the Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor appeared as the musical guest on the American live television sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL). While performing a rendition of Bob Marley's 1976 song "War", she staged a protest against the Catholic Church. O'Connor held a photograph of Pope John Paul II in front of the camera, ripped it up, said "fight the real enemy", and threw the pieces of the photograph onto the floor.

And here's what some folks forget/don't realize. Immediately after Sinead was booed offstage, Neil walks on and burns down the house.

 

Dark to light in a heartbeat. 

 

Regarding comments here on TW, read them for yourself.  We can't even begin to try to summarize. 

Freedom of expression?  Where have we heard this?  As some of us approach 250 years of something like freedom, we do wonder.  And ponder.  And carry on.

Bob Dylan & Neil Young 

Madison Square Garden, New York City - 1992

More on Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

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RARE: Neil Young Rehearsing for BobFest - 1992

Neil Young Rehearsing "Forever Young" for BobFest - 1992
(Click photo to enlarge)

Here is some rare footage from backstage of Neil Young rehearsing "Forever Young" for BobFest in 1992.

Never seen this before - Neil Young in rehearsals for the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Celebration doing "Forever Young" solo on pump organ and harmonica. Wow!

(When the camera zooms out at the end you can see a young Eddie Vedder looking on) pic.twitter.com/nDa82nagv1

— Ray Padgett (@rayfp) June 9, 2026

Never seen this before - Neil Young in rehearsals for the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Celebration doing "Forever Young" solo on pump organ and harmonica. Wow!

(When the camera zooms out at the end you can see a young Eddie Vedder looking on) pic.twitter.com/nDa82nagv1

— Ray Padgett (@rayfp) June 9, 2026

A Rock & Roll Trinity:
The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost
Bob Dylan, Neil Young & Eric Clapton,
Madison Square Garden, New York City - 1992
More on Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

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LAST CALL: Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary T-Shirts Orders

"Still separating the wheat from the chaff..."

Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary: 1996 - 2026
Design by Silver Moon Art & Design

Shirts Hand-dyed by artist Zach Wright, InnerLightTieDye

We're announcing last call for ordering Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary T-Shirts.

If you have pledged, please submit your payment no later than Sunday, June 14. (Shirt ordering details are here.)

As we noted earlier,  2026 is the year that we here at Thrasher's Wheat are celebrating our 30th anniversary of archiving Neil Young's musical talents and the rustie fan communities. (BTW, we had a lot of fun reviewing all the photos we've been sent of fans flying the colors around the EARTH!)

So celebrate with us with a Thrasher's Wheat Anniversary T-Shirt.  All the shirt details are here.

Down By The River w/ Thrashette

Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary: 1996 - 2026
Design by Silver Moon Art & Design

Shirts Hand-dyed by artist Zach Wright, InnerLightTieDye
(Click photo to enlarge)

 

This is really all about you cowboys & cowgirls out there -- our loyal and faithful readers here on Thrasher's Wheat and the entire Neil Young fan community.  So this is your chance to get in on all the fun and adventure of being a "rustie-grain"  (as Neil refers to us).

It's just a hippie dream, so let your freak flag fly & don't be denied! 

peace & love,

thrasher & thrashette

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Farm Aid 2026: Virginia Beach, Virginia - September 26

Farm Aid 2026: Virginia Beach, Virginia - September 26

Farm Aid 2026 will be in Virginia Beach, Virginia on September 26

Board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young (& the Chrome Hearts band), John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff. 

Joining them this year will be Turnpike Troubadours, Lukas Nelson, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Jesse Welles, Sierra Ferrell, Mon Rovîa, I’m With Her, Amythyst Kiah, Lily Meola and Chris Pierce. 

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday (June 12) at 10 a.m. ET via Farm Aid’s website and the box office. A limited number of tickets will be available in a presale beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday (June 10).   

More on last year's Farm Aid 2025 Report.

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Neil Young Archives Volume 4 is "almost completed": What Will It Contain?

Rusted Moon: Quote of the week: Update on NYA Vol. 4

Earlier this week, the good folks over at Neil Young Archives made note on the front page of Times-Contrarian of the 30th anniversary of Thrasher's Wheat.

And if that wasn't enough, over on Rusted Moon, TW news made the  Quote of the week: Update on NYA Vol. 4. (Thanks Ralf!)

via Times-Contrarian | Neil Young Archives  (Click photo to enlarge)

 

In 2024, Neil Young announced that he has "begun assembly" of NYA Volume #4 by The Volume Dealers. Per announcement, "Original performances" will be the basis for cut selection. The Bluenotes "10 Men Working" will be an unheard original song on V#4.  Volume #4 will be the "second last" of the series. Back in 2022, Neil had talked of Volume #4 as being the final volume. 

Earlier this year, we posted on the question of what will Neil Young Archives Vol. 4 contain with an article from Neil Young Unreleased - NYU by Robert Broadfoot.  

Neil Young Archives Volumes #I & #II (via FarmAidians Paul & Rene)  

More on NYA#3 @ First Impressions: Archives Vol. III Takes by Neil Young. 

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