Thrasher's Wheat Celebrates 30th Anniversary: 1996 - 2026

Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary: 1996 - 2026

Design by Silver Moon Art & Design

 (Click photo to enlarge)

2026 marks the 30th Anniversary of Thrasher’s Wheat and we want *you* to help us celebrate rockin' & bloggin' in the free world.

5 years ago in 2021, Neil Young Archives helped us celebrate by publishing a "HAPPY 25th Anniversary Thrasher’s Wheat!" article on the front top of Times-Contrarian. 

 "HAPPY 25th Anniversary Thrasher’s Wheat!" | Neil Young Archives

Per  "HAPPY 25th Anniversary Thrasher’s Wheat!" | Neil Young Archives:

"Thanks for being there.

We at NYA greatly appreciate your members and their enthusiasm over the years. it will be a great period for us all over the next years as well. Lots more music coming. Our biggest concern is that NYA Volume 3 is so big!

Lots of love and thanks to TW and the people who love it and support it."

To say the thrashers were humbled and honored would be a vast under statement.

And we had tons of fun with our 20th anniversary back in 1996, as well.

And just like Willie Nelson's old guitar Trigger -- while we may be worn and battered -- we will survive and thrive no matter what forces we encounter.

Willie Nelson's guitar "Trigger"

As we asked in the beginning of 2026, what shall we do for our 30th Anniversary here at Thrasher’s Wheat?

It has been a long, long road since 1996 and we would like to make 2026 a year of celebration. A celebration maybe not so much of our little blog website or even of Neil Young. No, a celebration of this wonderful little community we joined back in 1993 that eventually became known as "The force of Rust".

So here's what we're thinking. Thanks to our dear friend Geoff Moore, we've come up with a Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary t-shirt.

Still separating the wheat from the chaff...

Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary: 1996 - 2026

Design by Silver Moon Art & Design
(Click photo to enlarge)

And we want all of our readers to have one.

So the next step is to find out how many folks are interested. Once we have some handle on that, we'll figure out the print run and pricing. Then we'll make available to everyone in the TW/Rust/Neil community. How's that sound?

So let us know your interest and we'll go from there. We welcome suggestions and questions below.

We will soon be diligently producing our commemorative T-shirts -- 100% quality cotton. Each shirt will be uniquely hand tie-dyed in a 7 stage process under the Maui, Hawai'i sun (by tie dyers who were trained within the Grateful Dead family tree). Our intention is to connect the dots...to encourage greater connection through sincerity, fun, and focus. 

The shirt won't make the difference but you can bet all those that wear it will be trying.

Hand-dyed by artist Zach Wright of InnerLightTieDye, based in Maui, Hawaiʻi. Zach creates one-of-a-kind tie-dye pieces using traditional techniques, with a focus on precision, flow, and depth of color. His work spans wearable art and large-scale backdrops, and has found its way into the hands of notable musicians within the music community over the years. His style is recognized for its balance of structure and organic movement, with layered symmetry and rich color palettes.

This Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary prototype was custom-dyed as a unique collaboration piece, bringing a bold, high-contrast energy to the design.  Zach created this extra crunchy Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary shirt with Neil Young and Rusties in head!

Explore more of Zach's work at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/innerlighttiedye

The Details  

What: Thrasher's Wheat 30th Anniversary commemorative tie-dyed 100% quality cotton T-shirts in sizes Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large (XL), Extra Extra Large (XXL), or Extra Extra Large (XXL)*

Cost: Approximately $38.00 + Shipping**

Timeline: Shipping Target - approximately July 2026

Next Steps:  Pledge your support to  thrasher@thrasherswheat.org.  Send us email pledging to commit to a shirt purchase. Include:

• Subject Line: TW Shirt Pledge.
• Include number of shirts, size preferences, & country. 

* NOTE: Shirts are pre-washed/pre-shrunk.  We'll try and provide some guidance on sizing at order time. An extra charge for Extra Large (XL), Extra Extra Large (XXL). Extra Extra Extra Large (XXXL) sizes will require an additional extra charge, as well.

** Shipping is a challenge, particularly International (non-USA).  This will be addressed with each specific country by order.  Please be aware that mailing packages Internationally now is tremendously labor intensive with postal forms, rules, plus increasingly expensive.

Feel free to get in touch with us on any questions at thrasher@thrasherswheat.org .

This is really all about you cowboys & cowgirls out there -- our loyal and faithful readers here on Thrasher's Wheat, our social media followers and the entire Neil Young fan community.

TW HQ - 2016

Photo by TW Tour & Merch Manager  Hounds That Howell

So let you freak flag fly & don't be denied! 

---

---

CONCERT REPORT: Dead Reckoning @ Haw River Ballroom, North Carolina - April 7, 2026

Setlist: Dead Reckoning @ Haw River Ballroom, North Carolina - April 7, 2026
(Click photo to enlarge)

Here is a concert report of Dead Reckoning @ Haw River Ballroom, North Carolina  on April 7, 2026 by Jim McKelvey.

 

---

Dead Reckoning @ Haw River Ballroom, North Carolina  - April 7, 2026 

Caught the second Dead Reckoning show of two at the Haw River Ballroom in North Carolina and it was a very interesting concert experience. These shows sold out really fast and many long time fans missed out on tickets.

Some in the audience were strictly Welch/Rawlings fans and some of them left early because this was a tribute to the Dead and there wasn't any Gillian Welch or Dave Rawlings songs during the show. Going into the show I was thinking they might open with "Wrecking Ball," but that didn't happen.

Since this tour just came out of the blue and they were not promoting a new release some people around me said they only knew one or two songs from the set. Kind of similar to that Neil Young "Tonight's The Night" tour which was all new songs that were unreleased at the time.

Clearly, the tour is locked into the Dead's 1981 acoustic live album Reckoning and it is highly recommended to listen to that before the show if you are unfamiliar with the Dead. Both Welch and Rawlings have been doing Dead covers for a long time, but some of the fans didn't realize the importance of song "Wrecking Ball" to Gillian until now. In a recent interview the Dead influence on Gillian Welch is discussed at length in the Bitter Southerner piece.

From the rail of the first balcony, it was interesting to see the crowd reaction as songs were recognized. Once the song was clearly established, people on the entire main floor began to sway together. For my blood, this was not so much a cover band situation as much as giving these songs the Welch/Rawlings treatment and making the songs their own.

These two are sitting on live recordings going back to 1993 so it will be interesting what is done with recordings from this tour. Rawlings has been recording every show for years starting back when they were doing house concerts in Hickory, North Carolina that is sort of ready for release. Honestly, if they aren't going to release something from the Dead Reckoning tour, they really should allow a taping section at venues. At one time the duo was taper friendly, but that changed as they became more popular, but I never heard the specific reason it was no longer allowed after years of being OK with it. Yes, "Everything is Free" comes to mind in terms of their taping policy.

Another surprise is how similar Dave Rawlings guitar style is to Jerry Garcia acoustic playing. Sort of fits like a glove, but I'd never made that connection before. Rawlings has mentioned Neil Young as a major influence, but I'd never heard/read about a Garcia influence.

By the way, given the really deep Neil Young cuts the various formations of the Dave Rawlings Machine have done I hope a Rust tribute tour might happen also.

---

Thanks for the detailed report here Jim!  And thanks for supporting live music.

We've really enjoyed seeing Welch and Rawlings.  We last saw them in 2024, so we're due and will be on the lookout for area concerts.

 Dave Rawlings & Gillian Welch

[Corporate Name] Hall, Tysons Corner, Virginia - December 8, 2024

photo by thrashette

#LiveMusicIsBetter

#KORITFW 

---

---

Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young: Revisiting The Difference in Greatness

Neil Young & Bruce Springsteen

Vote For Change concert - St. Paul, MN - 2004
 (Click photo to enlarge)

Over recent years, both Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen have been very outspoken with their criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump.

 

Last year, Neil Young issued a statement of support for Bruce Springsteen, after a Springsteen concert on May 14, 2025 in Manchester, UK in which he spoke negatively about the current Trump Administration. 

Bruce Springsteen

Manchester, UK -  May 14, 2025

In response, Neil Young wrote on Neil Young Archives| Times-Contrarian:

"Thank you, Bruce.

As a dual Canadian-American citizen, I join the vast majority in thanking you for speaking so eloquently and truthfully on behalf of the American people,

We are with you, my old friend."

More on  Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young: The Difference in Greatness.

 Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young: The Difference in Greatness  

---

---

"Neil Young: God's Prophet?"

Neil Young: God's Prophet?

 

Today is Easter 2026.

So something a little different today, a sermon titled "Neil Young: God's Prophet?". From the video's description: 

"Can you see God's love, beauty and truth as it's found in the life and music of Neil Young?"

Neil Young's relationship with religion over the decades has evolved, yet his beliefs remain relatively private and personal despite many songs directly referencing the subject.

Neil Young in "Mansion On The Hill" video

(more on "Mansion On The Hill" video)

 

Here is a comment that appeared on our 2023 post Inside Neil Young's Faith: An Old Man Takes A Look At Young's Religion by Dan:

I feel that Neil is a very spiritual man who clearly doesn’t follow organized religion. 

For me personally, most organized religion has one major flaw….. it’s run by humans. We humans have egos that are apparently difficult to control, which in turn seems to be our Achilles heel. 

The ego convinces us that if we believe we are right, then everyone else must be wrong. Resulting in war, famine, pestilence, and suffering. We use religion as a weapon, and those who have power ultimately give faith a bad name. Those without faith blame God instead of the people in power who use ‘their’ God as a weapon. 

I have a deep faith in something too big for us humans to comprehend, and whatever it is….it has allowed us free will. What we choose to use that free will is a personal choice. I choose to use it for love, peace, and understanding. 

Kindness is one of the most powerful qualities we have, and it costs nothing to give, or receive.

Kindness towards others who are different from me. I don’t buy into the idea that America is the greatest country in the world, and everyone else should be like us. 

We need to start celebrating our differences around the world instead of fearing them. This planet is the only place in the universe where we all can live, and if there is other life in the universe, we haven’t found it yet. 

So we need to get over ourselves and start thinking about survival, instead of killing each other over religion. 

Time is running out, and if we can’t find a way to get along, then we’re doomed to keep repeating our mistakes, mistakes that we’ve been making throughout history.

Don’t Forget Love

Peace 🙏

Thanks for the comment Dan! Just so you know, we do miss your comments here @ TW.  Hope things are OK.

 

More on the prophecies of Neil Young. 

Also, see Inside Neil Young's Faith: An Old Man Takes A Look At Young's Religion.

 Neil Young in the shadow of a cross From the Journey Through The Past Album(see Inside Neil Young's Faith: An Old Man Takes A Look At Young's Religion) 
ps - Here's how Rusted Moon is observing Easter ...

Happy Easter - Joyeuses Pâques

image via Rusted Moon 

---

---

Interview with author Jimmy McDonough | Naked Lunch Podcast

 Naked Lunch Podcast

Here is an interview with the author of "Shakey: Neil Young's Biography by Jimmy McDonough on the Naked Lunch Podcast. (Neil Young discussion @ ~00:10:00 )

From SHOW NOTES:

Comedy great Patton Oswalt returns to "Naked Lunch" to help Phil set the stage for David's fascinating conversation with acclaimed author Jimmy McDonough about his brand new, latest and last biography, "Gary Stewart: I Am From The Honky-Tonks," as well as some of his previous books, including the bestselling "Shakey: Neil Young's Biography." 

For Patton Oswalt's tour dates, go to https://pattonoswalt.com. 

For more on Jimmy McDonough, go to https://www.jimmymcdonough.com. 

 

Shakey - Neil Young Biography

by Jimmy McDonough

(review)

---

---