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10:27 AM, Jun 10, 2009 |
Date of Concert: 10/16/2008 | Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
I had a $75 general admission floor seat, and arrived just before 6 pm, when the doors opened. I quickly made my way to the floor where I parked myself, leaning on a railing at the front, for the whole evening. The barricades seemed farther from the stage than normal, and I quickly realized that this was done to provide the two guys with video cameras ample room to run around and provide footage for the two large video screens. Additionally, there were two more camera crews nestled above the front of the stage. I must applaud Neil Young for providing everyone with a great view of the show, even if they were sitting as far away as possible. Video screens should be mandatory. Openers Everest reminded me why I like seeing live bands. They were a bit twangy, with catchy indie-pop songs and reminded me a fair bit of Wilco, the Jeff Tweedy-led Chicago band who had opened for several dates on the current Neil Young tour. I was impressed enough to buy their CD at the merchandise booth. Death Cab For Cutie are currently among the cream of the crop indie bands and one of my favorites. Lead singer and guitarist Ben Gibbard has a distinctive voice and a dynamite stage presence. Unfortunately, for the first few songs, he had problems getting sound from his guitars. In fact, at one point, guitarist Chris Walla began making small talk with the audience, very obviously buying time as a tech tried to sort out Gibbard's guitar problems. As the sound problems continued, Gibbard actually threw his guitar to the ground and kicked over the suspect electronics gear that he thought was failing. The box was replaced but even as he was strumming, I thought there was no sound from his guitar. I was correct. Eventually, the tech simply removed the replacement gear. Gibbard is an above average songwriter. On stage, when not singing, he made rapid staccato-like movements as he rapidly danced a bit before returning to the microphone. Death Cab For Cutie are one of the cool indie pop bands out there and have become as hip as what REM used to be, before they became mega-popular. Around 9:20 pm, Neil Young (born 1945) and band walked on the stage for several electric guitar-based songs before playing some acoustic numbers. Young was stunning on guitar and managed to coax extended solos out of the song. His playing was characterized with monstrous riffs, rapidly flying fingers and tons of cranking of the whammy bar. I have seen many bands this year, but Neil Young is among the most violent attacker of strings that I have seen. He is also a master improviser, making every electric song a sonic and visual spectacle. There's absolutely no one quite like Neil Young. Musicians know that in order to be remembered, they need to be unique. Not only had Young had a distinct career as a recording artist, but on stage, no one moves like him. Even in his early sixties, he still thrills a crowd by merely picking up his knees and moving his feet. The stage looked quite odd with a cigar store wooden Indian, and very old amplifiers. Oddest of all, however, and never explained by Young, was the man at the back of the stage who painted away on one canvass after another, with his back turned to us. There was no curtain at the back of the stage, and fans sitting behind the stage had a pretty good view. At the end of the first set, a few guitar picks were being tossed by the band and one landed a few feet to my right, but behind the barricade. A really tall guy in the crowd climbed over the barricade to retrieve the pick and was instantly pounced on by security who just as quickly moved him away. All the while, the entire band looked on from the front of the stage as they had just finished offering up their final bow. Young reached way back to the 1969 album, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, his second solo effort, for the title track as well as "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cowgirl In The Sand." Among his other classics were "Heart of Gold,", "Cortez The Killer," "The Needle And The Damage Done," "Old Man," and a ferocious "Rockin' In The Free World," in which Young tore the strings from his guitar and still hammered away on the fretboard for an orgasmic grunge effect. It was a stunning conclusion to a set just shy of two hours. Young didn't play two songs that I really wanted to hear, "Like A Hurricane," from 1977's American Stars 'n' Bars and the title track from the 1992 album Harvest Moon. More people than usual were leaving their seats for breaks when Young played the pop-flavored newer material like "Sea Change" and "When World Collide." For the encore, they played the Beatles "A Day In The Life," which ended with Young climbing to the back of the stage and hitting the very final note, just as it is on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This subtle move brought down the house and made for a memorable conclusion to Young's sixth concert in Winnipeg, the town where he first began his career in music. 01. Love And Only Love 02. Hey Hey , My My 03. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 04. Powderfinger 05. Spirit Road 06. Cortez The Killer 07. Cinnamon Girl 08. Oh, Lonesome Me 09. Mother Earth 10. The Needle And The Damage Done 11. Unknown Legend 12. Heart Of Gold 13. Old Man 14. Get Back To The Country 15. Just Singing A Song 16. Sea Change 17. When Worlds Collide 18. Cowgirl In The Sand 19. Rockin' In The Free World --- 20. A Day In The Life Neil Young - guitar, harmonica, pump organ, vocals Ben Keith - pedal steel, lap steel, guitar, organ, background vocals Rick Rosas - bass Chad Cromwell - drums Pegi Young - background vocals, vibraphone, piano, guitar Anthony Crawford - background vocals, piano, guitar, bells Larry Cragg - banjo Attendance: 13,000
02:47 PM, Apr 13, 2009 |
Date of Concert: 4/11/2009 | Location: St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
Absolutely Amazing My first time seeing Neil - I knew it would be a good show, but it more than exceeded every expectation. He had so much energy, was shredding the guitar, especially on the new songs which were great. Some real gems - Cortez the killer, tonight's the night, deep sea blues... The whole building was buzzing, Neil was spot on, best concert I've ever seen
04:43 PM, Dec 20, 2008 |
Neil Young Wed Oct 16, 2008 MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB Canada 5 out of 5 “Comes A Time” for Neil Young To quote Dave Crosby, “It’s Been A Long Time Coming” for Winnipeg to bring back “hometown-boy-made-good,” Neil Young. His last appearance here as a solo artist was at the Winnipeg Arena back in October 1996. He was scheduled to appear at Winnipeg’s staging of the Juno Awards in 2005, but had to cancel because of a near fatal brain aneurysm. Granted, he had donned the stage at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre in July 2006, but that was with his “on again off again” cohorts Crosby, Still and Nash. Though arguably Young’s original contributions stole that particular show, it was still primarily a CSN&Y reunion gig not a Neil Young concert. So it was with baited breath that 13,000 fans packed the MTS Centre to welcome Neil Young home. After the opening acts, Everest and Death Cab For Cuties, had warmed up the crowd, the lights dimmed, Neil and his band strode on stage and the crowd erupted, giving Neil and his band the first of many standing ovations. But what kind of Neil Young was Winnipeg going to see: folkie Neil, country Neil, rocker Neil or….? Neil has always done things his own way, making it impossible to predict what he may do at a concert. Young chose to perform a good cross section of his back catalogue that was surprisingly hit laden. Dressed in jeans, sneakers and a jacket that looked like it had been finger painted by a five year old, Neil took centre stage with his Les Paul electric guitar, Ol’ Blacky, slung over his shoulder and launched into “Love and Only Love” from his 1990 CD Ragged Glory. If anyone in the crowd had reservations that the sixty-something Young had lost a step due to age or health, Neil quickly banished any doubt. His energy level never flagged throughout the concert. He quickly followed his opening number with a blistering feedback saturated version of “Hey Hey My My” that literally shook the arena. Young stalked the stage, attacking his guitar like some crazed madman, wringing every ounce of emotion from each note. Nor had that instantly recognizable voice lost any of the range, or emotion as it bleated urgently above the songs’ signature riff. During the electric portion of the show, Young continued pulling chestnuts from his back catalogue performing such as “Everybody Know This Is Nowhere,” Cortez the Killer and his 1969 pop anthem “Cinnamon Girl.” At this point, those more interested in “Harvest” era Young may have been getting a little antsy. But they needn’t have worried. Neil finally donned his acoustic and performed classics such classics as “Heart of Gold,” “Old Man,” and the fan favourite “Needle and the Damage Done” before moving to the organ and performing the poignant ballad “Mother Earth.” At one point the band made a false start and Neil upbraided the musicians tongue in cheek saying, “Hey we gotta do that over again and get it right cause this is Winnipeg! You can’t get away with that in Winnipeg!” which brought more adoring cheers from the crowd. He also took a friendly poke at a local newspaper for whom his dad had once worked who had failed to cover the concert because it’s workers had gone out on strike. Neil said, “I’m gonna mail in my own review and tell ‘em what a great audience you guys have been!” By now, Neil had the crowd eating out of his hand. But Neil Young is not content to sit back on his laurels. He introduced a few of his new tracks such as “Just Singing A Song Won’t Change the World,” “Sea Change,” and “When Worlds Collide” before bringing the house down with steaming versions of “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Keep on Rocking in the Free World.” After a deafening encore call, he returned and performed a version of the Beatle’s Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band classic “A Day in the Life.” Given the number of sure-fire unused songs that Young still had remaining (“Down by the River” being an obvious choice) which he could have use to end the night, attempting this Lennon -McCartney sacred cow was a brave choice. But Neil delivered a captivatingly unique version, making the song his own and leaving the ecstatic Winnipeg fans howling for more. Neil Young was long time coming – let’s just hope he’s not a long time gone. Come back real soon Neil! Rob Rheubottom Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada tarryrob@yahoo.ca
09:20 PM, Dec 19, 2008 |
Date of Concert: 12/16/2008 | Location: New York, NY USA
Last night of the US tour at MSG; Neil goes on at 10:15 and opens with Love and Only Love into Hey Hey (My My). Great set including Powderfinger, Cortex the Killer (Always Great), Heart of Gold into Old Man, Cinnamon Girl, Cowgirl In the Sand (Fantastic), Rockin in the Free World, Closing with A Day in the Life. Great Show at 2 1/2 hours for 63 or 64 yrs old the kids could learn a thing or two from him. Even acknowledged the whiny girl behind me yelling " Neil we Looove Yooouuuu" all night when he went to the mic and said " We Love you" so maybe she wasn't so annoying after all. The new stuff he played was mixed in what I liked but the guy is a great songwriter and a unique artist. Timeless. Only love can break your heart.
Ambleside Park, West Vancouver, B.C. AP Photo / The Canadian Press
September 12, 2009Add |
Accepting the MusiCares Person of the Year award in Los Angeles. AP Photo
January 29, 2010Add |
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