Forever Neil

Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Missoula October 1, 2015

Neil Young is still kicking and screaming.  And still touring, only this time around he has enveloped himself on stage with a bunch of young whippersnappers, including two of Willie Nelson's kids.  The youngsters know how to play a note or two and could barely contain their joy at being on stage night after night with their legend.  For all of his bluster, Neil knows how to craft a set list starting out with old classic acoustic favorites, for the fans who were around for the dawn of time and gradually building to a grand finale of electric stompers, amped up enough to please the hard crusty rockers in the crowd.

For the red cherry on top he tosses in some improbable, rarely played, almost forgotten gems, such as Everybody Knows This is Nowhere for his Missoula stop.  A 20 minute romp of Down By The River provided an epic jam session with Neil and the kids clustered together in an intimate guitar heaven moment that almost made the crowd seem like an afterthought.   

Old Man, Heart of Gold, Out on the Weekend, Words, Harvest Moon, Southern Man, After the Gold Rush, to name a few, and the bulk of the latest scathing release, The Monsanto Years, as well as Lukas Nelson taking a solo turn on the piano to sing a haunting version of his dad's tune September Song, and wrapping up the nearly three hour show with the ever current classic, Rockin' in the Free World.

I first saw Neil Young on the cusp of his superstardom in the Boston Garden, February 8, 1972 on the Harvest tour when I was 14.  From the center floor, not too far back, I watched the wild man rocking out with his blue plaid flannel shirt, wailing away on his flying V guitar.  I am forever grateful I grew up in surburbia Boston with easy access to the top acts of the 1970's which nurtured and guided my love of rock and roll. 

The many incredible shows I witnessed over the years formed my being, more than a few qualifying as spiritual journeys.  The energy of give and take between a performer and his audience can create a magical atmosphere producing an indescribable shared experience. 

I remember the bumper sticker "Sing and Dance to Save the World" from several years ago.  I think of it from time to time and wonder if human beings spent more time doing exactly that, maybe they would have less time to plot their angry, revenge filled rampages to kill each other.