Rockin in the Free World


"Hey, hey, my, my, Detroit City Will Never Die"

With those words Neil Young, all 63 years old that he is, began a 2.5 hour gig last night at the Palace in Auburn Hills. I could have done without the warm up acts, but it was fun to see and hear Neil Young in action. I became a fan in college, after my guitar playing friend, Tim McBride, convinced me that despite the raspy voice, Neil was someone to pay attention to. I've been enjoying his music ever since.

If he began with Hey, Hey, My My, he closed the concert with Rockin' in the Free World, and the room was still rocking. Oh, he did come out and do a cover of a John Lennon piece for an encore. In between there was a mix of old and new -- indeed, a song called "Fuel Line" was by his own admission in process -- and maybe designed for the Detroit market. He began rocking, slowed down in the middle, and rocked some more at the end. There wasn't a lot of talking, but good music.

Cinnamon Girl brought the house down. Old Man was sung with a bit of wistfulness -- written when he was 24, he's now an old man -- though a very active one. There was Cortez, and the Needle and the Damage Done. He played a piece on an upright pipe organ with an environmental twist. With a song list as long as his, he could have played all night.

Of course, I had to deal with my pet peeve -- the people (I want to say something stronger here, but I am a preacher after all) who must talk or yell throughout the concert.

Nonetheless, it was worth the money and the aggravation to be in the presence of a legend!


Comments

Anonymous said…
Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Johnnie Cash--that's all the music you need.
Gene said…
Have you heard the Live at Massey Hall record that was released a short while ago? Amazing.
Robert Cornwall said…
Yes, I've heard the concert. The nice thing about listening on DVD or on the stereo -- no one talking behind you!

Although I could live with Neil alone, I like my life sprinkled with a bit of Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Thelonios Monk!
Gene said…
I think jazz sounds better when the weather turns colder. December is a great month for jazz.
Anonymous said…
"It's better to burn out than it is to rust...."
Anonymous said…
Gene,

Just as impressive as the Massey Hall Concert CD is the release last week of the Sugar Mountain concert from Ann Arbor in 1968 six months after he left the Buffalo Springfield; the CD is titled: "Live At Canterbury House 1968."

Here is a streaming version of it:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97253221

John

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