Neil With Friends and Family: Toronto, Aug. 31, 2000
Sep 01 '00
Fans often try to guess where Neil Young's muse will take him next. They are rarely successful. He's gone country, gone folk, gone R&B, whispered and roared. He explored techno about fifteen years before the rest of the planet caught up with him. Fans arriving at his concerts have no idea what they're in for. Neil's August 31 appearance at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre wasn't a fiery electric affair; Crazy Horse was nowhere to be found. It wasn't a solo acoustic tour like last year's. In the spirit of Goldilocks, it wasn't too loud or too soft, but was just right. This time, Neil's band included veteran drummer Jim Keltner, rock hall of famer Donald "Duck" Dunn, longtime friends Spooner Oldham and Ben Keith, sister Astrid Young and wife Pegi. This show was most notable for its setlist, which dusted off a wide range of songs that Neil rarely plays live.
The show opened with "Motorcycle Mama", a muscular "Powderfinger, and a bouncy version of the title track from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. These songs were delivered with a strong dose of electric guitar, but weren't the sweaty, distortion- and volume-drenched fare that Neil achieves with Crazy Horse as his band. After swinging through "Dance Dance Dance", the band explored some of Young's newer works, including a set of acoustic-guitar songs featuring the nostalgic "Buffalo Springfield Again", a sedate run through "Razor Love" and Neil's tribute to his father, "Daddy Went Walking", from Silver And Gold. Neil likes to work a guitar epic or two into his concerts, and Harvest's "Words" and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere's "Cowgirl In The Sand" provided a fertile breeding ground for a pair of lengthy, magical electric guitar workouts. The show closed on a high note with a plaintive and hypnotic "Tonight's The Night", featuring Young on piano.
For the second time this year, Neil Young has given Toronto a thrilling and diverse concert experience. His tour with Crosby, Stills and Nash had him playing a three hour set packed with every hit imaginable. This outing was even more special, because it featured so many of his best works, and not just his most popular.
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