by hapago

NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE came to Nashville last week, and it was one for the ages–it felt like one big family reunion. Everywhere you turned you would see someone you know, all here to witness NEIL and co. They sounded loud, proud, and unafraid.

If CRAZY HORSE exists to highlight and amplify the sounds of an electric guitar, then they were Sharpie brand highlighters that night. It was abrasive–we sat in section 203, row R, right in the middle, getting blasted on all sides by the sounds of the HORSE. My ears were ringing by the end of “CORTEZ THE KILLER,” the first song in the two-and-a-half hour long set.

By the time they got to “LIKE A HURRICANE” I couldn’t keep it together any longer. The whole amphitheater was out of their seats at this point, paying attention to the band like their word was law. This song has meant a lot to me recently for a million different reasons. They brought it all and left it all on the stage.

Conner had written into the Archives and asked for a song off of “ON THE BEACH,” and NEIL delivered!!! We witnessed the debut of “VAMPIRE BLUES,” a staple from the aforementioned album. It was CRAZY HORSE’S first time playing the song live as well, and they took it home. Conner’s reaction captures every single audience goer’s reaction:

By the time they got to “POWDERFINGER,” there was no stopping them. They were cooking with gas. That first G chord is a unifying call to arms, every single person stood up and sang every single word. NEIL is a divisive guitar player, and that’s always been his M.O. This rendition of the 1975 song though could get anyone on his side, NEIL was playing with everything in him.

I’m not sure if they felt bad about postponing the set from the night before, or if they were just in great spirits, but we all were given a treat that night. After NEIL’S three solo songs (that unfortunately had some weird guitar static or something) we got hit with the FIRST encore: “ROLL ANOTHER NUMBER (FOR THE ROAD)”!!!!! It was the first time on this tour they played it! WOW ! ! !

And then the unexpected (but not surprising?) happened. They already did the whole “get off stage, wait 30 seconds, and then get back on stage to play one more” number. BUT THEN: they did it AGAIN!! For those keeping track at home, that’s a SECOND ENCORE ! ! After they left the stage after “ROLL ANOTHER NUMBER,” they came back out and ripped through THREE! MORE! SONGS!: “DANGER BIRD,” “DON’T CRY NO TEARS,” AND “SEDAN DELIVERY”!!! By this point, we’d made our way to as close to the stage as possible without getting thrown out. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing, “this must be what the old ladies feel like in church,” I thought.

All that to say, THE HORSE rides again. If you can see them, do it, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

OK let me say this last thing–I found a copy of the whole show (and most of the other shows on this tour) that I’ll upload soon. We’re going to make tapes soon as well. More on that later.

For now!

be well

NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE at FIRST BANK AMPHITHEATER, FRANKLIN, TN, MAY 9, 2024

1. Cortez the Killer {with lost verses}
2. Cinnamon Girl
3. Scattered (Let’s Think About Livin’)
4. Like a Hurricane
5. Vampire Blues {tour debut, live debut by CRAZY HORSE}
6. The Losing End (When You’re On)
7. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
8. Powderfinger
9. Love and Only Love
10. Comes a Time {NEIL solo}
11. Heart of Gold {NEIL solo}
12. Human Highway {NEIL solo}
13. Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
    *ENCORE*
14. Roll Another Number (For the Road) {tour debut}
    *ENCORE 2*
15. Danger Bird
16. Don’t Cry No Tears
17. Sedan Delivery {tour debut}