Review: Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Over his 50-plus years as a musician Neil Young has consistently confounded the wants of his audience, critics, records labels and band mates to do exactly what he wants to do. Indeed, while many of his contemporaries have slowed down their musical output in favour of relying on nostalgia, Young has released 11 studio albums since 2000 that are as strong and diverse as any in his canon. This includes two albums released in 2012; Americana and Psychedelic Pill, both recorded with his greatest and loudest musical foils, Crazy Horse.

Young’s first show in Sydney with Crazy Horse since they performed the concept show Greendale at the same venue back in 2003 really begins before the band takes to the stage. Following a surprise support slot from The Drones (who appear to have been a last minute addition to the bill), an assortment of roadies and stage crew appear on stage, some dressed as construction workers, some dressed in lab coats and sporting Einstein-esque wigs. They proceed to engage in a slapstick-laden approximation of setting things up for the band. Slowly the ginormous road cases covering the equally ginormous prop amps that have become the calling card when Young is playing with Crazy Horse are unveiled. This all occurs while The Beatles’ A Day In The Life is blasting through the sound system. At the conclusion of the song (that note), Young, bassist Billy Talbot, drummer Ralph Molina and guitarist Frank “Poncho” Sampedro joined the crew on stage for the erection of a large prop microphone and a rendition of Advance Australia Fair.

Across more than two hours, the quartet played a set of mostly ragged rockers from throughout their musical lives together. Love And Only Love and Powderfinger give them a good opportunity to gel together and establish the loose and jammy feel for the night. Unlike shows you might see from other performers of Young’s vintage, this performance is hardly stacked full of crowd-pleasing hits. Instead, six of the 13 songs in the main set are either from Psychedelic Pill or new as-yet released tracks.

Of the new material, the thunderous Walk Like A Giant and the long and winding Ramada Inn are highlights. Both songs last for well over 15 minutes and provide the band the opportunity to lock-in together and make a thunderous, glorious noise that bounces around the arena. Walk Like A Giant sees Young attaching himself to his amp and producing washes of distorted tones. Even on the large stage, the trio of guitarists rarely move very far away from in front of the drum kit as they’re jamming, reading what each of the other players is doing. More often than not, Young is leading proceedings, as he wields his beloved 1953 Gibson Les Paul, Old Black, trying to get the most noise out of it he possibly can.

The only real let-up for those who maybe weren’t so keen on the loud stuff was mid-way through the set when Young performed Heart Of Gold and Twisted Road solo with an acoustic guitar. Heat Of Goldprovided the biggest singalong of the night and maybe the only moment of joy for those who bought a ticket unaware that a whole world of Neil Young’s music exists well beyond Harvest. A third ballad, the unreleased Singer Without A Song, saw Young playing piano.

The latter part of the set saw the band delve a little further into the back catalogue with a version of Cinnamon Girl (from Young and Crazy Horse’s first album together) that highlights Molina and Talbot’s sweet R&B-flavoured harmonies. Young dryly claims after that he thought it was played too fast and sounded “a bit too Vegas” before cracking a broad smile. They also played a stomping version of perhaps Young’s best-known track from his tenure in Buffalo Springfield, Mr Soul. 

After an extraordinary Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black), the band briefly exited the stage while the crew, now with raincoats over their lab coats, faffed around the stage and tried to generate enough applause to warrant an encore. Upon their return, Young and Crazy Horse ploughed through two tracks that have rarely been performed since the 80s; Prisoners of Rock ’n’ Roll (from 1987’s Life) and Opera Star (from 1981’s Re-ac-tor).

The lyrics in both encore tracks speak a great volume about Young’s output with Crazy Horse: loud, loose, uncompromising and with a small dash of humour. With apologies to the critics and punters alike who have complained about the noise, the length of the songs and the lack of hits on this tour; it was never going to be any other way when the tour is billed as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. For that matter, the fulfilment of your wishes probably wouldn’t have been much higher had it been billed simply as Neil Young. As a live performer as on record, Young continues to show himself as an artist driven by his own inspiration, even if it sometimes doesn’t inspire others or meet their narrow expectations.

Setlist:

1. Love And Only Love (Ragged Glory, 1990)
2. Powderfinger (Rust Never Sleep, 1979)
3. Born in Ontario (Psychedelic Pill, 2012)
4. Walk Like a Giant (Psychedelic Pill, 2012)
5. Hole in the Sky (new song)
6. Heart of Gold (Harvest, 1972)
7. Twisted Road (Psychedelic Pill, 2012)
8. Singer Without a Song (new song)
9. Ramada Inn (Psychedelic Pill, 2012)
10. Cinnamon Girl (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
11. Fuckin’ Up (Ragged Glory, 1990)
12. Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
13. Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) (Rust Never Sleep, 1979)

Encore:

1. Prisoners of Rock ’n’ Roll (Life, 1987)
2. Opera Star (Re-ac-tor, 1981)