Computer Age

Neil Young & Pegi Young
Hammersmit Apollo, London
14 March 2008

As I reported on the European tour Neil Young as they are confirmed not happen in our country, I began to work for a couple of entries which was to fulfill a dream that began forging ago many years, when the songs from "Rust Never Sleeps" entered my heart not to ever leave. In the end the choice opted for London because it is a city that lives hard rock (let's not forget that bands like The Kinks, The Who, The Jam or Led Zeppelin were formed there) and the room where the serious action, the Hammersmith Apollo, a pocket full of symbolism (there was the last concert of Ziggy Stardust, there was one of the best concerts of Bruce Springsteen).
With entries in my power since December last year, I have spent months reviewing in detail the discography of the great Canadian musician and enjoy the reviews of concerts in Paris, Amsterdam and other sites on the tour with a healthy envy.
Everything in this life comes, and on Thursday to take a plane bound for London as planned, and almost without realizing there was the Friday before the Hammersmith Apollo 14 that looked at the bright facade of the following words: "An ITB Presentation, Neil Young, Sold Out. "
A little later than the time set at last opened the doors of the Apollo and the first thing I said is that the site is truly spectacular, an old theater decorated with a Victorian wood sound simply impeccable, warm and clear, ideal for both acoustic and electric sounds.
Already installed in our seats and ready to enjoy a night shift came only Pegi Young, then the wife of Neil who has offered the role of telonero throughout the tour. I have not heard her debut album so I do not have sufficient evidence, although they served us to gauge the capabilities of the site and sound to enjoy with Ben Keith's expertise with the pedal steel in some songs of strong country-folk . Most notable, the correct version of a classic: "Hickory Wind" Gram Parsons.

After a pause to many who made us endless, Neil Young finally left the stage after greeting and sat down briefly in the center of its impressive circle of guitars. It began with "From Hank To Hendrix," including this beautiful song in "Harvest Moon" (1992) summarizing a few lines in the history of this virus that feeds us called Rock and Roll. An advance to one of the best moments of the night came with the second song, is that "Ambulance Blues," one of the songs from his album damn darker ( "On The Beach" 1974), is one of those songs I have always thrilled to see its author desgranando there before these harrowing thoughts that I did the first tears escaped and (would not be the last).
After another issue equally brilliant but more unknown as "Sad Movies," Neil sat at the piano to interpret anything less than "A Man Needs A Maid" one of the great songs in "Harvest", although this would not be the only song separately and their guitars sounded too "Journey Through The Past" and almost at the end of September the immeasurable "After The Gold Rush." In this part of the concert noise Neil also took time to give others equally glorious, mythical and magical as "Harvest", "Do not Let It Bring You Down," "Old Man" (First "Perfect Song" on this page) or the wonderful acoustic version of the initiatory "Cowgirl In The Sand." Almost nothing. I feel chills just remember.

After a pause to recover as much excitement and a bit to clear the stage to finally left the band scene is accompanied by electric Neil Young throughout this Eurotour 2008: Ben Keith on guitar, Rick Rosas on bass and Ralph Crazy Horse Molina on drums. As Neil himself said later: "As you know Ben from 60 to 80 from Rick and my brother Ralph has always been." Neil came to the stage of changing his white suit in September by a black acoustic suggested that his intentions perfectly: to offer an electrical discharge of rock known as just done. We are not wrong and that "Mr. Soul finally allowed me to hear sounds like the mythical "old black" live with those old amplifiers packed.
The set continued with electric "Dirty Old Man" one of the best songs of the "Chrome Dreams II" (2007), followed by "Spirit Road" from the same disc, but nothing comparable to what happened next: "Powderfinger" and "Hey Hey, My My. " Here were the tears and crying desconsolado, wept at the sight of genuine emotion at last fulfilled one of my ansiados wishes.
At this point my ability and criticizing certain position "distanced" I wanted to offer in order to maintain a moderately chronic objective is completely down. I felt like after that play, I gave absolutely everything well, just wanted to see Neil up there, making a roar his guitar, dancing that strange dance that has plagued him for the electricity and rock and roll. Only later, in Madrid, I realize the setlist which completed the concert. To say that sounded "Cinnamon Girl," "Tonight's The Night" and "No Hidden Path" of about half an hour I think that says it all.
I am very fan of Neil Young, Neil Young I believe in, but I admit I had some doubts before the concert. Neil is now 62 years, and his voice is no longer the era. My fault. Neil Young apellida is not by chance.
Conclusion: The fucking best concert of my life puñetera. point.

Full Tracklist:

1. From Hank To Hendrix
2. Ambulance Blues
3. Sad Movies
4. A Man Needs A Maid
5. No One Seems To Know
6. Harvest
7. Journey Through The Past
8. Mellow My Mind
9. After The Gold Rush
10. Love Art Blues
11. Old King
12. Do not Let It Bring You Down
13. Cowgirl In The Sand
14. Old Man
--
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Powderfinger
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Gone Too Far
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. The Believer
23. No Hidden Path
--
24. Cinnamon Girl
25. Tonight's The Night