Neil Young’s Return
Three months after canceling his summer tour, Neil Young made a comeback at Farm Aid in Saratoga Springs with his new band, the Chrome Hearts.
They began their performance with songs from Harvest Moon, including “From Hank to Hendrix,” “Harvest Moon,” and “Unknown Legend.” These last two songs were a tribute to Pegi Young, who passed away a few years ago. Spooner Oldham, part of her band the Survivors, joined Young on stage.
Next, Young played “Journey Through the Past” on piano, a song he hadn’t performed since 2019. He followed it with “Love Earth” from his World Record album. Switching back to his acoustic guitar, he played “Heart of Gold” with Micah Nelson replicating Ben Keith’s pedal steel parts. They then played “Homegrown” and ended with an intense version of “Powderfinger.”
“This is something we can do to help all the farmers,” Young told the audience, emphasizing the importance of supporting real American farmers over corporate ones.
Fans are always excited to see Neil Young perform live.
Lukas Nelson and the Travelin’ McCourys did a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You” and then performed Willie Nelson’s “Man With The Blues” with Del McCoury. Mavis Staples turned her set into a gospel celebration, performing classics like “Heavy Makes You Happy,” “Freedom Highway,” and “City in the Sky.”
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Margo Price, the youngest member of the Farm Aid board, played new songs “Don’t Wake Me Up” and “Wild at Heart.” She dedicated a cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Ways to Be Wicked” to Jeremy Tepper.
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds played hits like “Don’t Drink the Water” and “Ants Marching.” They were joined by Lukas Nelson, Michael Nelson, and Nathaniel Rateliff for a cover of “The Weight,” hinting at the upcoming Life is a Carnival Last Waltz Tour ’24. This tour will feature Lukas Nelson and starts on October 17 in Los Angeles with a star-studded lineup.
John Mellencamp started his set with “John Cockers” and performed several of his Eighties hits. Willie Nelson wrapped up the night with favorites like “Whiskey River,” “On the Road Again,” and “Bloody Mary Morning,” playing alongside his sons.
The show marked the beginning of a short tour for Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts. They have upcoming performances at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester and will headline the Painted Turtle benefit show in Lake Hughes, California, with Stephen Stills and John Mayer on October 5.
