Like a lot of people that listen to his music, I’m sure, I’ve often though of Neil Young as being two distinct artists. There’s the loud, spastic, electric guitar-driven Neil, credited as “The Godfather of Grunge.” “Cinnamon Girl.” “Rockin’ in the Free World.” “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black).” And there’s the acoustic Neil, plucking his acoustic guitar and singing quiet yet powerfully intense songs in that quavering, vulnerable voice. “Old Man.” “The Needle and the Damage Done.” “Unknown Legend.”

I always thought it’d be great to see both Neil Youngs in the same concert. But I only wanted to experience that if that’s what Neil wanted to do; part of what I love about him is his restlessness and independence, which means he does what he wants, and you might not always like it. When I first saw him perform on the “Greendale” tour about five years ago, he played the entirety of that album, complete with a school-play-like set and actors. I knew this was what we were going to get, and it was pleasing to see him do exactly what he wants — or if you’re not a fan of that material, to see him “get it out of his system.” He also did a short second set of some of the louder hits, like “Cortez The Killer,” probably my favorite entry in his catalog. It was a great show, but I didn’t feel that I got to see both Neils.

Last Friday, I saw both Neil Youngs at The Spectrum in Philadelphia.

I had read that he’d been doing a relatively straightforward set on this tour, heavy on the hits, but I made sure not to look at any setlists online, so as not to spoil the surprise. When five of the first seven songs were “Hey Hey, My My,” “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere,” “Powderfinger” (the massive riff in the chorus is one of rock’s best and most direct), “Cortez The Killer” (even better than the “Greendale” tour version at Montage) and “Cinnamon Girl,” I knew this would be a special night. Neil stalked the stage, hunching and lurching, strangling sloppy-yet-perfect tones from his electric guitar.   

The other Neil Young played too, bringing the noise level but not the emotion down a notch for “Heart of Gold” and the aforementioned “Needle,” “Old Man” and “Legend,” a song I came to love after borrowing a friend’s copy of Neil’s “Unplugged” years ago. The songs were just like I had known them for years, and while I like it when artists tweak or even flat-out overhaul their material — see Bob Dylan — it was comforting to hear “Old Man” the way I’ve known it, with the banjo punctuation and pedal steel flavors. On the flipside, it was equally thrilling to hear Neil rip the guts out of The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life” for the encore.

If I have any complaints, it’s that I didn’t get “Like A Hurricane,” “Southern Man” or “A Man Needs A Maid.” But even two Neil Youngs can’t do everything.

 

About the Author

Education
Penn State University, University Park
Bachelors degree: Journalism, English minor
Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia
Masters of arts degree: Writing studies
Manchester University, Manchester, England
Communications

Selected Publications
The Weekender, LexisNexis Securities Litigation, ESPN.com, The Associated Press, Philadelphia Daily News, Philly Edge, Universitywire.com, The Daily Collegian

From
Pittston

Resides
Scranton

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