Latest news with #AmbulanceBlues
The Herald Scotland
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Awesome Neil Young caps a blisteringly hot day at Hyde Park
***** True to his belief that it's better to burn out than fade away, Neil Young broke Hyde Park's strict curfew on Friday night. The sound was shut off by the venue, which meant that though the band could be seen playing the closing moments of Rocking' in the Free World on the giant screens that bookend the Great Oak stage, not a note could be heard. This was a genuine powerhouse of a set by Young. Backed by the Chrome Hearts - Micah Nelson on guitar and vocals, Corey McCormick on bass and vocals, Anthony LoGerfo on drums and Spooner Oldham on Farfisa organ - he delivered a two-hour-long set that fused classic songs with newer material. Perhaps characteristically, he opted not to play anything from the band's recently-released studio album, Talkin' to the Trees. He opened with Ambulance Blues, a rarely-heard song from his 1974 album, On the Beach. Its caustic line, originally written about Richard Nixon - 'I never knew a man who could tell so many lies' - had relevance in 2025, given Young's loathing of Donald Trump. Young had previously pledged that his run of shows would shape a 'summer of democracy'. He strapped on his electric guitar for a lengthy, bewitching Cowgirl in the Sand, from his 1969 debut, his guitar lines weaving hypnotically with those of Nelson. Later songs ranged from Cinnamon Girl to a reliably rowdy F——— Up (prefaced by Young telling the audience, 'Sometimes we do things wrong, sometimes we do things right'). Southern Man was followed by Young, solo and acoustic, on Needle and the Damage Done, which Randy Newman, no less, has described as the Canadian's finest hour. Harvest Moon and the plaintive After the Goldrush were audience singalongs, Young underlining his green credentials by updating a line in the latter so that it became 'Look at Mother Nature on the run/in the twenty-first century' from the original's 'nineteen seventies'. Not for nothing does the current tour go under the banner of 'Love Earth'. Be the Rain sees Young complaining bitterly that 'corporate greed and chemicals are killing the land'. His passion, his willingness to speak out, remain undimmed. Long may he run. Throughout the set, it was on electrifying numbers such as Love to Burn, When You Dance, Hey Hey My My, Name of Love, Throw Your Hatred Down and Rockin' in the Free World that Young, Nelson and McCormick, clustered together in front of LoGerfo, achieve an intensity that recalled Young's old band, Crazy Horse, at its most compelling. The sledgehammer power of Rockin' in the Free World, its repeated false endings and Young's unmistakable lead-guitar work capped a punishingly hot afternoon at Hyde Park that also featured Van Morrison, the highlight of whose own set was an awesome Summertime in England, and a buoyant Yusuf/Cat Stevens, who played his song The Little Ones, originally written in response to the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in support of Palestine. Among the other support acts were Amble, a contemporary folk band from Ireland, who went down particularly well.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Neil Young Plays Rare Full-Band ‘Ambulance Blues' With The Chrome Hearts
Neil Young treated fans in Groningen, Netherlands, to a once-in-a-generation moment during his Love Earth Tour on July 1, performing a full-band version of 'Ambulance Blues' for only the third time in his six-decade career. The performance took place at Drafbaan Stadspark, where Young was joined by his current touring outfit, the Chrome Hearts, featuring guitarist Micah Nelson (aka Particle Kid), bassist Corey McCormick, drummer Anthony Logerfo, and longtime collaborator Spooner Oldham on organ. More from Billboard Debbie Harry on Image Expectations in Music: 'I Wanted to Work' Wallows Recall Morrissey Walking Out of Their Show: 'That's the Perfect Morrissey Story' Bob Vylan Axed From Radar, Kave Fest After Glastonbury Backlash 'I haven't played this in like 100 years,' Young told the crowd as he stepped into the spotlight. What followed was an eight-minute rendition of the On the Beach deep cut, a song revered by fans for its raw lyrics reflecting cultural malaise and change: 'You're all just pissin' in the wind.' Originally released as the closing track of Young's 1974 album On the Beach — part of his so-called 'Ditch Trilogy' alongside Time Fades Away and Tonight's the Night — 'Ambulance Blues' has almost exclusively appeared in stripped-back solo acoustic performances. Its full-band treatment is exceptionally rare, previously documented only at the 1998 Bridge School Benefit with R.E.M. and during a private 2016 show in Paris with Promise of the Real. The Groningen show was the sixth date of Young's European run, which has seen him lean heavily on classics. The setlist included fan favorites like 'Cinnamon Girl,' 'Harvest Moon,' 'Like a Hurricane,' 'Old Man,' and a poignant solo acoustic 'The Needle and the Damage Done.' In recent performances, Young has revived several deep cuts. The rock legend also revisited one of the most personal songs in his extensive catalog during a special benefit concert on May 23, delivering the first live performance of 'My Boy' in more than four decadesWhile the May set featured classics like 'Heart of Gold,' 'Comes a Time' and 'Sugar Mountain,' it was the mid-show performance of 'My Boy' that drew audible emotion from the crowd. Originally released on 1985's Old Ways, the banjo-led ballad is a tribute to Young's eldest son, Zeke. The song had not been performed live since the 1983 Solo Trans tour. Young's European leg continues July 3 with a stop at Berlin's Waldbühne, followed by two additional European shows before heading back to North America for a 15-date run stretching through Sept. 15. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch Neil Young Play an Extraordinary Rare Electric ‘Ambulance Blues'
'I haven't played this in like 100 years,' Neil Young told the crowd Tuesday evening at the very beginning of his show at Drafbaan Stadspark in Groningen, The Netherlands. 'We'll see what happens.' He was talking about 'Ambulance Blues,' the stunning, nine-minute On The Beach classic that many Young aficionados consider one of his finest achievements. (Rolling Stone placed it #2 on our 2021 list of Young's 100 best songs, topped only by 'Powderfinger.') More from Rolling Stone Neil Young's Glastonbury Set Will Livestream on the BBC After All Neil Young Blocks the BBC From Livestreaming His Glastonbury Set Watch Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts Play a Majestic, 14-Minute 'Cortez the Killer' To be fair, it hadn't quite been 100 years since the song surfaced in concert. He last played it January 26, 2019, at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But like the vast majority of live renditions of 'Ambulance Blues' in history, going all the way back to the Bottom Line in 1974, that one was solo acoustic. He didn't do it with a band until R.E.M convinced him to play it with them at the 1998 Bridge School Benefit. 'I don't know how we did that,' R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills told Rolling Stone in 2023. 'Neil was just into it. I think he was glad to have an outlet where he felt like he could play it and do it justice, which is of course a really nice thing to credit our band with, if I dare go that far…It was a super fun thing and really great for [guitarist] Peter [Buck] and [touring guitarist] Scott McCaughey, who are Neil Young fans to the bone, even more so than myself and Michael [Stipe]. It was a real thrill.' 'Ambulance Blues' was regularly played at solo acoustic shows in 1999 and 2007/08, but Young didn't perform it with a band again until January 25, 2016, at a private show in Paris for Carmignac CEO Édouard Carmignac. That means this newest one in the Netherlands is just the third time in history he's done it with a band. (And it was a different group every time: R.E.M., Promise of the Real, and now the Chrome Hearts.) Young largely stuck to his standard summer setlist for the rest of the Groningen show, which completely ignores his new LP Talkin' To The Trees, and instead centers around hits like 'Old Man,' 'Like a Hurricane,' and 'Cinnamon Girl' in addition to a smattering of rarities like 'Name of Love,' 'Sun Green,' and 'Looking Forward.' The European run wraps up July 13 in Paris and then heads over to the States for a run of outdoor shows that kick off August 8 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The last show on the calendar is the Farm Aid 40th anniversary celebration at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 20. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Guitarist, 79, Stirs Up Controversy with Benefit Concert Performance
One of the most important figures both culturally and musically in the rock scene is singer/songwriter/guitarist Neil Young. The Canadian icon has had an incredible, decades-spanning career, as both a bandmember and solo artist. Throughout his time with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and his solo work with the band Crazy Horse, Young has written and performed many classic songs, such as "Ohio," "Southern Man," and my personal favorite of his, "Ambulance Blues." Young recently performed at a benefit concert in Ontario, where profits from the concert would go to the restoration of a historic cottage in the area. The performance caused a lot of discourse in the comments, as various fans spoke about the expensive ticket prices for the show. There was no hesitation in releasing their frustration. "600-2000 a ticket, I'll take a hard pass, if Neil cared that much he should just write them a cheque... would be more ethical. He's worth a few hundred million. 😱" "The tickets were way too much. Ridiculous... I can sing karaoke better lol." Though some were quick to denounce he performance due to the prices, others were there to praise the artist for the show, and what his music means to them. "Daryl & Neil, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your unselfish philanthropy. You both bring joy to people by doing this." "Nice to see this great Canadian musician still playing small town venues." Regardless of what people think about ticket prices, Young is still a great gift to the music industry, and we're lucky one of the greats is still performing today.🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Legendary Guitarist, 79, Stirs Up Controversy with Benefit Concert Performance first appeared on Parade on May 27, 2025
