27 June 2009 - Neil Young, Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park

My Oh My ..

That's it - that was officially my best festival set ever ... Neil Young rocking out 'Day in the Life' with bonus added Macca!

I love Hyde Park - turn up, get soaked in a storm and then a great gig (see Aerosmith). Neil Young was headling this time, fresh from his assault on Glastonbury - day two of the UK 2009 Springsteen v Young Festival Smackdown. Same stage set as at Glasto (same clothes even) - mind you it was exactly the same as at the Hop Farm last year, down to the "dove from above" (wtf?), the red telephone and the "art guy" dashing off canvasses of each song.

Odd assortment of supporting acts - got there too late for The Pretenders (who deserved to be higher up the bill), puzzled by Nick Harper (who he?) and not entirely wowed by the Fleet Foxes, who seemed a bit foxed by the whole English festival thing. Not that it mattered, there was no doubt the crowd were there to see Neil Young alone - from the kids to the very proper gentlemen. Our man kicked off with 'Hey, Hey, My My' and never let up for a second. No strutting or posing here - it was all about the music, and rocking good it was too. He was on top form and clearly enjoying every minute. Prayers were answered as he ripped through favourites such as 'Heart of Gold', and for my money 'Get Behind the Wheel' (why not 'Just Singing a Song' too?) but the biggie was ' Rocking in theFree World'. If you saw the BBC coverage from Glastonbury, you'll have some idea of what it was like to have the grunge-meister enchant the whole crowd and goad it with endless joyful choruses of "rock, rock rocking in the free world" while he waved his guitar aloft and from side to side like some screaming light-sabre. (At least that's how it seemed to me and you'll have to excuse me if the detail is wonky but by that point I was very possibly under the influence of (ahem) a bit of passive smoking..)

Well, we pretty much knew that the encore would be 'A Day in the Life', but what a blast it was. Before it began, Neil went off to stage right to greet someone at the side - a pal or industry insider, we thought. When he got to the chorus - yes, on came Paul McCartney and the crowd went wild. I can't do justice to the atmosphere, or describe it properly - so you'll have to see the amazing video for yourselves - http://www.thrasherswheat.org/2009/06/hyde-park-london-england-hard-rock.html

Totally everyone came away happy and slightly dazed - strangers talking about it on the Tube on the way home, for heavens sake. Yup, it was sublime - thank you Neil, thank you Paul and thank you Festival Gods.

Footnote: the next night at Hyde Park The Boss was supposed to have his own special guest Bon Jovi, but the show overran (very strict about Sunday night curfews in the UK). So I guess that makes it Neil Young 2 - 1 Bruce Springsteen.

Set List: Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) / Mansion On The Hill / Are You Ready For The Country? / Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere / Spirit Road / Words / Cinnamon Girl / F*!#in' Up / Mother Earth / The Needle And The Damage Done / Comes A Time / Unknown Legend / Heart Of Gold / Old Man / Down By The River / Get Behind The Wheel / Rockin' In The Free World // A Day In The Life

6 July 2008 - Neil Young, The Hop Farm

Festival time - that means the great outdoors and fresh air and sunshine and rain. The Hop Farm paddock is a neat enough site - the ground slopes gently up towards the stage and the acoustics were good - but as far as the traffic logistics went - what a nightmare, one entrance and one exit! If they're thinking of holding this event next year, someone should send Kent constabulary over to the V Festival pronto to see how things should be done.

So - arrived too late for the Guillemots - sorry, but you did sound good from the car park. Rufus Wainwright next, sparking in the pouring rain and once I'd got over my bout of brolly rage (you're standing in a field fer chrissake!) The sun burst out from behind the clouds the moment he starting to sing "Hallelujah" - nice touch that, festival gods.

My Morning Jacket began with a seventies throw-back sound - not unlike John Denver's 'Welcome to My Morning' (just imagine what must have seeped into their subconscious minds when they were little dudes) - but soon pulled out the Flying Vs to get on with some serious head banging. Supergrass were engaging and won the audience over, but Primal Scream didn't seem to get it on - at all.

Nearly six hours after arrival, patience and camel-like tactics paid off (thinking don't eat, don't drink, don't even move) and it was time for the man himself, the king of dirty rock guitar, Mister Neil Young, inspiration for a legion of rockers. The two hours was barely enough to sample a career of such length, of wonderful bravura and devil-may-care musicianship - as if declaring "I'm still here, and I'm still up for it!" Ending with an inspiring "Day in the life" - wonderful. Yes kids, the man did play the Beatles. They're good, these oldies, aren't they!