NEIL YOUNG : OMEMEE 2017

 

Disc One

  1. Comes a Time
  2. Love Is a Rose
  3. Journey Through the Past
  4. Long May You Run
  5. I'm Glad I Found You
  6. Tumbleweed
  7. Old Man
  8. Old King
  9. Someday

Disc Two

  1. There's a World
  2. Stand Tall
  3. War of Man
  4. Don't Be Denied
  5. Helpless
  6. Heart of Gold
  7. One of These Days
  8. Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
  9. Sugar Mountain

Label : no label

Date : December 1st, 2017

Venue : Coronation Hall, Omemee, Ontario, Canada

Quality : Soundboard Recording from webcast (A+)

Review (JamBase) : Neil Young came home on Friday night. The legendary musician returned to Omemee, Ontario - the village where he was raised - for a stirring solo acoustic performance. Young celebrated the release of The Visitor and the opening of his online archives with a transcendent set played in front of just 225 people at Omemee's Coronation Hall. Proceeds from the concert benefitted the Bridge School. Neil switched between guitar, banjo and piano for a performance that was broadcast worldwide over the internet and throughout his native Canada via the CBC. Young was in a talkative mood as he bantered through a microphone inserted within his harmonica holder. The hometown hero plucked material from throughout his career for the 115-minute performance including a handful of songs he hadn't played in years. Young opened with the title track of his 1978 studio album Comes A Time. The audience listened with rapt attention as Neil played "Love Is A Rose," a tune he lent to Linda Ronstadt before releasing it himself on Decade. Neil was in storyteller mode and talked about the stories behind such songs as "Old King," which he wrote about his hound dog for inclusion on 1992's Harvest Moon. "Old King" was one of three bustouts to make the cut in Omemee. He last performed "Old King" way back on October 24, 2009. Young also dusted off Harvest Moon's "War Of Man" for the first time since October 30, 2013. But the biggest surprise of the night was the return of Harvest gem "There's A World." Neil Young is only known to have performed the song seven times in a six week span back in 1971. The last documented "There's A World" before Friday night took place on February 23, 1971 during a BBC taping. The singer-songwriter made a few mentions of the town where he grew up and which hosted his performance. Neil talked about how crazy it is that this performance was taking place in the cozy confines of Omemee, yet everyone around the world could tune in. While Young did focus on older material, he did throw in a batch of recent cuts including "I'm Glad I Found You" off Storytone and "Tumbleweed" and "Stand Tall" off the just-released The Visitor. Neil brought just his second set of 2017 to a conclusion with a series of his most beloved compositions. Young offered a gorgeous "Don't Be Denied," a powerful "Helpless" and emotional "Heart Of Gold" to end the 15-song set. The Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer returned for a trio of songs as an encore. Up first was "One Of These Days" off Harvest Moon and then Neil Young headed to his pump organ for his ode to the environment, "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)." The Canadian legend then said farewell by strapping on his guitar to perform "Sugar Mountain," a song he wrote in Fort William, Ontario on his 19th birthday. As for now, there are no future performances confirmed for Neil Young. However, Lukas Nelson revealed a 2018 Neil Young & Promise Of The Real tour is in the works.