NEIL YOUNG : ROCK 'N ROLL CAN NEVER DIE

  1. Tonight's the Night

  2. Mellow My Mind

  3. World on a String

  4. Speakin' Out

  5. Albuquerque

  6. New Mama

  7. Roll Another Number

  8. Tired Eyes

  9. Tonight's the Night

  10. Flying on the Ground Is Wrong

  11. Human Highway

  12. Helpless

  13. Don't Be Denied

Label : Winged Wheel

Time : 68:36

Venue : The Palace Theatre, Manchester, UK

Date : November 3rd, 1973

Quality : Audience recording (A-)

Review (Old Grey Cat) : Backed by the rag-tag Santa Monica Flyers, in the fall of '73 Neil kicked off the Tonight's The Night Tour, confounding audiences and critics alike. Dressed like a sleazy barker, he'd step to the fore and greet the audience with a rousing, "Welcome to Miami Beach, ladies and gentlemen." As represented by this Manchester gig from November, the shows were strange, incoherent affairs, with weird stage patter filling the gaps between songs. Oh, the songs. Let's put it this way: They're un-fucking-believable. The first eight songs were new; and the audience had heard the ninth (the second "Tonight's the Night") only once before-at the beginning of the set! (Remember, Tonight's the Night wasn't released 'til 1975.) Of the remaining songs, "Human Highway" was also unreleased and "Don't Be Denied" was the key track on the ragged glory that is the Time Fades Away LP. Only "Helpless" would rate as a "hit." According to Johnny Rogan's The Visual Documentary, Neil & the Stray Gators also performed "Cowgirl in the Sand" that night. No doubt, that version was too long to fit onto this disc - which clocks in just under 69 minutes. But, to quote Stephen Stills, it's no matter. No distance. It's the ride. . . and, damn, this is a good 'un. In front of a faithful, if frustrated, audience, Neil eulogizes and exorcises fallen comrades Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry. Maybe that's why "Don't Be Denied" is so heart-palpitating-or is that chilling? Against a backdrop of death and broken dreams, Neil's exhorting folks-and himself-to stay true to their dreams regardless of the consequences.