Neil Young with The Band of Horses Down By The River

Neil Young played an amazing show at Riverbend Music Center with The Band of Horses. The Band of Horses opened the show with all of their hits, then Neil Young took stage. Young's farmer girls started planting pots and throwing corn all over the stage. While this was going on, Neil came out of the dark over to his piano and immediately went into "After the Gold Rush", "Heart of Gold" into "Old Man." He started out with an acoustic set and then started tearing the place to shreds with The Promise of the Real. They played just about every song the crowd wanted to hear. About mid-set he started into a story about the history of the event at Kent State and the song "Ohio" and then played a 17 minute version of the classic masterpiece. The crowd chanted "forgetting Ohio" at the end. He then looked back at the mighty Ohio River and went into a very rocking version of "Down by the River."

Neal made two things abundantly clear, he still has "it" and he really hates Monsanto/GMO's. Most of his new songs are about his protest to Monsanto and GMO's. I was backstage with a friend from the Band of Horses and he said,  "I haven't had too many conversations with Neil that weren't serious and meaningful about something that matters." I had a few minutes of Neil's time and he was very intense and basically was getting his back into his living with his thoughts and actions. He then directed me to all of his petitions of matters of the heart to him, I of course agreed with his causes and signed away. I have two shots going onto NeilYoung(dot)com this week, check out his site and see if he is coming to a venue near you...

Images by Doug Siegel
www.dougsiegelphotography.carbonmade.com

Farm Aid 2014 where Family rules

Wednesday, September 23, 2014

Words by Butch Worrell
Photos by Butch Worrell
Jack White photos courtesy of Greg Nixon

 Farm Aid held it’s 29th birthday party at the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, N.C. last weekend. Of course the Farm Aid Four were there; Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Mathews, and John Mellencamp.

Interlocken Festival Not to be Missed

Furthur

New festivals come and go these days, but the new Interlocken Festival taking place in central Virginia this September looks like it will have the magnitude to make an impact on the live music scene of today.  Taking place September 5-8 in Arrington, VA, the Interlocken Festival will feature alternating continuous performances on two main stages.  Unlike most other festivals, there will be fewer bands playing full two hour sets.  Many of the headlining bands’ performances will feature unique collaborations and many featured acts will each be playing on multiple nights throughout the four days of music heaven.  May 21^st saw the first announcement of confirmed artists, and one would have to think that this might be the new Rothbury.  Coming right out of the gate they announce multiple sets from four of the biggest and best jambands around today.  We will see three nights of Furthur, two nights of Widespread Panic, two nights of The String Cheese Incident, and two nights of The Black Crowes.  Interlocken adds a unique flare to the spectacle by featuring an exclusive special performance of Workingman’s Dead for one of the Furthur sets.  Widespread Panic will feature John Fogerty one night, and String Cheese will feature Zac Brown one night.  Top it all off with Neil Young and Crazy Horse and you have the workings of what could become a yearly event that is not to be missed.