Though the concerts happened already three months ago: I am still under the influence of the electricity Neil Young charged upon me with his enigmatic way of guitar playing in the Amsterdam RAI, last (I won’t be back till) February (comes). Yes, I have assisted many shows in the past, both in the U.S. and in Europe (I was even on stage in Oakland when CSN&Y, amongst others, played in front of 60 thousand), but I cannot remember being charged in the way I feel now.
Why is this?
Let me offer three explanations: 1. the room was relatively small, it barely held 2000; 2. I saw three shows in a row, so the charge of the first night was doubled by that of the second, et cetera; 3. Because of the proportions of the room, the electricity fields Mr. Soul worked up from his old black guitar were literally overpowering; they ricocheted from every wall, the ceiling included, invading each and every listener, to finally charge the inner sanctum of his or her soul.
I use the words ‘charge’ and ‘electricity’ not by accident: more than before, and thanks to the proximity of the artist, one could observe that Young is not your most agile electric guitar player (beware: he is a master of the acoustic guitar). During a visit to his ranch, he explained to me one sunny morning, sitting on a chopped tree, that it wasn’t his trade to find out what to play, but what notes to leave out.
Well, Neil the Electrician is a man in a mine field. By touching his strings, the positions on his axe, he is manipulating volts (in the fields of electricity it’s ploughing time again…), provoking explosions, intensifying and relaxing electric fields. One of the crew informed me that Neil knows exactly the volt levels that are current in a room. He feels it when they change from, let’s say, 220 to 223! And he adapts.
So, to bring this to a conclusion: the loner is a feeling arranger. Neil Young is pitching a high voice together with a high voltage, and the receiver becomes ecstatic.
Intriguing of course, how this piece of electronic art was off-set with Neil’s personal assistant Eric presenting naive paintings announcing the songs. According to Elliot Roberts, these paintings were offered on Internet, with profits going to the Bridge School. The paintings were made while Young delivered his fine goods, he himself clad in a black suit with patches of paint smeared all over it. The metaphor isn’t hard to discern: Young, who likes all kinds of shops (cars, trains), was on this occasion toying around in his paint shop. While Eric painted his ‘masterpieces’, Young was smearing his touches of electricity over the audience. Working up his musical masterpieces, using voice and guitars as his brushes.
Funny then, he didn’t include ‘The Painter’ in his repertoire. When he came down the second night in his painter's suit, I said to him: "I think you're ready for 'The Painter' now." Surprisingly enough, the answer was quick and short: "I don't think so."
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He really IS a feeling arranger but you know, a small place like the RAI also invites arrogant, rich (? I wonder..)people who paid lots of money and therefore think they can decide whether you may take photograhps, dance or whatever.
I really was disappointed about the whole show, including Youngs remarks. Why the fuck send someone away like a nauhty child? Did he do that in earlier days??
And did Young ever think about the effect he could have on the rest of the audience? My neighbour, for instance, immediately told me he also disliked me taking photographs. I thought it was a kind of bad dream.
I really understand that this series of concerts was very special to you but a feeling arranger can also work out the other way. Anyway, Youngs concert left his marks on me...
(but maybe I was hoping for past times, like Ahoy, 1976).
Tell me why...
S.
It is sad that a misunderstanding lead to some negative obeservations on Neil's behaviour at the beginning of the first show in Amsterdam. As far as I have come to understand, when the photographers arrived at their spot right before where Neil was sitting on stage, two people had already nestled themselves on the floor there, blocking the place where they had to do their work. Of course, the phorographers urged those people to move on, and of course those people at first refused. The noise this conversation produced, got to Neil, disturbed his concentration on the performance of the opening song and lead to his furious reaction.
On the other hand, I am surprised about the negative comments I have heard on this incident. We all know stories about Neil at times not being the kindest of people and how he can put people down in a very bad temper (it happened to me once as well). This is part of his persona, and therefore part of his art. So, why complain when one can catch a glimpse of the darker side of his character. The side that lead to 'Tonight's The Night' and 'On The beach'? Doesn't it make him more human on our highway?
Funny I never thought about it that way.
Maybe you're right but till now I didn't actually connect the agressive sound one can listen to in songs like "Stupid girl" to the darker side of Youngs personality (indeed, stupid of me). Probably because it's not my most favourite part of ones character.
I like(d) his gloomy, emotional and "stand-up-for-the-Indians"-part a lot more.
Nevertheless I'm still a bit shocked by his 1st concert. It's a pity I only saw that one and not the other performances, çause I've heard that especially the 2nd one was very good and relaxed (due to a relaxed Young?!). Now the main memory that's left is this falling-off-that-sugar-mountain-feeling.
But didn't Young say it all before: Been burned and with both feet on the ground I've learned that it's painful coming down....
'Hopeless romantics, here we go again...'
Oh ja, da's waar ook, anno 2008 is dat not done anymore...
....But after a while you're looking the other way..
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