Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Neil Young - The Garden NYC 12/15/08

Part everyman, part rock n roller, part alchemist, Neil Young played a 2+ hour show to a sold out Madison Square Garden in the first of his two shows in New York City. While craigslist was awash with extra tickets, I didn't see a whole lot being sold outside the show.

Everest open the show and I caught the last three songs. They sounded decent but nothing really memorable.

Wilco's set was impressive, opening with Via Chicago with full tonal breakdowns. Tweedy and the boys were in fine form. Hummingbird was really nicely done but short. If there's a better band out there right now, I'd like to see them. Here's their set.

Via Chicago / Impossible Germany / You Are My Face / Spiders (Kidsmoke) / Hummingbird / Forget the Flowers / Jesus Etc. / Walken / I'm the Man Who Loves You

Neil came on aroung 10:15pm and played until 12:30am. As always the show featured songs old and new. The older crowd was not there for the news songs and most of them to me sounded the same, rants about energy and cars it seemed to me. Neil said after the first new one: "We're auditioning for our old record label, so make a lot of noise after the news songs even if you don't like 'em." I did my best to make noise wanting to support the new material but some of it sounded a little half baked.

That was the only minor complaint. The rest of the show was excellent and sounded great. The setlist was standard for the current tour. Highlights for me were Hey Hey, My My, Mother Earth (on organ), Cortez The Killer, Cowgirl In The Sand, and Rockin' In The Free World. The solo acoustic Needle And The Damage Done was nice but was hoping for a couple more solo numbers.

Far be it for me to tell Neil what to do but it seemed like he really loved playing the rockers, it seemed cathartic for him. If he really wants the full on rock expereince, he should take Crazy Horse on the road next time. That's the only thing that could have made the show better.

Fun show. If you can go tonight, go!

^^^ just about sums it up

i liked the new songs, but that just me

as for crazy horse, rumor i have read, there is a record from 2000 with the horse that neil disliked (gee where have we heard that before) and now wants to release in 2009, also a possible ny/ch tour

Anybody got set times from the show last night?????

lol, emotional friend...nice!

Set times:

Everest - 8:00
Wilco - 8:45
Neil - 10:10

Nice review! I concur with most of it, but as far as I am concerned, you can never have too many rockers! The only complaint that I, older working person that I am, had was that if there were going to be two opening bands, why not start at 7 instead of 8? We saw the whole show from 8 PM until 12:35. Everest was quite good, but by the time you got to Neil, who could even remember their songs? Wilco tore the roof off in their 45 minute set--I just love this band! And Neil was great start to finish, although I agree that Cough up the Cash and Fill it Up (not sure if these are the real titles) while interesting, were very much alike. We sure got our money's worth though! Neil is the poster child for rock 'n roll keeping you young (no pun intended). You look at him and he's an old man, and then he starts to play.....! No one rocks like this guy!

how was puffing inside MSG last night?