Neil went on the road to do a solo tour called the Coastal Tour, with 15 shows along the California coast. I saw his show in Napa, California, on July 23, 2023, at the Oxbow RiverStage in Napa, along the Napa River and grapes. The outdoor theater is a small venue – it holds about 4,000 – but seems so much smaller. Great place to see a concert – no bad seats in the house. No theater screens were necessary. The sound was astonishing. Ticket prices were reasonable, starting at $65. I paid $199 for a seat near center stage. Neil set up an app that if you wanted to sell your ticket, you went through Ticketmaster and you could only sell it for what you paid for it. Thus, trying to prevent scalping.
Opening
Neil came out wearing a railroad cap, jeans and a workingman’s denim shirt. He opened with “I Am The Ocean” on a 12-string acoustic guitar. The song was originally released on electric guitar with Pearl Jam on Mirror Ball. I really like both – to me the acoustic version had even more intensity. What immediately hit me and my girlfriend was how great his vocals were. Everything is still there as in his youth. He had three pianos, electric guitars, a pump organ and his signature (give away) of the harmonica. He played more songs on piano than I have seen in the past.
The Setlist: 18 Songs
1. I’m the Ocean, 2. Homefires, 3. Burned, 4. On The Way Home, 5. If You Got Love, 6. A Dream That Can Last, 7. Birds, 8. My Heart, 9. Throw Your hatred Down, 10. Prime of Life, 11. When I Hold You In My Arms, 12. Mr. Soul, 13. Mother Earth (Natural Anthem), 14. Ohio, 15. Don’t Forget Love, 16. Heart Of Gold, 17. (First encore) Comes a Time, 18. (Second encore) Love Earth.
He was about to play another, but he announced. “Sorry folks I got the call – I have to go. I would suggest you elect another Mayor.” There was buzz around Napa with that statement and a lot of applause from the audience.
The Concert
Peace – Love – Environmental & Social Issues – that theme ran throughout the show. Neil asked the audience, “What’s your favorite planet?” Everyone yelled out “Earth!” many times. Neil said “Howdy folks, how are you doing tonight?” He interacted throughout the show with the audience – feeling personal and at times laughter with his comedic side.
The show was unique, as he played many songs he usually does not play, such as songs from the Sleeps With Angels album – “Prime of Life”, “My Heart”, and “A Dream That Can Last” that are not usually in his rotation. “Burned”, “On The Way Home” and “Mr. Soul” featured Neil on the pump organ leading with a harmonica. He can play electric songs without a band easily. Hearing his love songs was like being hit by a quiver of Cupid’s arrows straight to the heart. Songs like “If You Got Love”, “When I Hold You in My Arms”, “Heart of Gold” and “Don’t forget Love”. Songs that expressed the peace theme were “Ohio” (electric), “Throw Your Hatred Down”, “Mother Earth” (pump organ and harmonica), “Love Earth” (a sing-along) and “Comes a Time.”
Beginning with “Heart of Gold” there was a standing crowd for the last six songs. Neil had a sign on the stage that read “Mazzeo”, reminding everyone of a friend, artist, and environmentalist. I was fortunate to get to know this man and to remember him. Neil looked very healthy. My girlfriend (a nurse) thinks maybe his wonderful wife Daryl had something to do with it, along with the many other things she represents, and I agree.
Ending
Neil waved with his hand and said, “Goodnight folks, I am happy you came.”
I was staying at a great place, The Elm House Inn. It was walking distance if you can make it a half mile. While we were there, we were able to see a lot of fans from many different states, all with anticipation and excitement. The morning after, we were happy to run into a small group of fans we met the night before. They invited us to join them for breakfast and we happily did, recalling the memories of last night and making new memories with them at the breakfast table. It was a lot of fun and great new memories were made.
I hope Neil does a video or album of this fantastic show. I would be there at the Greedy Hand Store, which actually is a funny and ironic name when you consider how Neil carries himself with open hands.
Thank you Neil, long may you run.
