Last night, July 5, 2023, Neil Young concluded his four-show “residency” at The Ford. The 77-year-old singer-songwriter returned to the road with a month-long solo tour of the West Coast that began last week at this 1200-seat open-air amphitheater, tucked in the hills just across the 101 highway from the Hollywood Bowl. In the beautiful early evening light, the stage featured no fewer than five keyboards, a freestanding fireplace, and a working Lionel model train set.
Young promised that the playlist would dip deep into his songbook, and he didn’t disappoint. Moving from instrument to instrument, with acoustic and electric guitars added to the mix, he performed little-heard rarities like “Homefires,” “If You Got Love,” and “When I Hold You In My Arms.” The Buffalo Springfield and CSNY eras were represented by “Burned,” “Mr. Soul’ (in a bone-rattling rendition on pump organ!), and “Ohio.” Young’s under-appreciated 1995 collaboration with Pearl Jam contributed “I’m The Ocean” and “Song X.”
It was an intimate and engaging evening, with easy banter and the small, relaxed venue making it feel like you were hosting a concert in your living room. And, for me, it was a lovely bookend. Though I’ve seen many Neil Young tour dates featuring a variety of band configurations over the years, my first time – January 21, 1971, at Boston’s Music Hall – was also a solo performance. Two songs span the more than 52 years in between and were featured in both shows – “On The Way Home” and “Heart of Gold.” It’s been quite a career.
