Jump down to...
Jarett Xamiche Griguts' early report
Steven Clofine's observation
Lynn Carrington's s.o.c. review
(more reviews coming)
Also See:
The show details.
Video from pre-show press conference.
A Rolling Stone review.
A USA Today review.
A Billboard review.
A SonicNet review.
An Allstar News review.
A Wall of Sound review.
A Washington Post pre-show article.
A Washington Post review.
Neil & Willie. (photo)
CSNY. (photo)
Tipper Gore on the drums. (photo)

Neil's set (with the Friends & Relatives Band)

1. Daddy Went Walkin'
2. From Hank To Hendrix
3. Powderfinger
4. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
5. Motorcycle Mama
6. Cowgirl In The Sand

1. Love The One You're With
2. Marrakesh Express
3. Helpless   [electric]
4. Helplessly Hoping
5. Our House
6. Almost Cut My Hair
7. Cinnamon Girl

Just got back from Farm Aid and figured I'd share a few thoughts...

Once again, good to run into rusted friends, old and new. Wish I had a chance to talk to most of y'all a bit more (couldn't make it to the RustFest this time, unfortunately). I did see that a couple of Rusties did have a brief chat with Larry Cragg. I just missed him. Also, didn't quite have the same luck I have had before in sneaking down to the pit. But I've just been so spoiled, it's probably best I didn't. As for the music (sticking mostly to the Neil related)...

The Neil Young & Friends & Relatives Band was first in the double-shot of NY we got tonight. The songs...

• Daddy Went Walkin' ...dedicated to his father's farm back home in Canada

• From Hank To Hendrix ...much of the same stuff we've been seeing allthrough the tour, but here he opened with the softer stuff first.

• Powderfinger ...I didn't really notice it before, but it seems they've got ol' Ben standing up to do more picking than sitting down (maybe Pancho and The Horse isn't far behind after all...?)

• Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

• Motorcycle Mama ...the ladies vocals on this are getting even better.

• Hurric..(no)..Cowgirl In The Sand ...I'm hoping someone can back me up on this. It sounded very much like the opening notes/chords to Hurricane, and then a quick switch to Cowgirl In The Sand. Maybe he was making it up to me for not coming back out in Pittsburgh to play it as an encore. :)

Next on the performance list was the Cougar. I wasn't too crazy about last year's high octane (palpitations) performance. This time he came out with just two acoustic guitars, violin, and a slide. And of course...that trusty cigarette. Is it me, or does he have a thing for twins? It did look, though, like the same core group from last year's tour.

CSNY's set...

• Love The One You're With ....Stills was on fire.

• Marakesh Express ...Neil sees Steve playing off of Duck's bass and says "I got to get me some of that". The fireworks would come soon enough.

• Helpless ...Once again, Neil's comments are intertwined during the songs. Absolutely hysterical.

• Helplessly Hoping
• Our House

  Somewhere in here Stills gets on the mic like Neil, but I couldn't make out what he said because he was speaking away from the mic. Graham threw in a "Call 1-800-FARMAID."

• Almost Cut My Hair ...Stephen had the first solo, Neil got him right back on the next one. These guys were really going at it here. Croz made mention of his rally on Tuesday.

• Cinnamon Girl ...excellent sendoff. The crowd was dying for more... It was a rather appropriate choice, with "Ma send me money now..." (just pick up the phone and dial... :)

Rust in peace,
Xamiche

Just woke up here in Philly after returning from Farm Aid at 3am. Double shot of Neil and CSNY was beyond words. I loved the dueling between Stephen and Neil.

I sat in sec 101, which was adequate.

I was really touched by the way Neil spoke about the farmers. There was an older man and his wife sitting in front of me -- obviously a farmer. When Neil was talking about the family farmers sittin' 'round the kitchen table, the guy in front of me started to tear-up. Wow! It was a powerful thing. I am so proud to love Neil the way that I do. His music and his life has once again touched me in a very deep place.

I think I'll go a-walkin' just to touch the earth...

peace, mr n 3~`

Wow, I just never imagined I'd be going to Farm Aid
for the first time ever this year. The whole day just seemed really magical to
me with so many good vibes in a really fun atmosphere...I had the pleasure of
meeting several Rusties (there is absolutely no real way to express how cool it
is to meet y'all face to face !)... there was Mike "expecting to fly" & Tammy,
Diana "winking waitress" & her man, then Chuck the Fireman, Thrasher, and
Cliff "Dr. concert" (Cliff's another kind soul to thank, him having purchased
our tix in advance ! And Cliff - with that nifty press pass you had, were you
able to post any photos yet?)...my husband and I were also extremely happy to be
sitting next to Cathy "dance dance dance", another Rustie we had  previously met
at the CSNY Dallas show back in March.  This woman is incredible.  She drove
all the way from Texas to Virginia just so she could groove to Neil one more
time !  We all got there pretty early, about 1 o'clock, and were treated to
performances by Pat Green, Arlo Guthrie (he made some comment to the effect
of we're here to support farmers, but I'm gonna sing a song about something
they're not supposed to grow...then launched into a familiar tune, "coming
into Los Angeleez, bringing in a couple of keys, don't check my bags if you
please, Mr. Customs Man".  I was pleasantly surprised to have my
preconceptions about country music completely blown out of the water when I
heard Travis Tritt sing and watched him perform.  What in the hell has been
wrong with me all these years ?  The singer from Sawyer Brown jumped all
over the stage like a crazy man, but like crazy in a good way.  The
Barenaked Ladies, whom I've seen before, are just the most fun loving and
goofy group I've ever encountered.  Even though we had seats in the 11th
row, I elected to go up on the hill, and with dozens of others, danced my
ass off to their music...and of course THE MAN Mr. NEIL  himself, well, what
can I say, he just brings out the feeling in me that I'm just gonna have a
friggin' nervous breakdown every time he sings.  How one person can write
that beautifully and sing with that much honestly is beyond me !!  The sets
by Alan Jackson and John Mellencamp were a blur to me, then once again
Neil's onstage, this time with our boys David, Stephen and Graham, their
voices plush like velvet.   I wanted to scream.  I think I did, more than
once actually.  I wasn't alone;  it was just pure nirvana all around.  ( a
bit of embarrassment here- between all the adrenaline {and Killian's Red}
pumping thru me, my memory's a bit foggy and I sure could use some help in
remembering the songs that both Neil and CSNY performed - I just know CSNY
didnt play long enough (I must confess that David Crosby is a true hero of
mine, a cross between a poet and a pirate!) The next thing I know, Willie
Nelson sings awhile, there's huge bouts of cheering and clapping, then the
whole thing's over, but the glow just kept on glowing....what an incredible
experience! Peace, and good night to y'all,
  Lynn

(more reviews coming soon... --RE*AC*TOR)