Neil Young – Young Shakespeare

In 2020 Neil discovered that, between the 16mm film and the audio recording that he had in his archive, he possessed this complete performance: his January 22, 1971 set at the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut. Shown on German TV later in ’71, this film is the earliest known Neil Young performance footage known to exist. This was two months after the release of “After the Gold Rush,” and Neil insists that this is superior to his Massey Hall performance, as this is an intimate set without all the hubbub of the Massey event. Here, Neil not only performs “After the Gold Rush” songs but also previews “Harvest” songs that were still over a year away from release. The analog tapes have been beautifully restored; Neil is just ecstatic about the warmth and purity of the sound here. Take your seat at the concert…that is to say, hear it on CD, vinyl or both if you go deluxe (deluxe edition also includes the first-ever DVD of the show): “Tell Me Why,” “Old Man,” “The Needle and the Damage Done,” “Ohio,” “Helpless,” “Don’t Let It Bring You Down,” “Down by the River,” “Sugar Mountain” and more. The numbered, limited deluxe edition is truly a thing of beauty—and, with the DVD, it lets you see young Neil introducing songs that are now cherished treasures! Reprise.

• 1  Tell Me Why (Live)
• 2 Old Man (Live)
• 3 The Needle and the Damage Done (Live)
• 4 Ohio (Live)
• 5 Dance Dance Dance (Live)
• 6 Cowgirl in the Sand (Live)
• 7 A Man Needs a Maid/Heart of Gold (Medley) [Live]
• – Disc 2 –
• 1 Journey Through the Past (Live)
• 2 Don’t Let It Bring You Down (Live)
• 3 Helpless (Live)
• 4 Down By the River (Live)
• 5 Sugar Mountain (Live)