“PEOPLE my age, they don’t do the things I do”, sings Neil Young at the outset of this intimate gig in the Hollywood Hills – his fourth and final night at the Ford, kicking off his first post-pandemic tour. And coming from a 77-year-old man, the words certainly ring true. But then again, they would resonate equally at any point in his long career, whether in 1995 when he and Pearl Jam recorded “I’m The Ocean” (from whence those lines come), or in 1982 when he careened briefly into synth-pop, or in 1966 when he debuted with the Buffalo Springfield on the Sunset Strip, just a few miles away from here. He may stand tall as a generational icon, but Young has also always stood apart, refusing to be tied down. “Trying to turn against the flow”, as he sings elsewhere in “I’m The Ocean”.
Young is still battling the current in 2023. Unlike Bob Dylan, who hit the road virtually as soon as Covid restrictions allowed, Neil hasn’t performed a complete solo concert since 2019, citing health and safety concerns (he’s still hedging his bets; this tour takes place entirely in outdoor venues). But like Dylan, Young hasn’t returned to the stage for a victory lap. Initially, this run of shows was billed as ‘The Coastal Tour’. Tonight, Young gives it another more revealing name: ‘The Hidden By The Hits Tour’. The setlist doesn’t revolve around his most beloved tunes; instead, it brings to light rarely – or in some cases never – played numbers drawn from the more shadowy corners of his almost 60-year musical trip. To the delight of the die-hards, the promised deep cuts are delivered.