Last Tuesday signaled Neil Young’s second stop on his eight-date Australian tour, his first since the 2009 headlining slot as a part of Big Day Out.
Despite the rock veteran’s extensive back catalogue, the concert was definitely acting in support of his 2012 album Psychedelic Pill, with a focus on his more recent work.
Melbourne’s Husky came on promptly at 7:30pm, opening with “Tidal Wave” off their 2011 album Forever So.
Taking some time to spruik themselves to the predominantly older crowd, the four-piece jumped from old to new throughout their set, playing ‘”For The Years Gone By” and “Wolf Man” off a forthcoming album, along with the more familiar ‘Fake Moustache”, “The Woods” and “History’s Door”.
While the band sounded tight, especially through the Entertainment Centre’s PA, they looked a little stiff on stage and didn’t do much to inspire interest from the members of the crowd who weren’t familiar with their music – of which there seemed to be quite a few.
In between sets, Young’s crew – some dressed like mad scientists with lab coats and others as construction workers with hard hats and high-vis clothing on – sauntered about on stage and comically argued.
While it was nice to have something to look at during the down time, the theatrics felt a little out of place.
With Young and band waiting in the throws, the stage setup was finally revealed, with the band’s amps housed in gigantic Fender replicas, and a huge model microphone in the centre of the stage.
Together with Young’s custom-made, all-in-one pedalboard, the stage was very clean and allowed the group plenty of room.
As the band entered, the national anthem played, but that was the end of the weirdness.
Young and Crazy Horse asserted themselves straight away, opening with “Love and Only Love”, as they huddled in the centre of the stage and bounced off each other like old friends.
Young especially showed that his guitar skills had only improved with age. Following this up with “Powderfinger”, the Canadian rocker then got into “Born In Ontario” and “Walk Like A Giant” off Psychedelic Pill.
The latter was a definite early highlight, with the band taking the already long track out on an extended outro of wailing, growling and droning guitars.
A string of quieter songs ensued, with Young playing newer numbers such as “Hole In The Sky” and “Twisted Road”, along with crowd-pleaser “Heart of Gold”.
Slinging on his electric guitar again, the 67-year-old veteran dryly announced “Ramada Inn”, as ‘another sad bastard song’.
“Cinnamon Girl” followed, after which the band got into a hilariously extended version of “F*!#in’ Up” that even had the audience involved, before finishing the main portion of the night with “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)”
The group came back for “Like a Hurricane”, with Crazy Horse guitarist Frank Sampedro swapping his six-string for a keyboard placed on an oddly pretty floating bird.
Young finished up the show by abusing his guitar, with another song put out of the question as he slowly and deliberately removed all his strings amongst harsh feedback.
Although the show went well past the two-hour mark, it was clear this wasn’t a night about looking back.
While Young and Crazy Horse pleased the almost full Entertainment Centre, it was very heartening to see the group not resting on their laurels and focusing on their more recent material, while displaying an enduring interest in the possibilities of the guitar.
