Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Newcastle Metroradio Arena

I have previously seen Neil Young live on two occasions. Both were different but superb in their own way. As a great performer and with a vast repertoire of songs, I'm not sure this guy can put on a bad show. So, on the day of this concert, I felt my excitement rising as we drew nearer to showtime.

After a couple of refreshing pints in The Trent House, we made our way towards the venue to catch the opening act, Los Lobos who I must confess were superb. Indeed I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a support act as much.

Boffins in white coats quickly cleared the stage and began setting up for the main act. The familiar giant Fender speakers flanked the drum kit and as the huge covers were hoisted into the air, the famous giant microphone was lowered into place. Amid much theatrical gesticulating from the boffins, Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, Frank 'Pedro' Sampedro and Neil Young ambled onto the stage to join the crew in a line as the British national anthem was played. I suspect that this must have been to recognise the fact that this was the first UK date of the current European tour. Then the band launched into 'Love and Only Love'.

The first five songs of the tour have remained constant and so it proved to be in Newcastle so I was looking forward to hearing a 'new' song, 'Hole in the Sky'. And a great song it turned out to be. Young then donned an acoustic guitar to perform 'Comes a Time' followed by Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' in the Wind'. At the piano he then performed another unreleased song, 'Singer Without a Song'.

If you read this blog regularly, you will know that I am not a huge fan of Young's latest album, 'Psychedelic Pill', so I was pleased to learn that he was only playing three songs from that record. Fortunately these proved to be my favourites from the album. An additional treat was the inclusion of 'Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze' from the 'Re-Ac-Tor' album. Then before we knew it, the band were playing their encore, 'Rockin' in the Free World'.

I know there were some among my group of friends who felt that the band needed to learn how to end a song. Of course they were unfamiliar with the Crazy Horse penchant for taking five minutes or more to close a song with repeated guitar chords and howls of feedback. It's called rock and roll and according to Young, it will never die.

For you completists out there, here is the full setlist.

1. Love and Only Love
2. Powderfinger
3. Psychedelic Pill
4. Walk Like a Giant
5. Hole in the Sky
6. Comes a Time
7. Blowin' in the Wind
8. Singer Without a Song
9. Ramada Inn
10. Cinnamon Girl
11. F*!#in' Up
12. Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze
13. Mr Soul
14. Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)

15. Rockin' in the Free World.