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CSNY mansfield, MA, August 16th, 2006.Sep 01 '06 (Updated Jan 30 '07) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Young's supposed new fire was a disappointment and most of the good in this show was overshadowed by unavoidable and painful reminders that these aging musicians have gone corporate.
I have to admit that I hadn’t been to a large venue in a few years prior to attending the Neil Young, excuse me, CSNY concert in Mansfield, Mass on Aug 16 th, 2006. That this was a very corporate affair was glaringly evident right off the bat. No water allowed in ( 80 degree weather), 45.00 concert t-shirts, 7.50 for a beer, 3.00 for a cup of water and admission charges ranging from 34.50 to 201.00 it was pretty apparent that days of free peace, free acid, free love (or free anything) are long past. This event is about making money. Lots of it. So maybe things have changed in the last few years. That’s just the way it is I guess. Alright, I’ve paid my 200 dollars to see four guys in their 60s perform. I don’t get out much so I’m expecting a museum act (not so much expecting, but hoping). Ok not really, but I do want to see some old CSN and CSNY classics along with maybe some of the new stuff that’s been coming out of some of these musicians lately (Crosby and Nash have a great album out in 2004, Stills has a new album out this year and Young has 5 albums out since 2000 at least two of them half-decent). But no. This is a promo tour for Neil’s latest album ‘Living With War’. I counted at least 7 songs from that album which were played during the show. They might rock compared to Prairie Wind and go over better in concert, but as protest songs they don’t compare to the CSN numbers or Nash’s ‘Military Madness’ or ‘Immigration Man’ (both of which, thankfully were played… to standing ovations from the crowd). A lot of new material which isn’t half-bad peppered with some old classics to get the crowd going. Sounds like a recipe for success doesn’t it? So what’s the problem? The problem comes first from this not being billed as a Neil Young concert. CSN were largely overshadowed by Young and his very recently acquired obsession with the Iraq war. Or is that his obsession? Arguably his obsession might be with George Bush which is what his stage props and CNN type news ticker video display at the back of the stage seemed to indicate. Whatever his obsession was it wasn’t necessarily in putting together a show with the best music possible considering the personalities involved. The strain on the stage was noticeable on many numbers throughout the night. Neil’s playing was at times sloppy and his angry distortion overpowered some of the other’s songs where it wasn’t really welcome. I’ve always loved Neil because he was uncompromising, but I guess the true test of that was when he was uncompromising with my 200 bucks… and I must sadly say that the love affair is over. I’m sure Neil couldn’t care less to the tune of maybe a quarter million per show for himself. I left with the feeling that CSN were somewhat being used here and that this could have been very satisfying night musically but that magic was being constantly interrupted by these political distractions which seemed a somewhat desperate attempt to recapture something which might have seemed so innocent and natural about three and a half decades ago but now just comes off hollow. I know the band might see this as an opportunity to get behind a new fire under the wings of Neil Young, but they came off as a little bit pathetic and as having maybe sold their souls for a few dollars They’ve got so much to offer on their own and they have some past glory to keep untarnished. The trip Neil is on this time around might even be admirable if he was able to do it somewhat convincingly. As it comes off live, one gets the impression that Neil is really going through the motions here. He doesn’t care about changing the world… and I don’t even think he even cares very much about changing your opinion. His rants aren’t original and his Bush-hate is even passe among liberals these days. He comes off as a bit of an anti-War, Bush-bashing amateur. Ok so Neil’s newfound cause here is giving him energy and has relevance as a document of our time and an inspiration for CSN and Y to be fresh and innovative once again. Maybe. These guys are 60 and anything they do could be their last hurrah. Should they be rocking out amidst the latest new controversy trying and failing to recapture some youthful passion, or should they be consolidating skills which they’ve acquired over the last 40 years to create some very advanced and beautiful music. Who am I to say? Nobody. But for my $200 I get a vote, and my vote is for the latter. Maybe I’ll even consider spending it again when or if they ever do feel like trying to do just that. Until then the only war I perceive Neil Young to be living with now is a personal war to convince himself that he’s still relevant and a marketable commodity. Good work Neil. You swindled this fan out of another $200. Go build another mansion.  |
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