“I’ve seen the cell phone and the damage done …”: Young, earlier this tour.Photo: Brian Hineline / Retna
Neil Young Concertgoers Suffer Mightily, Complain Loudly
Fans waited two hours in the cold to get into the first night of Neil Young’s six-show stand at the United Palace Theatre (rumor was that there was a fire-code issue), but they didn’t seem all that grateful once they were inside. “I paid $226, I can talk if I want!” a man grumbled when he was asked to turn off his cell phone. One woman took issue with the rule against bringing booze back to one’s seat: “You showed up late and made me pay $226, and I can’t even have a drink? What is that?” Good thing Young started things off with a solo acoustic set that included classics like “Old Man,” “Harvest,” and “Heart of Gold.” The crowd thus mollified, he returned for a second set plugged in and accompanied by a full band, who helped him propel “No Hidden Path” past the twenty-minute mark. They closed the show out with a rousing “Like a Hurricane” just past midnight — too late, unfortunately, for many people to place phone calls. —Michael D. Ayers Neil Young Concertgoers Suffer Mightily, Complain Loudly
