Neil Young 2008-06-22
Nelson Mandela Forum, Firenze, Italy
w/ Rick Rosas, Ben Keith, Chad Cromwell, Anthony Crawford & Pegi
Young

2008 Summer European Chrome Dreams Continental Tour

Neil Young - guitar, guitjo, harmonica, piano, vocals
Rick Rosas - bass
Ben Keith - pedal steel, lap steel, guitar, organ, background vocals
Chad Cromwell - drums, background vocals
Pegi Young - background vocals, vibraphone
Anthony Crawford - background vocals, piano, bells

Source:
Gary Carter and his daughters Canon PowerShot A560

After 10 days away from Australia and 8 glorious days in Rome, I am
in Florence with my wife and youngest son Jon.

The wife has gone to see Tosca (some Italian Opera). Jon and I are
going to see Neil Young - some Rock'n'Roll super star.

We were all going to see Tosca and then a million to one chance NY
books a gig in Florence for 22nd of June. I'm in Italy then! No
matter where I am I am going to see him - if I need to fly from Rome
or Naples.

Holly mother of christ he is in Florence the same weekend I am. So I
booked tickets - I had to wait up till 4 am Sydney time to get
tickets - no sweat.

Today, Sunday 22nd we went to the Academy of Art and the Uffizzi in
Florence to see masterpieces including Micheal Angelos David. My
vision of David is distroted - his Les Paul is over sized - that rock
really rocks.

Its 5:30pm at the Uffizzi (Neil is at 9 pm); Michael Angelo, Raphael,
Caravaggio, Da Vinci, Botichelli, Donatella ; I might live a thousand
years before I know what that means, Ocean sky sea of blue, I caught
you knocking at me cellar door, I'm a lot like you were - wait back
to the art - but that is art.

The Uffizi is over, if a see another painting of Jesus I will crucify
myself (Jesus where has nature gone - what am I doin here).

The Birth Of Venus (Bottechelli) is very sensual - I want to live
with a cinnamon girl.

We catch a cab from Firenze Central railway (I used to drive a cab
you know) out to Mandela Forum - its a few kilometers, we've got an
hour to get there but I panic about traffic jam.

We get out tickets from the box office. Seat numbers 809 & 810. We
look for our seats. In the whole stadium seats numbers max out at
about 250 per section. Perhaps its Roman numerals, perhaps its code
for section 8 seats 9 & 10. I find someone who speaks english. She
says its not allocated seating just wherever you want. So we get a
pair of seat near a big aisle way just a few rows up so we can see
over the mosh pit and hands shaking at the sky. We are in our seats.
I smile and it hurts.

It must be 38 degrees C in here. I'm gunna loose 3 kg's (I actually
lost over 1kg).

Warm up act is an Italian metal band - they are OK but are giving the
crowd some serious feedback thru the sound system.

Venue is laid out with a mosh pit and rows of seats along the sides.
Not great as one ear gets all the Neil or you get a ricked neck if
you tune to face straight on.

Sound is strong, you can fell the beat thru your spine. Rock n' Roll
can never die.

Venue is small, 4,500 people maybe, 98% full, all ages, but my son is
probably the youngest at 15. He thinks Neil is good cause dad listens
to him perpetually but he thinks he is not great as there are no Neil
songs on the Nintendo Guitar Hero game. But "I'll give it a shot" !

I've been really nervous all day and have taken deliberate steps to
eat good wholesome solid food. Though last nights Tuscan Soup is a
bit of a worry (beautiful veggie soup and then they throw chunks of
bread in at the last minute).

When my wife gave birth to our 3 children that was "inaresting" but
this is really stomach wrenching. Have I got life's priorities
right ?

Yes. There are only a few great masters and Master Neil is one of
mine - he speaks to you in lyrics and verse that are sublime, subtle,
suggestive. You can get what you what (at Alices Restaurant) and by
of connecting with Neil.

Stage set up is like recent USA / Euro tour. I can see the gong, we
are gunna get The Sultan. The red phone is like Rudolphs nose.

Holley dooley (Aussie speak for hey wow !) Rick Rossas is just
meandering through the crowd in the 38 C heat. He is close to me so I
call out softly "Hey Rick"

GC - So nice to meet you (shaking hands)
RR - Hello - he checks out my Praire Wind T-Shirt and NYAS Badge
GC - Fan Club
RR - I see
GC - Have a great night - I'm so looking forward to it
RR - Thanks so much for coming

My Son - who was that ?
GC - Thats Rick the Bass Player - Neil's Bass Player
JC - Do you know him ?
GC - Oh shit yeah !
JC - Well why didn,t you get his autograph
GC - Um, does,t matter

Rick had the softest and most cool hands I've ever felt. Not that
there anything wrong with that. Um even that girl in high school
didn't have hands like that.

Now I'm back at the apartment in Florence 1am in the morning writing
this and I bought a bottle of 2003 Pianadeicieli Syrah (very bloody
nice) - the wine bars are open till 2am - but the wife's just knocked
it over. Love and only Love.

In Italy they reckon Cab Sav is a white wine. Like Paul Hogan
said "That's not a knife, this is a knife" - Aussie's just do things
a bit different. Some of the greatest wines in the world are Aussie
Red Cab Sav's, but at Medicee's Wine Bar down stairs they think I'm
mad.

So during the concert I arrange with Robert 'Stringman' to SMS him
and he can keep you hungry Neil fans up to date.

A few roadies come out and test all the instruments. So its clear
that this is not an acoustic electic set arrangement

01. Love And Only Love
Oh god, oh God ....... repeat until hard drive is full, my tears are
salty and I curse that I was not born in the USA (sorry) so that I
could get to more NY gigs.

It goes for 10 minutes until the first lyric - it is great mate. This
guy is in the groove already.

The Painter is working away in the back ground Dirty Old Man is next

02. Dirty Old Man - better live I agree with previous posts
03. Spirit Road - better than CD - they are in the groove
04. Powderfinger - I picked it from the first intro strum - shit I'm
pretty good - my son goes wow good pick up dad - Its just great
05 Hey Hey, My My - Out of the Blue (for the Italians (Azuri)) -
nice one NY

After NY says "We love Italy and we hope you win the soccer" "What
more can I say"

My wife tells me they lost the soccer to Spain.

He was quite most of the night. He let the music talk.

06. Too Far Gone - no he aint
07. Oh, Lonesome Me !
08. Mother Earth (Organ) - lots of cheers from the crowd re
sentiments of preservation - Be the Rain

09. The Needle & The Damage Done - the crowd went off

On my resume I can now say 'Official Neil Young Fan'

10. Old Man - my son wanted this one. We both smiled. "Do you reckon
Cortez and Down By the River are on the cards"

I yell out "Borrowed Tune" - I really need to get more of this salt
out of my eye ducts

Its Chad Cromwell on the drums not Ralph

11. Winterlong - dedicated to Danny W

12. No Hidden Path from 10:38 to 11:03 - shear pleasure and some
different changes near the end

Encores:

13. Rockin The Free World - teaser of 25 seconds and then he waves
his hands. He looks tired, he should be Like A Hurricane
14. All Along The WatchTower - Just like Michael Angelos David -
exquisite - Peggy & Anthony on acoustic backup

He breaks every string on old black and plays it with his mouth like
those Hurricanes he did in the 70's. Wowwwwwwww!

Wounded Dove Of Peace appears and they dig into
15. Rocking In the Free World - the crowd ignites and the light
system is cranked up to the power of the Sun. Many are blinded but
more are saved.

Afterwards my son and I hang around to watch to stage dismantled. We
listen to Greensleeves. We miss out on picks and drum sticks but get
a good shoot of stuff and Woody. On Neils stomp box he has a brass
Harley Davidson insignia.

My dreams are complete, well almost.

A river derchi from your Aussie reported in Firenze, heck I might go
see hime tonight in Verona