Neil Young Down Under

photo by Toni Mikola.

Neil Young is coming to Australia to play the Big Day Out and also do some side shows with special guests My Morning Jacket.

BRISBANE - Wednesday 21 January 2008
SYDNEY - Saturday 24 January 2008
MELBOURNE - Wednesday 28 January 2008

I saw Neil at the Myer Music Bowl for the Greendale Tour a few years back where it bucketed down with rain, and then about 5 months ago on his recent world tour when he played at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. Fingers crossed I get to hear Revolution Blues this time!



Tickets for these Neil Young Australian shows are available through Ticketek and Ticketmaster and go on sale September 19th.

Blitzen Trapper and Fleet Foxes in DC

Fleet Foxes - photo by Svetlana80.

I've been off the blog lately because of my current holiday in the USA - currently i'm typing on a norwegian keyboarded ibook in a B&B in the East Village, NYC. We spent Easter here, then winged it to Washington DC and caught up with Blitzen Trapper and Fleet Foxes at The Black Cat - a snazzy venue suited to an intimate evening with my two fave american bands of the moment.

Fleet Foxes kicked off with their CSNY harmonies and Shinsy pop-smarts - they were the real highlight of the evening for me, and in spite of Robin's headcold they sounded incredible. I've raved about them before, so i'll just say lookout for their new album dropping mid year on Sub Pop (US) and Bella Union (UK), with a vinyl version on 12" and a bonus 10" too. Woot!

Blitzen Trapper put in a solid, inspiring set of newer songs as well as faves from Wild Mountain Nation - and after the show i picked up their 6 song tour EP with freshly recorded brand-spankers... perfect for our drive through Amish country on the way to Philly. Expect to hear something from the EP on my next podcast when i return to the UK.

More dates (including details of Canadian shows this week) are on their myspace.

Oh, and there is a great Flickr photo set from the gig too, which is where these snaps came from. In fact, we were standing right behind the photographer, so its just as we saw it - sorry no audio though, you'll have to use your imagination.


Blitzen Trapper - photo by Svetlana80.

In follow up to my last post we did make it to the Sons and Daughters gig at the Bowery, but missed the Brunettes because we'd been gas-bagging with friends over garlic snails and beers. However, I fell madly in love with Bodies of Water who came over like an awesomely weird cross between The Salteens and Arcade Fire. Seriously, take a listen! No more gigs are planned here in New York, although Australian living legend PAUL KELLY is in town playing tonight and tomorrow at Joe's Pub, and we'd love to see Stephen Malkmus but his gigs are sold out.

Live at SXSW: My Morning Jacket

photo by allsongs

Doing songs from their forthcoming Evil Urges album, as recorded by NPR. Check it out.

Shakey - The Washup

So, we went to the Hammersmith/London Apollo last night for NEIL YOUNG, playing a greatest hits collection over two sets - one delivered solo and acoustic, the other electrified with his band, featuring his wife Peggie and Ralph Molina (Crazy Horse). The sound at the venue was amazing, and Neil (pictured) was in fine voice, but the song choices for the electric set weren't quite as i had hoped. No Cortez The Killer, or Winterlong, or Southern Man, or Like A Hurricane, or Tonights The Night, or Cinnamon Girl or even Cowgirl in The Sand. And lastly, to both Sarah's and my disappointment no Revolution Blues! hmm. Perhaps he'll play them all tonight...

There was also a painter on stage, working away on large canvases, taking inspiration from the music, and Neil would occasionally walk over and check out what he was doing. In the second half the artist brought out paintings with song titles and their themes reflected - No Hidden Path, Down By The River, Hey Hey My My - among others. He's no Rembrant, but it provided an interesting visual distraction from Neil ridiculous sneakers. Still, it was pretty naff.

No videos have surfaced from the last two London shows (a guy comes over the PA at the start saying no phones/cameras are allowed to photo or film the concert) but you can get some idea from this Berlin footage...