Here is a show from the way back machine that happened in my home town in 1985. I was 16 years old and way more into Ratt, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, and Metallica to care about going to see an old fossil like Neil Young. I regret that a little bit as I knew who he was. I had been a fan of his weird Trans album and the Shocking Pink's stuff. I remember seeing him on Night Flight in that weird movie with Devo Human Highway. Certainly I had heard all of his hits by that point.
So when he came to town to play a benefit for flood victims at the end of the summer of 85 I was just too cool for school and me and my BMX buddies laughed about it and didn't go. We we're busy making plans to go see Ratt in Denver the next month.
When I found a copy of this recording a few years ago it peaked my interest to see what I had missed. I don't think 16 year old me would have been particularly impress if I had gone to the show but 50 year old me thinks this is quite the show.
He was one tour for his album Old Ways at the time. Which leaned into the outlaw county a bit with guest spots from Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, & Willie Nelson.
Who made this recording is lost information to me. I checked out some usual taper sources and Neil Young sites and no credit is given. This was the height of the Grateful Dead touring around a allowing people to record them so I know people were upping their equipment game for recording live shows.
I don't think Neil has been ever as taper friend as the Dead but to my ears this is a fix position audience microphone recording. It is close enough to the crowd to hear them between songs but high enough up and close enough to the PA to sound really good during the performances. Someone had to have been flying some mics on a stand either in the crowd or at the FOH. Who ever you are taper I just want to say good job. Thanks for capturing this so I could relive some teenage life choices.
The fade out at the end of Helpless and the seemingly cut off banter during the "interlude" track make me think that was the tape flip moment. The 1-2-3 of Down By The River / Old Man / Powderfinger is especially fantastic. Enjoy.
Neil Young & The International Harvesters
Frontier Park
Cheyenne WY (USA)
1985-08-29
Recorded: unknown
Presented: SxPxDxCx
Source: ? > CDR > EAC > FLAC
Time: (90:50.00)
01 Country Home
02 Comes A Time
03 Looking For A Love
04 Heart Of Gold
05 This Old House
06 Southern Pacific
07 Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Terry McMillan Harmonica Solo)
08 Sugar Mountain
09 Helpless
10 - interlude -
11 Nothing Is Perfect
12 California Sunset
13 It Might Have Been
14 Field Of Opportunity
15 Down By The River
16 Old Man
17 Powderfinger
18 Grey Riders
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