Neil Young: Carnegie Hall 1970 (2LP) [WARNER]

Why you'll love it

This 2LP set opened Neil Young's Official Bootleg Series, mixed at Capitol Studio 3 from the original concert tapes. It's the full solo acoustic set from the first of his two famous Carnegie Hall nights.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Official Bootleg Series volume one
• Mixed from the original concert tapes
• Pressed in the USA
• Stereo mix

About the album

In December 1970 a 25-year-old from Toronto by way of Winnipeg walked onto the most famous stage in New York with a guitar, a piano and nothing to hide behind. After the Gold Rush had just come out, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had made him a household name, and Neil Young chose to play two nights entirely on his own.

The set runs through his whole story so far. There are Buffalo Springfield songs ("I Am a Child," "Expecting to Fly," "On the Way Home," "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing"), fresh classics like "Helpless," "Southern Man," "After the Gold Rush" and "Cowgirl in the Sand," and songs nobody had heard on record yet, including "Old Man," "See the Sky About to Rain" and "Dance Dance Dance." "Down by the River" and "Cinnamon Girl," Crazy Horse stompers at heart, turn quiet and haunting here. Young produced the album with Niko Bolas.

The December 5 show has done the rounds among collectors for decades. This is the official one, which makes it, technically, the best-behaved bootleg in the shop.

Also at Kops: more Neil Young on vinyl · browse CDN Pop / Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Shakey Pictures / Reprise (cat# NYA OBS 01), the 2021 live album.