Concert Review: Neil Young's Live Rust - 40th Anniversary Concert In Auckland

Live Rust

What an idiot I am.

I thought Live Rust was just going to be a run-through of Neil Young’s Rust Never Sleeps, but it turns out it’s a two-part extravaganza covering his Greatest Hits of the pre-1979 era, plus a full rendition of his 1979 Live Rust, plus a couple of later tunes. Including Harvest Moon, which is our song. But it’s my nephew alongside me, not my wife. How am I going to explain this one?

Extravaganza indeed, with an array of New Zealand’s top instrumental and vocal talent coming together to deliver a stunning performance, sharing their duties in an atmosphere of total devotion and democracy. Most importantly having fun, with the music and with each other. No egos on this stage.

Check out the setlist below. And check out the musicians.

Liam Finn

Samuel Flynn Scott

Liam Finn on everything, Brett Adams on his usual searing guitar. Samuel Flynn Scott also on an impressive guitar, and of course Delaney  Davidson as wild as ever, but also picking perfect on steel.

Chris O’Connore

Jon Toogood

Chris O’Connore on drums (unless Liam has jumped in). SJD on bass, Jon Toogood on rhythm, and the stellar female duo of Reb Fountain (piano, guitar and broom) and Dianne Swann, looking as rock-chicky as I have ever seen her, bouncing around like a Julie Dolphin.

Delaney Davidson

Vocals shared, in every possible combination. Oh and there’s a string quartet on the occasional song, as well as musical director Joel Mulholland making a contribution from time to time.

Reb Fountain

How did they manage to put all this together? They being Joel and the invisible light touch of promoter and visionary Simone Williams. Managed democracy and shared devotion is how.

Brett Adams

Superlatives do not convey the intensity and the passion... Teary eyes perhaps do. But put aside the magnificence of the collaboration and reflect also that these are the songs of one humongous talent, who is still writing and playing, after all, these 50 plus years.

Neil Young. What a crazy old horse. 31 songs. 3 hours.
Just a triumph, no better word... 

Radio 13 thanks and credits Reuben from SomeBizarreMonkey for all the images featured in this article. More photos below!

Set 1: The Hits

1. Expecting to Fly
2. Broken Arrow
3. Mr Soul
4. Ohio
5. Don’t Let It Bring You Down
6. Helpless
7. Down By The River
8. Revolution Blues
9. Old Man
10. Harvest Moon
11. Pocahontas
12. Cowgirl In The Sand
13. Southern Man.

Set 2: Live Rust

1. Sugar Mountain
2. I Am A Child
3. Comes A Time
4. After The Goldrush
5. My My Hey Hey (Blue)
6. When You dance
7. The Loner
8. The Needle & The Damage Done
9. Lotta Love
10. Sedan Delivery
11. Powderfinger
12. Cortez The Killer
13. Cinnamon Girl
14. Like A Hurricane
15. My My Hey Hey (Black)
16. Tonight’s The Night
Encore
17. Heart Of Gold
18. Rockin’ In The Free World