Last Dance might be my favourite Neil Young song. It has such a desperation and gloominess to it. What I do find tragic though is that we havent officially gotten a second live version of it. It wasnt included on Tuscaloosa likely because the tape ran out during Don't Be Denied, which is why I continue to scratch my head why Tuscaloosa was chosen in the first place. It's a fairly standard performance from that time period, it had an out of tune The Loner which caused it to be dropped and it was incomplete. Yes it was a Kenny Buttrey show, but we know other Buttrey shows were recorded, probably around a dozen and likely at least some that would be on par performance wise and more complete than Tuscaloosa. Other than the cachet of having the balls to play Alabama in Alabama, I'm not sure why Tuscaloosa was chosen. Archives II also chose to omit giving us a live version of Last Dance although it did give us the studio Monday morning. Last Dance was a song that changed quite wildly due to Neil's mood. The one on TFA is from San Diego right at the end of the tour and is actually quite restrained and dialed in when compared with some of the more unhinged versions. Being that this song really doesnt have a full band studio counterpart released and was only played on this one tour, yet was likely recorded to multitrack dozens of times it really is a shame no other recording has been officially released.
Last Dance is a favourite of mine too, I love the unhinged ones, particularly those shortly after the Johnny Barbata change, Des Moines 27 Feb is a favourite, it's a wild 11 min ride with some parts that weren't on the album version. I'm, sort of, glad we got the Monday Morning demo rather than a late 72 studio recording since that would likely be similar to the short, structured version played live in early Jan 73. I'm hoping a TFA show might be played on the NYA concert series.
Do they still sound bad played through an HDCD compatible player that fully decides? I have an older Oppo plays HDCDs and am considering the discs.
Neil's change of heart over the years regarding the TFA tour has been great. I think it was a Q magazine article back in the day and they asked NY what his worst album was, and TFA was his response. I think he mentioned that the whole tour was awful for him and he couldn't wait for it to be end. So he's gone from that position, and refusing to issue TFA on CD for decades, to releasing it, working on TFA2 (which never eventuated), and releasing Tuscaloosa. It's wonderful and here's hoping he hasn't finished mining that period. It might have been a painful time for Neil, but hopefully there's more music to come.
Neil could probably construct an alternate Time Fades Away built from different performances. I don’t have the slightest problem with the album as-is though. Something from this tour would be great for the concert series if he keeps it up. Almost every show was taped. Toronto and Bakersfield are nice enough audience recordings. I love the electric gators sound. I forgot about the “Someone turn on the lights”/“C’mon turn on the lights” ending of the live “Last Dance” that wasn’t included on the album version.
I love that refrain and how the song often teeters on coming completely apart during it. Sometimes it goes on for minutes and sometimes Neil reprises it just as it seems its finally about to wrap up. It seems like he is literally confronting his audience and their patience. It's fantastic! I like the idea of an alternate TFA, but personally I just want a complete show (ideally several in a box) or failing that a compilation show that mimics the running order of a complete show with highlights from multiple shows. Tuscaloosa came close but nixing 2 songs and having the tape run out before the end left it short of the mark.
Just listened to Disc 5 Walk On and it really shows there’s two very different albums being made four months apart. I love all the material he recorded at the On The Beach sessions in December 1973, but I’m not as keen on the bluesy and vampy material he recorded in the subsequent On The Beach sessions of Spring 1974.
It was pretty packed. I was with a large group of friends and we created enough of a buffer for each other that it didn't seem that bad, as best as I can recall. A great time, only slightly less amazing than the OPL and Catalyst shows I managed to catch the year before.
How many shows like this ( not physically available but available on the archive) are there? I just listened to Ann Arbor and loved it, i haven't seem to find a place that lists all the shows i have access to since joining the Rust tier. If its not a massive amount i assume any show i pick will be a winner of sorts?
Thank you so much. Thoroughly enjoyed my first listen on the archive last night with Rotterdamn. Any recommendations for the myriad of post 70's shows?
I knew the Trocadero show I had attended was up there, but didn't know Cal Expo '96 was up (I was also at that one - definitely a really good one).
I recommend the Toronto '88 Bluenotes show with Ordinary People and the full length Sixty To Zero. August 1988 was a very good month for Neil.
I got one of the first runs of Archive Vol II, and eventually received a Certificate of Authenticity. Anyone know if that's an actual Neil Young signature on that?
Will check this out and report back, the 83 Trans tour is also looking quite tempting. What a setlist.
