Review by Darren Lowe.
Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts – Live At The Hollywood Bowl, September 15, 2025
To set the scene..
A balmy LA evening, a perfectly located airbnb a block from Hollywood Boulevard. On this Monday evening, Susan, my wife and fellow traveller, joined the throng of undeniable Neil Young fans – I needn’t go into the unmistakable Neil Young demographic, perhaps I resemble that remark – heading into the Hollywood hills, a short 10-15 minute walk to the Hollywood Bowl.
A dream venue, so LA, so California, with its beautiful location and a design that resembles Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl, with much more ample seating and where picnics and even some BYO alcohol is encouraged. The unmistakable smell of something I vaguely recognised in the air, the presence of young people in a range of Neil Young tour t-shirts, certainly let me know this was no Australian gig.
As with last year’s tour with Crazy Horse, the presence of local and national environmental groups was in the foyers and entrances, there was a stronger political presence with petitions. No surprise as to which side they were leaning. This was a few days after a political assassination and this was very much a California audience.
Last gig of this tour, following the warmup of gospel inspired environmental group, Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir and his sister, Astrid Young, Neil Young, and The Chrome Hearts were looking like a band that had played together for a long time. Space, as you would expect for extended soloing, tight and focussed where necessary and a range of instrumentation that allowed for Neil to settle into the acoustic numbers, augmented with stunning harmonies and subtle instrumentation.
Consisting of Neil Young, of course on vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, the legendary Spooner Oldham (keyboards, organ) – fresh from a basketball injury at the age of 82!!, Micah Nelson (guitar, vocals), Corey McCormick (bass, vocals), and Anthony LoGerfo (drums), they are nothing short of superb. The setlist featured both acoustic and some extended electric numbers, some new songs where he let his lyrics do the talking.
Gloriously ragged in appearance, the band began with ‘Ambulance Blues,’ an unusual opening song choice, but certainly one for the fans. This was followed by some glorious, extended shredding, stunning version of ‘Cowgirl In the Sand’. The first of three extended electric guitar work outs, this was as blistering and raw and urgent as when it was recorded. ‘Southern Man’ and ‘Like a Hurricane,’ received similar treatment.
Two selections from the 2003 performance concept album Greendale, featured: the first ‘Be The Rain’, providing the introduction to a four-song political statement, with no spoken monologue. The disturbingly still apt, ‘Ohio,’ from the late Sixties, was received with rapturous applause, still relevant today and the very new, almost wet paint tune ‘Big Crime,’ no subtlety there with its clear and poignant narrative.
A move to the piano for ‘Long Walk Back’ served to provide another reminder that nothing much has changed, politically, since first being recorded, but also where the band could allow Neil to stretch out vocally. A brilliant moment, from Life, 1987, not one of his most well-known albums!
New acoustic material, ‘Silver Eagle’, about his tour bus, lovely, unexpected moments such as ‘Sail Away’, crowd pleasers such as ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ and of course ‘Harvest Moon’ and ‘Old Man’, allowed the band to add flourishes, helping to keep the light and shade of this set list. Did I mention the sound? Magnificent!
‘Hey Hey My My’ and of course ‘Roll Another Number,’ rounded off the evening.
I’ve been lucky enough e see Neil Young three times over the last two years in the US. Approaching 80 years old, Neil is showing no sign of slowing down. As he remarked in near the start of the gig, ‘I first played here with Stills and The Springfield in ’65, and here I am again”.