Neil Young and the Chromehearts Rock Charlotte

The Legend Kicks Off The  Love Earth Tour At PNC Music Pavilion 

Legendary rocker Neil Young is still “Rockin’ in the Free World” and brought his new band, the Chromhearts, out to PNC Music Pavilion last weekend to kick off the North American leg of his Love Earth Tour. Young got his start decades ago, making a name for himself with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and of course as a solo artist with his band Crazy Horse. Now accompanied by a new set of world-class musicians in The Chromehearts, Young is back out on the road, bringing his iconic songs to life once again. 

Over the years, Neil has become known not only for his signature high tenor and introspective lyrics but also for his political outspokenness and activism. Young is on the Board of Directors for Farm Aid and has supported many environmental efforts over the years. So, it came as no surprise that upon entering the venue, there were tents everywhere promoting various causes. Even the concession menu reflected his efforts with locally sourced food and locally crafted beers offered for the evening. 

Of course, it is Young’s music that has brought us together for a night of magic that only he can provide. From the moment The Chromehearts walked out onto the sparsely decorated stage, adorned only with a Love Earth banner at the rear, the crowd roared in anticipation. Young walked out, signature cap on his head and Martin acoustic in his hand, and the audience was on its feet. What came next was a night nobody would soon forget. 

At 79 years old, one would think Young would cut back on his shows at least a little bit. In fact, the opposite was true as Young treated us to a whopping 18-song, career-spanning setlist, with many of the tunes taking on new forms and ideations with extended versions and jam sessions exploding at will. 

Photographers were allowed to shoot the first three songs or the first ten minutes, whichever came first and as Young kicked off with “Ambulance Blues,” we were pretty much done taking photos shortly after the end of the song. Wow! It was clear from the first note that Young hasn’t lost a step musically. His vocals sounded great, and his guitar work was as extraordinary as ever. 

There was a good variety of songs mixed into the set, with classics like “Southern Man” and “Harvest Moon” alongside the tour debut of “One of These Days.” My favorite Young song of all time was a real highlight for me with an outstanding live version of “Hey, Hey, My My (Into the Black).  Notably missing from the set was the classic hit “Heart of Gold.”

The evening concluded with not one but two encore performances, capping things off by rocking fans out of their seats with “Rockin’ in the Free World,” leaving fans with a night full of fond musical memories to cherish. 

Neil Young and The Chromhearts will be out on tour for the rest of the summer, ending this leg of the tour in Los Angeles in mid-September. Don’t miss your chance to catch the legend in action! 

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

If you captured any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see. 

Tour Dates:

Aug. 15- Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center

Aug. 17 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Aug. 21 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Aug. 23 – New York, NY @ Jones Beach

Aug. 24 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods

Aug. 27 – Chicago, IL @ Northerly Island

Sep. 1 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Sep. 5 – George, WA @ The Gorge

Sep. 6 – Vancouver, BC @ Deer Lake Park

Sep. 10 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Sep. 12 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater

Sep. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl