Rumors of a club blues tour by Neil Young & The Bluenotes had me scouring the local music magazines and the Village Voice hoping to get an inside track to one of the shows. I found myself at a Young Neil & the Vipers club show thinking it could be Real Neil but found myself seated at a table in the rear of a New York City basement club watching a relative of a Fabulous Thunderbird wailing on guitar, then coaxing Ace Frehley of Kiss onstage to play guitar on a tune. This was an unintended interesting evening, to say the least, but the quest for a Neil Young blues concert went on. The Bluenotes played a club called The World in New York City’s Alphabet City for a few night stand, two shows a night, and I managed to attend the last set which turned out to be one show only due to Neil reportedly feeling ill but not wanting to cancel. It was general admission standing room with a bar in the rear where I leaned toward the bartender and sang “This Note, This Note This Note, This Notes for YOU” along with the band. I was having a blast. I remember thinking Neil Young’s pallor was a little grey that night which made me believe rumors of an illness were likely true. Years later I find it hard to believe that I only went to one night but I am certainly glad now that I made my way in to attend. Neil & The Bluenotes would follow up with a shed tour but the Bluenotes were best appreciated by the diehard fan; as with many Neil Young tours, the casual fan is sometimes disappointed when the greatest hits are not performed (the Psychedelic Pill arena tour’s sonic assault lengthy distortions left some in the crowd looking bewildered when the lights came up) but for those of us on the journey, the Bluenotes were, and are, simply outstanding.

Ain’t It the Truth

Rock on

GQ