All in a Dream

Massey Hall is a magical place. I saw Neil Young perform last night for an imperative cause. My cheeks were in high colour and I kept feeling like I was going to cry. Why? Because I love him and I can’t stand the thought of losing him.

Neil Young is an amazing man.  Musician (guitarist, pianist, organist, harp player, etc.), performer, writer, inventor, environmental activist… The list goes on. Genius might be the right word. I adore him. Am I making that clear?

What a night! The audience was energized and receptive. If you have the CD Live at Massey Hall 1971, you might get the idea of what it was like to be there with Neil in 2014. Highlights for me were hearing “On the Way Home” and “Helpless” back-to-back, “Old Man,” “A Man Needs a Maid,” “Ohio,” and “Heart of [freaking] Gold”!!

The evening ended with the perfect encore:  “Comes a Time” (one of the only Neil Young songs that I can play comfortably on the uke) and “Long May You Run”(I love the little nod to the Beach Boys in that song: “Caroline, No”). I realize that I’m practically naming the entire set list. Truly though, I loved it all. What a treat! Whenever I think of complaining about anything for the next while I’m going to remember that I saw Neil Young at Massey Hall and know that dreams really do come true. The song that’s in my mind this morning though is “After the Gold Rush.” Neil revised the lyrics last night to “Look at Mother Nature on the run / in the 21st century.” With the tar sands issue in Alberta and recent talk of recruiting astronauts for a mission to Mars, the song seems chillingly premonitory.

Because I didn’t get to sleep until after 2:00 a.m. last night (I was too wired!), I briefly considered driving my daughter to school this morning. Remembering the message last night though, we bundled up and walked instead with the sun in our eyes, crunching ice underfoot, and beautiful music in my mind. 

“All in a dream, all in a dream / the loading had begun / They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed / to a new home in the sun.”

"Dream Baby Dream" (Suicide Cover) by Bruce Springsteen

The first time I saw Springsteen in concert I was 22 years old. It was an intimate solo acoustic concert at Massey Hall (The Ghost of Tom Joad tour). He was beyond charismatic. He revealed that he enjoys a fine bourbon after performing and at one point, he even told an over-zealous and annoying  fan to “Fuck off.” It was very cool. I was on a euphoric high for days after that concert! Springsteen is a poet and one of the best entertainers I have ever seen.

This video is an accurate visualization of what it’s like to see Bruce Springsteen live. It’s truly transcendent.

Boundless Bliss

As a birthday gift, I received last minute tickets to see Bruce Cockburn at Massey Hall in Toronto. It takes a lot to get me into the city these days, but Bruce did not disappoint. He performed with Jenny Scheinman who played the violin like I’ve never seen it played before (at times, like a guitar!).

My favourite songs of the evening were “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” and the instrumental piece “Ancestors” from Bruce’s latest album Small Source of Comfort. When I heard “Ancestors” I think I temporarily left my body and swirled around the majestic ceiling of Massey Hall in acoustic bliss.

I couldn’t find a decent video that did any justice to hearing “Ancestors” performed live so I’ve included “Boundless,” which was shot from the right Balcony. We were sitting on the same side in the Gallery where the seats are uncomfortable and we could hardly see anything. I don’t regret going though. It was an enchanting night and not one I’ll soon forget.

“Boundless” by Bruce Cockburn, Small Source of Comfort, 2011.

 

The howling wind, it sings to me
the sky looks troubled but I feel free
visions and feeling and ink on my hands
you can travel forever and never land.

(partial lyrics)