Neil Young Heart of Gold

"Neil Young Heart of Gold" concert movie, directed by Jonathan Demme, saw 2 nights ago. Good concert movie: the sound is great; apparently the theatre (Ryman Auditorium in Nashville)is legendary for its accoustics. Neil is at the top of his game. You can see that he is doing what he truly loves--"playing music with his friends". He says that he knows he has been very fortunate. You get the sense he is trying to give back as much as he can.

There is a cast of thousands on the stage: Neil and his country band, Prairie Wind (Not sure if name of band, name of album, or just a general marketing/branding concept?) Drummer, pedal steel guitar, bass, fiddle, piano, 4 backup singers (3 female, 1 male). Then there's a horn section that's on some of the time, an entire gospel choir that hangs around for a while, and a full string section that takes the stage for a couple of numbers. It all sounds beautiful--a lot like the studio sound, but its definitely live. A rich sound, not the raw sound of Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Neil's voice does its best under these conditions. The band is great; nobody misses a step, everyone is working hard, fully engaged, and seem to be enjoying every minute.

I really enjoy Neil's guitar and harmonica playing. He's a real professional. He's written some beautiful songs. Sometimes a bit over-orchestrated for me. But that's all matter of taste.

If you go to this movie, try to sit back and relax, and really enjoy the music. Pretend you are sitting in a theatre in Nashville. It's definitely a worthwhile musical experience.