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Description: The revered singer-songwriter plays two sets, one acoustic, one electric, with support from his wife.
Phone: 0844844 4748
Website: www.hammersmithapollo.net
Email: info@hammersmithapollo.net
Trains: Tube: Hammersmith 
Extra info: Pub
Stage presence: Neil Young said nothing to the Apollo audience yet managed to dominate with the songs
You know you're at a Neil Young concert when the queue for the gents snakes back into the bar. Here is an audience of geezers of a certain age, all full of beer and desperate to get rid of it before the great man takes the stage.
It's been five years since Young played London and the anticipation is feverish. I had it on good authority that no drinks were to be allowed in the auditorium because he did not want that.
Stern warnings were broadcast about the use of mobile phones. Young, however it may have seemed at the time, was never an old hippy.
The first part of his set was performed solo on acoustic guitar and keyboards. There was a man in the background painting pictures, but we might as well draw a discreet veil over that. Young said nothing to the audience yet managed to dominate the stage with his presence.
He played a sensational version of A Man Needs A Maid in the style of Phantom Of The Opera. A girl shouted: "How's Stephen Stills?" The silence was deafening.
Finally, Young managed to say hello and admit that it was nice to be back. He rambled on about meeting Jesus Christ last time round, but swiftly redeemed himself with a scorching take on Cowgirl In The Sand. He is a curious performer, a big man with all the grace of a lightly stunned bear.
Surrounded by a choice of instruments, he looked like a faintly bewildered man in a guitar shop. After a decent interval, Young picked up an electric guitar and started to play.
He may not have the most extravagant technique in the world, but this man knows how to extract pain and longing from a piece of wood. Down By The River is a song about murder and mayhem, and by the time he has finished with it, you feel like giving yourself up to the nearest policeman.
Having started with the plaintive notes of an acoustic guitar, Young began to test the acoustic limits of his audience with some profound meditations on the delights of feedback and distortion. When he has a black Les Paul in his hand, he is the devil. Powderfinger laid waste to the front rows.
Cinnamon Girl, a deceptively cheery ditty, wound up in a nuclear reactor. Just so that everyone would go home happy, he finished with Like A Hurricane. Which was like a hurricane.
This was not a concert without blemish, although it did pass off without the political comment which characterised his last London shows. There were songs that should never have been included, and songs that were carelessly omitted.
On a brighter note, opening the entertainment was Pegi Young. It's always nice when your wife supports you.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
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The driving rain of the dirty night outside was blown away. Inside, the grandly aged Apollo and its ageing disciples were bathed in the rich sonic colours of that turbo amped up delivery of that wonderful 2nd half electric set. We had earlier sat (in nice comfy seats too!), breathing in those delicious minor chord acoustic gems (but the miner, quirkily, had missed from his pan, some of the awaited golden 'mother lode' nuggets!) - it made you listen even more intently to the numbers you didn't know so well. This was indeed an evening to savour - tonight was that night - and something, in time, to remember on fondly. Whizz Whizz.
- Fingur, Tonbridge, Kent
I have been a fan of Neil Young and his music since I was 17 years old
and I carried a copy of Gold Rush album around with me to play to all my mates for a year and then Harvest I still have all the the vinyl.
I saw Neil in Bristol on the Tonight's the Night tour in the 70s with Nils Lofgren playing guitar Jumping across the orchestra pit. Also CSYN at Wembley in 74 with the Band and Joni Mitchell ,the NEC 82 Trans Tour, 2001 Crazy Horse tour at the NEC and the Hammersmith GIG 14/03/2008 all of these concerts were very quirky,and all were legendary. The day that Neil stops touring or making music will be a very sad day for rock, folk ,country and American music indeed. You never quite know what you are going to get next with Neil Young but this guy has written and performed some of the best music of our era from Hank to Hendirx, A Legend, A Great Night
Only one complaint, I had to leave with Neil still playing on stage or we would have missed the last train home and the beer was to cold and expensive to drink fast. I will have to buy the DVD when released to catch the Encore.
There were some youngsters and ladies in the crowd not just old boys.
Anyway most fans are forever Young, Neil Don't stop you are a one off like no other. Keep on Rocking in the Free World.
- Keith Watkinson, Bristol England
Just been to the gig on 15th March at Apollo. Started late, an hour of self indulgent rambling followed by a half an hour break. The real concert then started at 10.15pm, I and many others then had to leave at 11pm for trains. At £72 a ticket in hindsight I wish I had saved my money for the boss who really knows how to satisfy the fans.
- Graham Constable, Clevedon
"a big man with all the grace of a lightly stunned bear." That's because he had polio as a child
- Kj, Deptford UK
Ha! "the only downside was the waste of the first hour when we were bored to death with Pati giving us a deadly dull rendition of country and western bumpf". No kidding. The wife will have her way, after all. I believe it's Pegi, not Pati. But the old man more than made up for it. Go, Neil!
- Martin, Surrey. UK
The guy's a total twit.
- Will Oliver, winnipeg, canada
Neil Young is 'the man' for his ageing following, and his more youthful 'addicts'. A brilliant performance of acoustic and electric - and so many vintage classics not even touched on the night. Neil - you are a genius. 'Long May You Run'.
- Tim, Cambridge, England
This is great, thanks.
- Greg Mcgarvey, Bucks County, PA, USA
I have been following Neil Young since the early days of Crazy Horse and have seen Neil consistently grow in stature and influence over the years. It is always fascinating to listen to the biting and somewhat surreal content of his curious lyrics. These backed with a powerful and appropriately incisive guitar technique. This was demonstrated in abundance in the acoustic session and supplemented in style in the second session when the amps were beefed up. There were no queues in the loos, and the audience was suitably littered with many under the age of thirty, enjoying the excellent concert along with us over sixties. the only downside was the waste of the first hour when we were bored to death with Pati giving us a deadly dull rendition of country and western bumpf which could have been easily avoided! This would have enable many who had to leave at 11.00 to bounce their zimmers to the station, to have heard the full demonstration of Neil at his best. We made our last train home with 5 minutes to spare and were sent straight to bed without tea when we got home. Great session Neil - keep it coming.
- Denis Gibney, Chorleywood. UK
