Collectors Music Reviews

Go Family Farm (Apocalypse Sound AS182)

24th Annual Farm Aid Concert, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Maryland Heights, MO – October 4th, 2009:  Introduction, Sail Away, Long May You Run, Field Of Opportunity, Hold Back The Tears, Homegrown (with Willie Nelson on acoustic guitar and vocals), Everybody Knows This Is Knowhere, Already One, Comes A Time. 
                                                                                          Bonus features:
An International Tribute to Willie Nelson, Wembley Stadium, London, England – April 16th, 1990:  Introduction by Lenny Henry, Rockin’ In The Free World, Freedom Man (Mother Earth).  “Consistently Erratic,” Neil Young interview by Andy Kershaw, Old Grey Whistle Test 1985:  Get Back To The Country, interview 1, Nothing Is Perfect, interview 2, Down By The River

As one of the founders and being a member of the board of directors of  Farm Aid, Neil Young plays a set every year.  Go Family Farm contains his set as broadcast from the latest Farm Aid on October 4th in Missouri. 

He is introduced by John Mellencamp and before even playing a note shouts, “we want our farms back” to loud applause.  He runs through an eight song set.  Willie Nelson joins in on “Homegrown” in the middle.  Young’s focus is upon farms obviously.  But he is focused upon the plight of family farms as well.  The reality of corporate farms has threatened the livelihood of the smaller farms and has also reduced the quality of the food produced.  

The bonus features are very disparate and go back more than twenty years.  The first is a telecast from the Willie Nelson Tribute in London in April 1990 with two songs, “Rockin’ In The Free World” and “Freedom Man.”  The second bonus goes back to 1985 with his appearance on the Old Grey Whittle Test.  It was telecast in the latter half of the year since his set at Live Aid is mentioned since the rarity “Nothing Is Perfect” was played at the event.  

The intereview with Andy Kershaw is very relaxed and funny and Young himself is very accommodating and jocular.  Go Family Farm is packaged by Apocalypse Sound in a cardboard sleeve.  The video quality on all is quite excellent.  This is a great addition to the Neil Young collection.    

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