Neil Younger
Neil Younger, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Van Morrison
Neil Younger @ Hyde Park, London, UK, July 11, 2025,
Jul 14, 2025
Images by ISHASHAH Images (Lead Picture)
Internet Unique
What turned out to be the penultimate live performance within the British Summer time Time (BST) collection of reveals for 2025 (the cancellation of Jeff Lynne’s ELO on the Sunday meant Stevie Surprise’s headline efficiency on the Saturday was the final) noticed three icons of well-liked music roll again the years within the (highly regarded) summer time solar on Friday, July 11, as Van Morrison, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, and Neil Younger – all of whom are of their 70s – delighted the capability crowd.
Neil Younger’s headline efficiency got here two weeks after he closed the proceedings on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury on Saturday, June 28.
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I had learn on the Time Out web site that Van Morrison was due on stage at 5.15pm, however he truly got here out at 4.45pm (I’d forgotten that I had the BST app from final 12 months so might have checked that!) so I used to be a bit late for his set, however I might hear the 79-year-old vocal powerhouse do his factor as I made my approach to the doorway – and he sounded in high-quality voice.
Highlights of his stable displaying included the soulful “Carrying a Torch”, the bluesy “Ain’t Gonna Moan No Extra”, and the gospel-esque “At any time when God Shines His Mild” – and the star additionally impressed along with his saxophone and harmonica taking part in.
The famously curmudgeonly singer even managed a smile when introducing his band, who have been taking part in beneath a gazebo – presumably due to the 30-degree warmth.
Subsequent up was Yusuf / Cat Stevens, 76, who was much more talkative between songs (personally, I’d slightly they only sang!). He’s additionally a kind of artists the place you already know extra of their songs than you suppose you do, and early on he delivered the gorgeous “The First Reduce Is the Deepest”.
Additionally coated by Rod Stewart, after all, I used to be extra accustomed to Rod’s model and had forgotten that this gem was truly written by Stevens.
The acclaimed singer-songwriter devoted a newer tune, “Noon (Keep away from Metropolis After Darkish)” from 2006, to Van Morrison. “I really like Van Morrison,” he exclaimed.
“There’s a full moon,” commented Stevens earlier than the melodic sing-along “Moonshadow” and, on a extra sombre be aware, he revealed that it was the thirtieth anniversary of the Srebrenica bloodbath, which occurred through the Bosnian Conflict, forward of the heartfelt “The Little Ones”, which tonight was sung in help of Palestine.
It appeared everybody within the crowd was singing alongside to the fantastic “Father and Son” and in addition to the catchy “Wild World”, once more serving to remind us simply what number of nice tunes Cat Stevens has been liable for over time. His voice faltered a little bit at occasions but it surely didn’t matter as he greater than succeeded in getting his musical factors throughout.
Additional demonstrating his stressed, rebellious nature, the singer saved saying that he was being hurried alongside and that he needed to end. “In the event that they pull the plug, begin the revolution,” he introduced, including, “Peace begins right here.” Apt, then, that the ultimate tune of his warmly-received set was “Peace Prepare”.
Neil Younger quietly took to the stage along with his four-piece band at 8.20pm. I feel some folks have been unaware that the principle occasion had in truth began, remaining seated because the Canadian-born troubadour, liable for so many timeless classics within the rock/pop/folks/nation rock genres, launched into “Ambulance Blues” – a tune off his 1974 LP, On the Seashore, certainly one of his most revered albums.
Younger has usually been referred to as the ‘Godfather of Grunge’ and there was a hard-edged, grunge-y really feel to fairly a number of of those early numbers, and to be trustworthy I discovered a few of them a bit noisy, tuneless and samey. Personally, I a lot desire his extra laidback, country-tinged materials.
Speaking was saved to a minimal. “Thanks for coming everyone,” mentioned the no-nonsense, down-to-earth musician early on, later commenting, “Thanks, of us, I actually admire you being right here. And I’m completely satisfied to be right here.”
He additionally requested “How are you doing on the market?” occasionally, however, fortunately, no lengthy monologues or political statements.
“Southern Man”, the tune that famously led to “Candy Dwelling Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, was good, although even higher was the fantastic “Harvest Moon” – positively my favorite musical second as much as that time. Younger’s distinctive voice actually shone on it too.
It was good to listen to the stunning “Trying Ahead” by well-liked supergroup, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger (the quartet’s “Title of Love” was additionally given an airing afterward), and the piano-led “After the Gold Rush” was hymn-like in its sheer delicate magnificence.
After the final tune of the principle set, “Previous Man”, the two-song encore consisted of “Throw Your Hatred Down” and, inevitably, the anthemic “Rockin’ within the Free World”. After going previous the strict 10.30pm curfew, Younger – like Bruce Springsteen in 2012 – actually had the plug pulled on his efficiency.
Though I didn’t actually take care of among the songs – notably through the first a part of the present earlier than the acoustic guitars got here out – there’s a pleasing, completely unpretentious authenticity to Neil Younger, and it’s at all times a delight to witness in full movement an artist of legendary standing who’s undeniably the ‘actual deal’.
