Lotta Love for Neil Young in Fort Worth '76

Several years ago, out of nowhere, a reader sent me a copy of the four-disc Rock and Roll Cowboy collection, which consists of Neil Young live tracks spanning '66 to '94. It was an astoundingly kind gesture: The set had been compiled by an industrious (Italian?) bootlegger tired of waiting...

By Robert Wilonsky

December 30, 2009

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Several years ago, out of nowhere, a reader sent me a copy of the four-disc Rock and Roll Cowboy collection, which consists of Neil Young live tracks spanning '66 to '94. It was an astoundingly kind gesture: The set had been compiled by an industrious (Italian?) bootlegger tired of waiting for the release of Young's "Archives" collection, first hinted at way back in the 1980s. Of course, the first Archives release showed up this summer, a wide-ranging and not-inexpensive collection covering 1963 through '72; and, earlier this month, Dreamin' Man Live '92 was released, joining a handful of other discs in the so-called "Performance Series."

But here's a belated Christmas gift courtesy the bigO: Neil Young and Crazy Horse at the Tarrant County Convention Center on November 10, 1976. I'd heard some of this earlier this year, and, sure, it's a bit rough -- it's a good audience recording, not from soundboard. But, then, it's Young, Frank Sampedro, Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina. In 1976. Performing "Cortez the Killer," "After The Gold Rush," "Heart Of Gold," "Lotta Love," "Like A Hurricane" and plenty more. What, you gonna complain?

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