I’ve gone on record in this column before about my deep and abiding love for the work of Neil Young. He is far more important to me than Bob Dylan and Bob, to paraphrase Jimmy Webb, I need more than I want, and I want him (or at least his works) for all time. So Mr Young is a big deal. For years, his lyrics were my passwords (no longer, I hasten to add); I commissioned a jacket comprising of all the album covers that I wanted on it, and I have paid to see him live many, many times. This summer, he’s playing Glastonbury and Hyde Park and given that the last time I saw him was at the O2 in 2016, I thought this might be the last chance to see him (he’s 80 in November) – then I looked at the ticket prices.
General admission standing tier 4, £123 – now I know you also get Our Man in the Field and Van and Cat, but really!? So I demurred. I have plenty of memories – Finsbury Park twice, Hammersmith, Wembley, Brixton Academy, and more live recorded material than I could listen to in a week. And anyway, wasn’t Neil the man who wasn’t going to play the corporate game? He wasn’t playing for Pepsi; he wasn’t playing for Coke. At 79, who can begrudge a pension plan, not me, but I wasn’t going to be contributing this time.
And then came a phone call. A friend who worked with Amex had a ticket would I be interested? He wasn’t sure what it meant, but it was a Diamond Tier 4 thing. Did I want it? … Did I want it?
“How much do you want for it, mate, the prices look a bit steep?” says I.
“Nothing, you like him, don’t you?”
Gulp …”Yes, yes I do. Thanks very much.”
So, I’m going and looking at the ticket, I’m not only going, but I might get to see him as the corporate machine has divided up Hyde Park into a have and series of receding have-nots. I’m going to be a have. I’m somewhat uneasy about it. I feel a little bit grubby but beyond bloody grateful.
So the listening this week has been a throwback to Neil and some brand-new Tom Henry they both meet in the early seventies somewhere. The radio show was a blast featuring all sorts but celebrating CSN, which premiered this week in 1969, as well as Flypaper, Nelson Bragg, Half Dream, Whitney K, Dan Raza, and more. If you’re heading to Red Rooster this weekend, please say hello if you see me, I’ll be in the aforementioned jacket. As ever…
Going, after the excellent Static Roots Festival in Germany, to Paris for NY.
It’s the most I’ve ever paid for a gig ticket: previously Tom Waits at Edinburgh Playhouse was the steepest.
I had no interest in Glastonbury and Hyde Park didn’t appeal so seeing him in France (for the last time, probably) was a surprise option. albeit an expensive one.
I like to take my sons to gigs but it’s a real ouch when prices are in three figures.
Your points are well made, Keith, and I’m pleasded you are able to go to see him after all.
Enjoy Paris Mike !!
I bought my ticket on the Amex pre-sale and found the range of pricing and offers mind-boggling. In the end I went for the most expensive of the three levels of GA tickets on the basis I might be able to see something. Assumed the cheapest layer would involve a deck chair at Marble Arch. When he and Dylan played the same venue in July 2019 I was near the front of GA area but got very annoyed by the VIP enclosure crowd talking loudly through Cat Power’s set. Not too fussed about Stevens/ Islam and haven’t seen Van Morrison in an age. The recently announced rest of the bill looks decidedly ho-hum. Which if you just need to duck out of your nicely upholstered seat to the champagne bar for the duration may be OK but for the hoi polloi makes for a loooong afternoon
Still standing in diamond tier 😂
You pay what it costs to see your hero. I just did at the Lakefield concert. Came prepared ‘cause you just never know who you might run into . . .
Wow 🤞🤞🤞the same happens to me
Sometimes you just have to heed your heart. When Springsteen played Hyde Park in 2023 we said no, no, then halfway up a path to a castle in Germany said yes, and yes to the “enhanced” rickets. Very glad we did.
I feel it’s good to occasionally be pulled out of our personal comfort zone of small venues and (relatively) low cost / high value festivals. You get both a bit of spectacle and a reminder of why you enjoy the smaller gigs where people are there for the music rather than for the “event”.