In late 1970 Neil Young took up a mini residency performing 6 intimate shows in the The Cellar Door in Washington DC. The mic was recording the whole 6 nights and now after a sonic spit and polish a collection of songs from across the gigs has been released as a live album.
The album, entitled ‘Live at the Cellar Door’ finds Young in slightly experimental mood as he’s in preparation for his live show at Carnegie Hall that December so there are a few slightly different arrangements, a few bum notes and the first known live performances of ‘Old Man’ and ‘Bad Fog of Loneliness’.
It’s a fantastic collection of songs and my favourite incarnation of Neil Young is when he’s on his own with his acoustic guitar and piano and the standout for me is ‘Birds’ which was released a few months previously on ‘After the Gold Rush’. There’s even what’s thought to be the one and only recording of Young playing ‘Cinnamon Girl’ on piano which is a treat – one of the most lacerating guitar riff-based songs ever translates surprisingly well to piano.
It’s intimate and full of rare recordings but it’s still a very accessible album and not just for the collectors, so would make the perfect Christmas gift for any Neil Young fan.
Get down to your local record shop and get this.