Neil Young Plays Surprise SF Shows

January 11 -- SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 10 — Pelted by wind and rain, dozens lined the sidewalk outside the Warfield Theater on the fringes of the gritty Tenderloin district, struggling to keep themselves warm and dry with hot coffee, umbrellas, and the hope that they might see Neil Young and Crazy Horse play a rare surprise show in such a hallowed, intimate venue. (In a seamy coincidence, the strip bar next door is also called Crazy Horse.)

This show — the first in a three-night stand at the Warfield in preparation for the band's upcoming dates in Argentina and Brazil — was shrouded in confused speculation throughout the day, as rumors of Young being sick put the concert's status in doubt until the moment the doors opened.

Sure enough, the doors opened, and the lucky patrons poured into the theater, which filled so tightly with humanity that even breathing required careful strategizing. The lights dimmed to an loud ovation, and the seemingly ageless Young ambled onstage in jeans, button-down shirt, and cowboy hat, with longtime bandmates Ralph Molina (drums), Frank Sampedro (guitar), and Billy Talbot (bass) close behind. From the opening notes of Zuma's "Sedan Delivery" through the 17th false ending of "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" three hours later, the show's two sets spanned Young's career with Crazy Horse, now entering its fifth decade and showing no signs of slowing.

The selections included the instantly familiar (a thundering "Cinnamon Girl," a feedback-laden "Like a Hurricane") and the slightly less-so ("Bite the Bullet," from 1977's American Stars and Bars), much to the delight of the hardcore fans wedged shoulder to shoulder beneath a thick haze of pot smoke. Relatively new classics from 1990's Ragged Glory — "Love and Only Love" and the Pearl Jam-approved "Fuckin' Up" — proved to be crowd favorites.

Though Young is reportedly working on new songs with Crazy Horse — their first together since 1996's Broken Arrow — none of this material found its way into the first Warfield show.