Credit: Jay BlakesbergNeil Young launches a series of fall U.S. concerts this Friday and Saturday with shows in Telluride, Colorado, marking the first time he’s ever played in the city. The folk-rock legend will be accompanied at the gigs by Promise of the Real, the young rock group fronted by Willie Nelson‘s son Lukas that’s served as Neil’s backing band since 2015.
Young tells ABC Radio that he and Promise of the Real love performing together, and he says that it’s the most versatile backing band he’s ever had.
“They know more of my songs than…all the other bands combined…and can play more variety with authority and no fear,” declares Neil. “They can play songs from…any album I’ve ever made with just as much sincerity and technical expertise as anybody I’ve ever played with, and yet they can also play the songs that I did with Crazy Horse in a way that is not an imitation of Crazy Horse.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer adds that another aspect he loves about of the band is its openness to improvisation.
“[They’re] exploratory, ready to go anywhere, ready to do anything, instantly,” says Young. “So it’s very refreshing and fulfilling to play with them.”
Young’s fall itinerary also includes October 22 and 23 appearances at his annual Bridge School Benefit Concert in Mountain View, California, and October 8 and 15 performances at the star-packed Desert Trip festival in Indio, California.
At Desert Trip, Young and Promise for the Real will be opening for Paul McCartney. Asked whether he and the ex-Beatles star might hit the stage together during the shows, Neil says he isn’t sure.
“We’ve done things together [occasionally],” he tells ABC Radio, “so we’ll see what happens.”
Here are all of Young’s upcoming concert appearances with Promise of the Real:
9/30 — Telluride, CO, Town Park
10/1 — Telluride, CO, Town Park
10/3 — Boise, ID, Idaho Botanical Garden
10/4 — Salt Lake City, UT, USANA Amphitheatre
10/6 — Tucson, AZ, Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater
10/8 — Indio, CA, Desert Trip – Empire Polo Club
10/12 — Pomona, CA, Fox Theater Pomona
10/13 — Pomona, CA, Fox Theater Pomona
10/15 — Indio, CA, Desert Trip – Empire Polo Club
10/22 — Mountain View, CA, Bridge School Benefit – Shoreline Amphitheatre
10/23 — Mountain View, CA, Bridge School Benefit – Shoreline Amphitheatre
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