Neil Young & Stray Gators/WA, USA 1973

Because the slick of the masterpiece LP “COMING HOME” had the date “JANUARY 28-29 1973” written on it, I was under the illusion that it was from Washington, rather than Scope on the 29th. There are many maniacs who refer to Washington as Washington. Of course, the entire performance was actually performed on the 29th, but if that’s the case, you’ll want to listen to the performance from the previous day. There is also an audience recording of the Washington performance on January 28th, but its quality is far inferior to that on the 29th, a typical 1973 vintage audience. However, even though the sound image has a sense of distance, the outline of the performance is solid, and the parts of the songs included in “Harvest” in the first half are surprisingly easy to listen to. The problem was that the level of hiss noise was strong, and “Time Fades Away” was incompletely recorded when the tape changed. Since there is no other sound source, it is impossible to restore the incomplete song, but an equalized version that was created by a maniac and completely erased the hiss previously existed on the internet. Thanks to this, the outline of the performance stands out even more than the original sound source, and the sound expands. All good things so far, but since I’ve completely eliminated the hiss noise, the main flaw is that between songs, the hard texture sticks to the surface. This is reminiscent of the excessive equalization boot from a while ago. Therefore, I don’t recommend listening to it with headphones, but it feels really easy to listen to when played through speakers. The difference between this and the original sound source is obvious. However, the original sound source is now only available among core traders, and even this equalized version has long disappeared from the internet. In that case, the value alone is high because it recorded valuable sound sources, but in making this CD, the pitch, which was high, was adjusted. This makes it even easier to listen to. Then, the next day at Scope, the audience was unusually quiet right after the show started, and after the middle of the show, Neil said, “This is the quietest audience I’ve ever seen, so much so that it’s confusing for me who’s doing it.” As I said in front of “Don’t Be Denied”, the whole day was lively and exciting, especially the peaceful sense of presence that reacted to Neil’s MC’s every move. Not only is it a rare sound source that is difficult to obtain even on the internet, but it is also a valuable document that makes you realize how different the atmosphere of a live performance can be on a different day. After “The Loner”, which is an electric performance, there are parts where the sound breaks, and the overall quality is at a level for enthusiasts who are used to the audience, but it is still a very valuable sound source. JFK Center, Washington, D.C., USA 28th January 1973 Disc 1(34:47) 1. On The Way Home 2. Here We Are In The Years (aborted) 3. Here We Are In The Years 4. After The Gold Rush 5 .Wonderin’ 5. Out On The Weekend 6. Harvest 7. Old Man 8. Heart Of Gold Disc 2(50:44) 1. The Loner 2. Time Fades Away 3. Look Out Joe 4. New Mama 5. Alabama 6. Don’t Be Denied 7. Cinnamon Girl 8. Southern Man 9. Are You Ready For The Country? Neil Young – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Harmonica Ben Keith – Pedal Steel, Steel Guitar, Vocals Jack Nitzsche – Piano Tim Drummond – Bass Kenny Buttrey – Drums