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Virginia Beach, August 15, 1996

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--> Randy Holmes' Review
--> Julio Syscrusher Laliberte's Review
--> The Shakey/Locator Mini-Review
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The Set List

  1. Hey, Hey, My My
  2. Pocahontas
  3. Big Time
  4. Slip Away
  5. The Needle and the Damage Done
  6. Heart of Gold
  7. Sugar Mountain
  8. Cinnamon Girl
  9. F**kin' Up
  10. Cortez The Killer
  11. Music Arcade
  12. Like a Hurricane
    Encore:
  13. Prisoners of Rock and Roll
  14. Sedan Delivery
  15. Powderfinger
    Encore:
  16. Roll Another Number for the Road


Virginia Beach, August 15, 1996

review by Randy Holmes
With the pirate flag flying high over the drums, Neil and the boys took to the stage in Virginia Beach tonight, kicking off with Hey Hey My My. After that rousing opener, we were treated to an electric Pocahontas and then into a reading of Big Time. Neil flubbed the words to the last verse, but made up by pouring an extra dose of fury into the ending guitar solo.

A slow, jamming Slip Away showcased Ralph Molina's superb drumming and put a nice cap on the first electric set. Neil strapped on the Martin next and gave us Needle and the Damage Done, Heart of Gold (!), and a wonderful Sugar Mountain, with a different break after the first verse and a 'chimey' guitar accompaniment with a smooooth harp solo. We even got the silentguitarverse sing along!

After Mountain, Neil greeted the crowd with a "How ya doin?" and introduced Billy and Poncho and the "guys who write all my material." Cinnamon Girl followed (Sampedro playing a red Guild ES335-type electric), with everybody on vocals toward the end. We even got a "woooo" on the solo break from Ralph. The band played around with the riff on Girl, adding some extra silence where the guitars usually ring out.

After that, we got a thunderous F**kin' Up, with Poncho flipping us all off, and an ending chorus traded around of 'he's just a f**k up, you're just a f**k up.' Frank then slipped on an orange Gretsch and Neil tuned up for a slow, mesmerizing Cortez the Killer. Neil repeated the last verses and screamed his way into the final, blistering solo.

Following that barnburner, even an uncooperative acoustic guitar (a truss rod or something was resonating on the guitar) didn't mar the beauty of the simple, quiet Music Arcade. After that quick one, Neil (in faded brown shorts, black Nike socks and shoes and a Placebos t-shirt) and the Horse (and an epilepsy-inducing strobe bank) started off the marathon-length Like A Hurricane, with Poncho on synth (and shades) and a feedback fest that filled the stage like the fog that was rolling in from the nearby farmlands. With a jillion extra solos, and a string popping, one-string-on-Blackie ending chorus, Hurricane ended and Neil picked up one of the large candles that were set about the stage and blew it out.

For the first encore, Frank and Neil strapped on matching Les Paul goldtops (Neil's fitted with a Bigsby, of course), and lit into Prisoners of Rock and Roll. Despite the relative obscurity of the tune, the crowd was soon singing the refrain, as Neil played the guitar with his harmonica and blew two wailin' solos. A crunchy, frantic, astounding Sedan Delivery followed, with the sound man having some fun on the 'hard to find' and 'no one knows' refrains, making Neil and Poncho sound like a duet between Darth Vader and Jackie Wilson.

Everyone was grabbing their towels and putting down their instruments when Neil said "One more," and everybody plugged back in for a raucous Powderfinger. The band then left but came back once more, letting us down easy with Roll Another Number. Then, with a wave of his guitar, Neil was gone.

A grand time was had by all, with Neil, Poncho and Billy frequently leaning into and on each other, EVERYBODY in the band was singing along, whether they were on mic or not, and the closeness and comfortableness of the band spread through the 10,000+ crowd for a great evening. Neil remarked:

"I like this place, it sounds good, and if I can remember how to get here, I'll be back."
We'll be waiting. Thanks for a great night to Crazy Neil and Young Horse.
randy holmes


Virginia Beach, August 15, 1996

review by Julio Syscrusher Laliberte

Ahhhhh My last show for this tour. <heavy sigh> I took my 14 year old daughter (her 1st Neil show) I told her, "Welcome to my religious experience" I'm pleased to say, she loved it.

We meet up with Cherry, Thrasher, Youngster, Shakey, Locator, Leo (from NH) and his buddy from Philly (sorry forgot your name) So, Rust was illustriously represented. I heard on the radio coming in that the Horse (minus Neil) did EKTIN and RITFW for the sound check with Poncho singing! I was really looking forward to EKTIN, but it wasn't to be... maybe on one of the shows coming up.

I wore my MORE BARN shirt for the first time at one of the shows, and surprise! It was the only one I saw... My daughter and I even walked all around the lawn looking for others to no avail. We found our 4th row seat (!!!) and checked out The Ben Folds 5. (We both enjoyed them) and the Gin Blossoms (we both yawned) During the GBs set the guy sitting next to me hurled... I admit, the Gin Blossoms made me queazy, but they weren't THAT bad!

I then had an idea... I got my daughter's ticket stub, went and found some Rusties and offered to take 2 of them to the 4th row (the seats weren't being used, and who else would enjoy them more than some Rust cats!) Shakey and Locator took me up on it. It wasn't long after everyone got situated that Neil and the Horse took the stage. Here are my observations...

HHMM
About 30 seconds into it, Poncho looked right at Locator and pointed to him with a big smile on his face (I think I saw Locator's feet come a couple of inches off the ground at that point!)

Pocahontas
No added lyric twists at the end, just like RNS (lyricly)

Big Time
The Horse was starting to crank it up! The more I hear this song, the more I like it.

Slip Away
Another big jam. Not quite as long as Stonedridge though!

TNATDD
HOG
Sugar Mtn.
Come on Neil!!! You could mix it up just a little!!!

Cinnamon Girl
Another crowd pleaser. Pretty smokin'. Compact, tight, and LOUD.

Fuckin' Up
My daughter LOVED this one! (I can't shelter her forever!)

Cortez The Killer
Tighter & smoother than Raleigh, or Stonedridge

Music Arcade
Little twist of the words... Instead of "You're listening to your radio" he sang, "Your talkin' on your telephone"

Like A Hurricane
THIS was the height of the show for me! My daughter said it was her 2nd favorite of the night. How Neil can play this song for what must be the 800th time, and put so much energy into it, astounds me.

Encore: Prisoners of Rock 'n Roll

After they started this, Neil kept motioning to Larry Cragg to a certain spot next to the drums, and Larry kept looking back doumbfounded. Finally, I read Neil's lips saying "My fucking harmonica!!!" and Larry hastily brought it out there. Neil gave him a kick in the ass on the way off stage. (He had a big grin on his face I might add!) So Neil picked up the harp and started to wail, but it sounded all wrong... I don't know if he was trying to play straight harp, or if he just picked up the wrong one. He went back and changed harps and started to play, but the momentum had been lost. Not nearly as good as Stonedridge.

Sedan Delivery
After they finished this song, my daughter looked at me and said, "That was the coolest thing I've ever heard!" On the ride home, she asked me what album it was from and when it came out. When I told her RNS '79, that floored her even more. She said it sounded like something that could have come out this year.

Powderfinger
Surprise!!! For the first time on the tour. Very tight... great vocals If I were Neil I would have ended with this one.

Roll Another Number
A great end to a great show.

I said my goodbyes to the other rusties in the parking lot with great regret, because I knew it would be awhile before I would see any of them again. (Raleigh in Nov.???) I reluctantly turned down the offer to go party/crash at Thasher's folks house (I had to go to work today!) and we hit the road. I had fun writting this... I hope someone's still around reading it besides me!

Hasta Luago!
Julio
<syscrusher>


Virginia Beach, August 15, 1996

review by Shakey and Locator
Rusties;

It is with extreeme pleasure that I report that Neil & The Horse once again took no prisoners -- but they sure played it. I give you now to Jack (photographic memory) Mullins for the official Va. Beach setlist.......... Shakey......?

(See first review above for setlist.)
Hi everyone... well, another well-played show. Not too exciting for me setlist-wise, but a great show. I orginally though I had 3rd row tix but found out there was an orchestra section before my section. :-(

Anyway, after talking with Locator and Cherry during Ben Folds Five and the Gin Blossoms' (sorry Jennie!) sets, Julio (syscrusher) came over and explained that the couple sitting next to him in the REAL fourth row had to leave due to, shall we say, overconsumption? So he offered them to us. Locator and I wound up in front next to Julio. We both say thanks again...you don't know how jazzed we are about that.

We really enjoyed the show, and I was glad to see it with Locator. It's the only way to fly! Poncho recognized him again, and it's going to his head...at this very moment he is singing about how Poncho pointed at him and how he got a pick that Neil used from Larry Cragg (to the tune of Cortez). And my name is in those lyrics, and it scares me :-)

Anyway we are off to play some tunes and if we play half as good as the boys did tonight, I'll be happy. Maybe something from this night will surface on the next tribute tape...as long as it isn't as ragged as On the Bed :-)

Shakey
Locator drones......

(to the tune of Cortez)
"He came pointing at me from Onstage;
Poncho, Poncho
He's my buddy......"

G'night Rusties. Last show of the tour for me but Cherry, Shakey, Youngster, Thrasher and Wesman are all heading to Camden tomorrow. It was a privilege to see 3 shows with these folks.......

Locator


Virginia Beach, August 15, 1996

review by Cherry
Hiya Rusties,

I've been busy and haven't posted comments on the shows I've seen (other than Stone(d) Ridge). I saw the Virginia Beach, Camden, Hershey HORDE and Star Lake (not really Pittsburgh) shows. Just a few quick comments because I have to go to work soon.

At Virginia Beach, I got threatened with arrest within twenty minutes of being on the grounds, for trying to sell my extra tickets. I was told I was not allowed to sell them on the premises or on the lot or on any other city property, and if money was observed changing hands, I would be arrested. I wouldn't have minded so much if the three white guys I saw also selling tickets had been hassled in any way. I watched them for a while, but the security guy NEVER said one word to them, though they were standing near me, holding up their extra tix.

Then some asshole guy offered to by my extras for $10, but I decided I'd rather lose $10 than chance getting arrested. So my seat cost me $105 bucks, but it was still a good show. I had a nice time with Locator and Julio and his lovely daughter, and with Jack, Mike and Thrasher, of course. And I greatly appreciated the hospitality of Thrasher's mom.

Needless to say, I will not venture back to that venue. No bathrooms outside, because they want you to go in immediately. Tons of cops outside. No cool place to hang out and rust before the show. NO MORE!

Cherry


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