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Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside Neil Young's tour - supermodels, Hollywood A-listers and games on rider
The Mirror goes behind the scenes of Neil Young's incredible BST Hyde Park show as we speak to tour insiders about the star's life on the road At 10.32pm on Friday night - two minutes after the strict curfew in London's Hyde Park had passed - Neil Young 's guitar finally fell silent. After a blistering encore of Rockin' in the Free World, with three false endings, festival bosses had no choice but to fade down the volume to zero. For a man who took on the BBC over its Glastonbury coverage and won, he had met his match when it came to Westminster Council's licensing laws. Not that the fans seemed to mind. To them, Neil's little act of defiance was the perfect ending to what has been billed as one of the all-time-great BST performances. 'You could tell he was just goading them into that, it was glorious,' said one. At 79-years-old, it would appear Neil is still very much a rule-breaker. In fact, the UK leg of his Love Earth world tour has been an exercise in doing things differently. Just ask both Emily and Michael Eavis. They were left poleaxed after Neil pulled out of Glastonbury earlier this year accusing it of being 'under corporate control'. He later reversed his decision but then took on the BBC and only allowed them to live-stream his set at the last minute. It's not available on iPlayer. Council red-tape aside, it was more plain sailing when it came to his second UK show in Hyde Park. For all his no-nonsense reputation, insiders say the opposite is true when you actually meet the Heart of Gold musician. Many backstage at BST were surprised by how 'incredibly down to earth and laidback he was ….with barely any entourage and just wife Daryl Hannah and a few family and friends.' One said: 'Neil made the effort to go around thanking everybody, particularly all the security staff who remarked how lovely he was afterwards.' Unlike other big A-list stars, it was very much a low-key affair with no fuss. Staff had laid on a table football table which 'went down well', as well as fridges loaded with Grolsch and Peroni. Front of house, it was a markedly different atmosphere with a guest list spanning fashion, music, film and sport all clamouring to watch him. 'It was almost like a pilgrimage….. Kate Moss, Owen Wilson, Dua Lipa, John McEnroe, Derek Chisora were all there,' says one insider. Supermodel Moss is a particularly enthusiastic fan of the godfather of grunge. But despite being side of stage for support act Van Morrison, she didn't have any such luck with Neil and watched from the crowd instead. For a man who is turning 80 this November, this may have been because of Covid protocols. All staff working around the headline area were asked to take a Covid test before entering. 'It was a precaution but an important one not least as his tour goes on for many months,' said one. But it would appear Neil still got to enjoy a taste of Britain. For a man who doesn't do many interviews, many of the glimpses into the Canadian's life comes from his website where he updates fans in his own inimitable style. In staccato, short sentences, he said how the morning after Hyde Park he 'went for a walk to the morning too breeze.' Of the show itself, he admitted: 'A lot of our family shared yesterday and the music was there for to see and feel everyone.' He then chronicled his trip to Paris via Eurostar, where he was set to play last night (Sunday) 'Beautiful english countryside rolls not see it til spring or summer to return soon... missed too many old friends,' he says. He added: 'Sitting at the ferry dock watching so many cars coming off the ferry, arriving cars and home wants to visit beautiful, open and friendly.' Being on Eurostar, he said, reminded him of 'playin' trains with nice to see him again soon.' Neil has previously told how he built an intricate miniature train set for him and his son Ben, who has severe cerebral palsy, to bond over. For many fans, the beauty of the tour so far has been in its unpredictability. He is known to chop and change his set-list around at the last minute keeping the audience - and his band the Chrome Hearts - on their toes. For a man whose back catalogue spans six decades including seminal albums Harvest, After the Gold Rust and Rust Never Sleeps, he is not short of material. And many believe this incarnation of the band has given Neil a new lease of life. Certainly on stage, it seems like he is having a whale of a time, while both his haunting voice - and guitarmanship - remain as strong as ever. Says an insider: 'The BST show was one of the best shows Neil had the new band seems to have galvanised him.' Of course, the singer is as famous for his activism as he is for his music. Just a few months ago he predicted that his outspoken attacks on Donald Trump could see him banned from entering the US for that leg of the tour. 'When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminium blanket,' he wrote. Even Neil's train trip to Paris at the weekend was not without reflection about the state of the world. After popping out the other end of the Channel Tunnel, he wrote: 'On the way I saw the respect for earth's beauty of advertising natural lands showing the beauty of Earth without disruption respect for earth a corporate $ checkbook. ...They care in sure looks like it. ......music tomorrow..' FIVE STAR REVIEW BY TOM BRYANT, ASSOCIATE EDITOR It would take some effort to eclipse what was a magical show on Worthy Farm two weeks ago. But as the sun set on W2, Neil Young did just that with a spell-binding performance for the ages. All the focus had been on the star's Glastonbury show in the build-up to his European tour. Not least the controversy over whether he would allow the BBC to screen his performance. But here in Hyde Park it was all about the music – and the 79-year-old rocker delivered with aplomb. There was no scrimping on a hits-packed set list including Old Man, Harvest Moon and the Needle and the Damage Done. There was even a rare outing for his 1970 tear-jerker After the Gold Rush which made its tour debut. Sat astride a piano, it was a moment of perfection and you could hear a pin drop in the hushed royal park. Otherwise, the godfather of grunge was at his rocking best, generating an inordinate amount of noise as they jammed into the night with a thrilling encore of Rockin' in the Free World. Until 10.32pm that is…
The Herald Scotland
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Awesome Neil Young caps a blisteringly hot day at Hyde Park
***** True to his belief that it's better to burn out than fade away, Neil Young broke Hyde Park's strict curfew on Friday night. The sound was shut off by the venue, which meant that though the band could be seen playing the closing moments of Rocking' in the Free World on the giant screens that bookend the Great Oak stage, not a note could be heard. This was a genuine powerhouse of a set by Young. Backed by the Chrome Hearts - Micah Nelson on guitar and vocals, Corey McCormick on bass and vocals, Anthony LoGerfo on drums and Spooner Oldham on Farfisa organ - he delivered a two-hour-long set that fused classic songs with newer material. Perhaps characteristically, he opted not to play anything from the band's recently-released studio album, Talkin' to the Trees. He opened with Ambulance Blues, a rarely-heard song from his 1974 album, On the Beach. Its caustic line, originally written about Richard Nixon - 'I never knew a man who could tell so many lies' - had relevance in 2025, given Young's loathing of Donald Trump. Young had previously pledged that his run of shows would shape a 'summer of democracy'. He strapped on his electric guitar for a lengthy, bewitching Cowgirl in the Sand, from his 1969 debut, his guitar lines weaving hypnotically with those of Nelson. Later songs ranged from Cinnamon Girl to a reliably rowdy F——— Up (prefaced by Young telling the audience, 'Sometimes we do things wrong, sometimes we do things right'). Southern Man was followed by Young, solo and acoustic, on Needle and the Damage Done, which Randy Newman, no less, has described as the Canadian's finest hour. Harvest Moon and the plaintive After the Goldrush were audience singalongs, Young underlining his green credentials by updating a line in the latter so that it became 'Look at Mother Nature on the run/in the twenty-first century' from the original's 'nineteen seventies'. Not for nothing does the current tour go under the banner of 'Love Earth'. Be the Rain sees Young complaining bitterly that 'corporate greed and chemicals are killing the land'. His passion, his willingness to speak out, remain undimmed. Long may he run. Throughout the set, it was on electrifying numbers such as Love to Burn, When You Dance, Hey Hey My My, Name of Love, Throw Your Hatred Down and Rockin' in the Free World that Young, Nelson and McCormick, clustered together in front of LoGerfo, achieve an intensity that recalled Young's old band, Crazy Horse, at its most compelling. The sledgehammer power of Rockin' in the Free World, its repeated false endings and Young's unmistakable lead-guitar work capped a punishingly hot afternoon at Hyde Park that also featured Van Morrison, the highlight of whose own set was an awesome Summertime in England, and a buoyant Yusuf/Cat Stevens, who played his song The Little Ones, originally written in response to the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in support of Palestine. Among the other support acts were Amble, a contemporary folk band from Ireland, who went down particularly well.
Edinburgh Live
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Legend Neil Young's Hyde Park concert 'cut off' as he breaks one strict rule
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Music chiefs were compelled to cut the power during Neil Young's Hyde Park performance as he exceeded his allotted time. The star was scheduled to wrap up at 10.20pm on Friday night, adhering to a strict 10.30pm curfew in the Royal park. However, the 79 year old was still energetically performing an extended version of 'Rockin' in the Free World' at 10.32pm, prompting festival bosses to intervene. An insider revealed: "Neil and his band were having a great time and would have kept on going. There were at least three false endings to the song before festival bosses decided enough was enough. Neil and the band looked a bit puzzled when the power was cut but they are strict about these things - especially as it's a royal park." Westminster Council enforces a 10.30pm finish as part of their licensing conditions. There were some jeers near the front when it became apparent that the power had been switched off. However, fans praised Friday night's show, stating: "It was one of the all-time great BST shows. Neil completely rocked out the place." Hyde Park has witnessed high-profile curfew breaches in the past - most notably for Bruce Springsteen in 2012, reports the Mirror. Sir Paul McCartney had joined Bruce and his E Street Band to perform Beatles classics 'I Saw Her Standing There' and 'Twist and Shout'. But as they prepared to start another song, their power was cut by the then-promoters of the Hard Rock Calling festival. BST is managed by a different team. Steve Van Zandt, the E Street Band's guitarist, expressed outrage at the "police state". Then-London Mayor Boris Johnson deemed it "an excessively efficacious decision". However, when Springsteen returned to Hyde Park in 2023, he poked fun at the incident. During a rendition of Glory Days, he quipped to the 65,000-strong crowd: "It's time to go home. I'm telling you, they are going to pull the f***ing plug again." It was previously reported by The Mirror that organisers had planned for Bruce's concert to start earlier, at 7pm, to avoid breaching the 10.30pm curfew. The strategy paid off, as the show concluded at 10pm. Young's BST performance came just two weeks after his headlining set on Glastonbury's Pyramid stage. BST HYDE PARK REVIEW BY TOM BRYANT. Following a magical performance at Worthy Farm two weeks prior, Neil Young surpassed expectations with a captivating show in Hyde Park. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the 79 year old rock legend delivered a hits-packed set list with ease, featuring classics like Old Man, Harvest Moon, and The Needle and the Damage Done. His 1970 hit, After the Gold Rush, made a rare appearance and marked its tour debut. Seated at the piano in the tranquil Royal park, it was a moment of sheer perfection that silenced the crowd. Apart from this, the grunge pioneer was at his peak, with his band creating an extraordinary amount of sound as they jammed into the night, culminating in a thrilling encore of Rockin' in the Free World. That is, until 10.32pm....
Daily Record
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Neil Young's Hyde Park show dramatically cut off as bosses pull the plug
The 79-year-old rocker was playing the gig in London Music executives had no choice but to pull the plug on Neil Young's Hyde Park gig as he was rocking out beyond his allotted time. The star was scheduled to wrap up at 10.20pm on Friday night, in line with a strict 10.30pm curfew enforced in the Royal park. However, the 79 year old was still belting out an extended rendition of Rockin' in the Free World at 10.32pm, prompting festival organisers to intervene. An insider revealed: "Neil and his band were having a great time and would have kept on going. There were at least three false endings to the song before festival bosses decided enough was enough. Neil and the band looked a bit puzzled when the power was cut but they are strict about these things - especially as it's a royal park." Westminster Council enforces a 10.30pm finish as part of their licensing conditions. There were some jeers from the crowd near the front when it became apparent that the power had been switched off. However, fans praised Friday night's performance, saying: "It was one of the all-time great BST shows. Neil completely rocked out the place." Hyde Park has seen high-profile curfew breaches in the past - most notably Bruce Springsteen in 2012, reports the Mirror. Sir Paul McCartney had joined Bruce and his E Street Band to perform Beatles classics I Saw Her Standing There and Twist and Shout. But as they prepared to start another song, their power was abruptly cut by the then-promoters of the Hard Rock Calling is managed by a different team. Steve Van Zandt, guitarist for the E Street Band, expressed his outrage at the "police state". Boris Johnson, who was Mayor of London at the time, described it as "an excessively efficacious decision". Bruce Springsteen saw the humorous side during his 2023 return to Hyde Park. While performing 'Glory Days' to a crowd of 65,000, he joked: "It's time to go home. I'm telling you, they are going to pull the f***ing plug again." The Mirror reported that to avoid breaching the 10.30pm curfew, Bruce's concert was scheduled to start at 7pm. The strategy by BST Hyde Park organisers was successful, with the concert concluding at 10pm. Neil Young's performance at his BST show occurred just a fortnight after his headline act on Glastonbury's Pyramid stage. BST Hyde Park review by Tom Bryant It would take some effort to eclipse what was a magical show on Worthy Farm two weeks ago. But as the sun set on W2, Neil Young did just that with a spell-binding performance for the ages. All the focus had been on Neil's Glastonbury show in the build up to his short European tour. Not least the controversy over whether he would allow the BBC to screen his Pyramid stage performance. But here in Hyde Park it was all about the music - and the 79-year-old rocker delivered with aplomb. There was no scrimping on a hits-packed set list including Old Man, Harvest Moon and the Needle and the Damage Done. There was even a rare outing for his 1970 hit After the Gold Rush which made its tour debut. Sat astride a piano, it was a moment of perfection and you could hear a pin drop in the hushed Royal park. Otherwise, the godfather of grunge was at his rocking best, his band generating an inordinate amount of noise as they jammed away into the night with a thrilling encore of Rockin' in the Free World. Until 10.32pm that is....
Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Neil Young Hyde Park show is dramatically cut off as bosses pull the plug
Rocker Neil Young breached the strict 10.30pm London Hyde Park curfew after an epic concert - forcing BST Hyde Park bosses to turn off his guitars Music bosses were forced to cut the power to Neil Young 's Hyde Park show as he was rocking out too much. The star was supposed to finish at 10.20pm on Friday night ahead of a strict 10.30pm curfew in the Royal park. But the 79-year-old was still going strong at 10.32pm with an extended version of Rockin' in the Free World forcing festival chiefs to to step in. One source said: 'Neil and his band were having a great time and would have kept on going. There were at least three false endings to the song before festival bosses decided enough was enough. Neil and the band looked a bit puzzled when the power was cut but they are strict about these things - especially as it's a royal park.' Westminster Council insists on a 10.30pm finish as part of their licensing conditions. There were some boos near the front when it emerged the power had been turned off. But fans said of Friday night's show: 'It was one of the all-time great BST shows. Neil completely rocked out the place.' Hyde Park has had high-profile curfew breaches before - most notably for Bruce Springsteen in 2012. Sir Paul McCartney had joined Bruce and his E Street Band to play Beatles classics I Saw Her Standing There and Twist and Shout. But as they got ready to launch into another number, their power was switched off by the then-promoters of the Hard Rock Calling festival. BST is run by a different team. Steve Van Zandt, the E Street Band's guitarist, vented his fury at the "police state". Then-Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said it was "an excessively efficacious decision". The Boss was back at Hyde Park in 2023 and could see the funny side. During a performance of Glory Days, he told the 65,000-strong audience: "It's time to go home. I'm telling you, they are going to pull the f***ing plug again." The Mirror revealed at the time how Bruce was scheduled to start his concert earlier at 7pm to ensure the 10.30pm curfew was not breached. The plan by BST Hyde Park bosses worked as the gig ended at 10pm. The performance by Young for his BST show comes just two weeks after his headline Glastonbury show on the Pyramid stage, BST HYDE PARK REVIEW BY TOM BRYANT It would take some effort to eclipse what was a magical show on Worthy Farm two weeks ago. But as the sun set on W2, Neil Young did just that with a spell-binding performance for the ages. All the focus had been on Neil's Glastonbury show in the build up to his short European tour. Not least the controversy over whether he would allow the BBC to screen his Pyramid stage performance. But here in Hyde Park it was all about the music - and the 79-year-old rocker delivered with aplomb. There was no scrimping on a hits-packed set list including Old Man, Harvest Moon and the Needle and the Damage Done. There was even a rare outing for his 1970 hit After the Gold Rush which made its tour debut. Sat astride a piano, it was a moment of perfection and you could hear a pin drop in the hushed Royal park. Otherwise, the godfather of grunge was at his rocking best, his band generating an inordinate amount of noise as they jammed away into the night with a thrilling encore of Rockin' in the Free World. Until 10.32pm that is….
