Singers and songwriters are really given the opportunity to shine when their music is stripped down to its bare minimum: no drums, no bass, no backup vocals. Such add-ons can block the connection between the audience and the message.
With this type of personal setting, the audience has the chance to get to know the musician in a way that can't be achieved at some pyrotechnically infused rock show. For these listeners, Neil Young's "Live at Massey Hall 1971" provides that rare window of understanding between a performer and his fans that shows depth beyond the music.
The goal of a solo performance is to be as intimate with the audience as possible. In between songs, Young offers jokes, anecdotes, and secrets in between songs that can in some cases be even more intriguing than the music.
"I'm gonna sing mostly new songs tonight," Neil Young tells the Massey Hall audience. "I've written so many new ones that I can't think of anything else to do with them other than sing 'em."
Amusingly, these "new" songs are some of Neil Young's most celebrated classics. The idea that "Old Man" is being played to virgin ears must make those dedicated followers crack a smile. Although they might be new to the audience, it's clear from the raucous reception after each song that those in attendance know brilliance when they hear it.
The noble and historic Massy Hall echoed Young's talent the whole way through. The venue is considered the Fillmore East of Canada, and Young used the pitch-perfect center to his advantage.
As a native Canadian, Young pays respect to his homeland in many of his songs such as "Helpless," making the Toronto crowd go wild.
Without a backing band, the singer/songwriter is essentially naked for all the audience to see. Luckily, this isn't a bad thing. After all, it's not just the music the audience is there to see, but also a showman at the top of his game.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
