Neil Young returned to the road for the first time since 2019 on Thursday, kicking off his mostly acoustic, train-themed West Coast solo tour at the intimate, 1,200-capacity Ford Theatre in Los Angeles.

Before Thursday, Young had performed live just three times since Farm Aid in 2019, taking protestors by surprise when he appeared at the “United For Old Growth Rally” in Victoria, BC in February, joining his former Buffalo Springfield bandmate Stephen Stills at the guitarist’s Light Up The Blues benefit for autism in April, and making a brief appearance as part of the star-studded Willie Nelson 90th birthday concert at the Hollywood Bowl the following week. He also played a series of Fireside Sessions livestreams from his cabin in the Colorado mountains during quarantine with his wife Daryl Hannah behind the camera, but Thursday was his first ticketed, headlining concert since pre-COVID.

The underplay at the Ford Theatre took place just down the road from Hollywood Bowl, where Louis Tomlinson was performing. The roar of the crowd could sometimes be heard, serving as a reminder of how lucky the audience was to see the folk-rock legend and Godfather of Grunge at such an intimate venue, when he too could play the Bowl if he so chose.

As promised, the intimate tour opener featured plenty of deep cuts, including the first “I’m the Ocean” since 1997 with Crazy Horse to open the show, the first “If You Got Love” since 1986, “Song X” from Young’s 1995 collaboration with Pearl Jam, Mirror Ball, and the live debuts of “A Dream That Can Last”, “Don’t Forget Love”, and “Love Earth”. Young played both acoustic and electric guitar and both upright and grand piano.

He had suggested that he would avoid playing his biggest hits, stating, “I’d rather be doing these other songs I haven’t done…I won’t have to compare how I’m doing ‘Heart of Gold’ to [how I played it in] 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020…” However, he did in fact play “Heart of Gold”—as the set closer, no less—as well as “Ohio”.

Young returned to the Ford Theatre on Friday and played a nearly identical setlist, with “Throw Your Hatred Down” and “Mr. Soul” replacing “Song X” and “Mother Earth”, respectively. Below, check out a playlist of fan-shot videos from both shows using the playlist icon in the top right corner to navigate songs.

Neil Young has two more shows at the venue tonight, Monday, July 3rd and tomorrow, Wednesday, July 5th. For a full list of upcoming shows and ticketing details, visit his website.

[Videos: Todd Norris]

Young recently announced the upcoming release of his lost album Chrome Dreams, which was originally due to release in 1977. Featuring studio recordings from 1974–1976, including two previously unreleased versions and four tracks that were released, the album will be available as a three-sided LP with an etching on side four on August 11th via Reprise.

Scroll down to listen to the Chrome Dreams version of “Sedan Delivery” and view the album cover and tracklist.

Setlist: Neil Young | John Anson Ford Amphitheatre | Los Angeles, CA | 6/30/23

Set: I’m the Ocean, Homefires, Burned (Buffalo Springfield song), On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield song), If You Got Love, My Heart (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), A Dream That Can Last (Neil Young & Crazy Horse) (Live debut), Song X (First time since 1995 with Pearl Jam), Prime of Life (Neil Young & Crazy Horse) (First time since 1994 with Crazy Horse), When I Hold You in My Arms (First time since 2001 with Crazy Horse), Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song), Days That Used to Be (Neil Young & Crazy Horse) (First time since 2014 with Crazy Horse), Don’t Forget Love (Neil Young & Crazy Horse) (Live debut), Heart of Gold

Encore: Love Earth (Neil Young & Crazy Horse) (Live debut), Four Strong Winds (Ian & Sylvia)

Setlist: Neil Young | John Anson Ford Amphitheatre | Los Angeles, CA | 7/1/23

Set: I’m the Ocean, Homefires, Burned (Buffalo Springfield song), On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield song), If You Got Love, A Dream That Can Last (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), My Heart (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), Throw Your Hatred Down, Prime of Life (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), When I Hold You in My Arms, Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield song), Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song), Days That Used to Be (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), Don’t Forget Love (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), Heart of Gold

Encore: Love Earth (Neil Young & Crazy Horse), Four Strong Winds (Ian & Sylvia)

Neil Young – “Sedan Delivery” (Chrome Dreams Version)

Chrome Dreams Track List and Recording Dates:

1. Pocahontas (August 11, 1976)
2. Will to Love (December 3, 1976
3. Star of Bethlehem (December 13, 1974
4. Like a Hurricane (November 29, 1975
5.Too Far Gone (September 5, 1975)
6. Hold Back the tears (February 6, 1977)
7. Homegrown (November 19, 1975)
8. Captain Kennedy (August 11, 1976)
9. Stringman (March 31, 1976)
10. Sedan Delivery (May 22, 1975)
11. Powderfinger (August 11, 1976)
12. Look Out for My Love (January 20, 1976)