On Monday, August 25, Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts brought the Love Earth Tour to an almost sold out crowd at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

The show marked Young’s fourth return to the site of the original Woodstock Festival, where he first performed as part of the folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1969. At almost 80 years old, Young is backed by a newly assembled band, The Chrome Hearts. The band is made up largely of former members of Lukas Nelson’s Promise of the Real, which recently disbanded. Legendary studio organist, Spooner Oldham also joins the new lineup.

The evening opened with Reverend Billy and His Stop Shopping Choir, a surprise to much of the audience as no opener was advertised. Reverend Billy, a satirical preacher, delivered his message of loving the Earth through sermon and song. While not the conventional choice for an opener, the Reverend and his Choir set an energized tone for the rest of the night.

Young and The Chrome Hearts took the stage shortly after 8:30. Following a wave from Young, the band opened with “Ambulance Blues” off of 1974’s On the Beach. With a discography spanning nearly six decades, the band hit every corner of Young’s career. Including songs from his Buffalo Springfield and CSNY days. “Mr. Soul” and “Southern Man” especially showcased the band’s ability to take on songs that are long embedded in the audience’s collective memory.

The night closed with an encore of “Rockin’ in the Free World,” as Young dragged his guitar across the stage for a little extra feedback, ending the evening in true Neil Young fashion. The Love Earth Tour continues through the U.S before ending in Los Angeles on September 15.

Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts – Bethel Woods Center For The Arts – Monday, August 25

Setlist: Ambulance Blues, Cowgirl In The Sand, Be The Rain, Southern Man, Ohio, Long Walk Home, Looking Forward, One Of These Days, Harvest Moon, Singer Without A Song, Mr.Soul, Sun Green, Like A Hurricane, Name Of Love, Old Man

Encore: Roll Another Number (For The Road), Rockin’ In The Free World