Last night, Kevin and I were fortunate enough to experience a living legend: the phenomenal Neil Young at the Durham (NC) Performing Arts Center.

I know you’re thinking that sounds like overkill. But trust me; if you’d been there, you’d just nod in agreement.

I’d never seen Neil in concert before, but I’ve loved his music for years and have heard and read so many different stories about his performances that I really didn’t know what to expect.

He started out on acoustic. After receiving a standing ovation for simply stepping onstage, he launched into a version of “My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)” that brought me to tears. Seriously. From the first strums of his guitar I was so choked up I had to grab a tissue.

Then, “Tell Me Why” and “Helpless.” Sweet! His voice was as crystal clear as ever.

Kevin: “That dude sings from a place most people have never visited.”

He moved to his black Les Paul and then to his white hollow-body Gretsch. And then, he was on upright piano and organ and back to Gibson and to the baby grand and back to acoustic. His classic dissonance and refined distortion. (His latest album is called Le Noise, after all. ;))

Neil seemed to swirl through his various musical personas, a big wooden Indian and on-and-off guitar techs his only companions onstage, all before an almost psychedelic set of four stage-height lighted window panes that altered and mixed colors based on the mood of the songs.

We could have stayed there all night listening to him perform his catalog … and it would’ve taken at least that long, as prolific as he is. I really wish I could’ve heard “Old Man” and “Heart of Gold,” especially, but he did play a whole lot of his classics, including a scalding version of “Cortez the Killer,” and all things must past…

On the way back to the parking garage, we stopped at his tour bus (above) to see whether he’d be coming around to sign autographs or speak. One of his tour guys allowed a handicapped young man to enter the bus door area, and Neil came down to meet with him. (Aww! We all applauded.)

We headed around the corner, and there he was! Tired, yes, but still smiling. And such kind eyes. :)

The picture’s terribly blurry, but given the lighting situation, the constant movement, and the other people moving about, it was the best I could do.

This is what I posted on Facebook late last night:

He was amazing!! It was just him and guitars and pianos and organ and harmonica and lights and feedback play … and sweet, sweet vocals … and vibrancy of all kinds.

I thought 20th row back was close to his genius. And then he was one foot away. I didn’t get to shake his hand, but he looked right at us when he waved goodnight, before he pulled himself up the stairs of his bus.

p.s. Thanks to the guy who gave us the picture out by the bus! So glad you got your print signed and thanks for letting me know I wasn’t the only one who cried through half the show. :)

UPDATE: Thrasher’s Wheat has a setlist, pictures, and info on the DPAC show and Twisted Road tour it opened.

UPDATE: After I tweeted about his picture from the Thrasher’s Wheat post, DanSchram tweeted me a link to the video of the DPAC show he’d uploaded to YouTube:

UPDATE: DrHGuy of Heck of a Guy excerpted this post at his site with a very nice intro. He also posted a link to a bootleg of this show!