Just two days after their Farm Aid debut, Neil Young joined forces with his newly formed backing band, The Chrome Hearts, for a headlining performance at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. The 14-song set seamlessly wove hushed, acoustic gems like “Comes a Time” and “Journey Through the Past” with high-voltage, Crazy Horse–style rockers such as “Big Time,” “Powderfinger,” and “I’m the Ocean,” each stretched out into thrilling jams that had the crowd hooked from start to finish.
The undeniable highlight of the evening was an epic, 13-minute rendition of “Down by the River,” featuring an electrifying guitar duel between Young and Micah Nelson that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Rounding out the band were organ legend Spooner Oldham, drummer Anthony LoGerfo, and bassist Corey McCormick—seasoned pros who never missed a beat, even when Young abruptly yanked the wires from his malfunctioning lyric teleprompter in a moment of frustration during the opening number.
Half of the set drew from Young’s romantic Harvest Moon era, spotlighting “From Hank to Hendrix,” “Harvest Moon,” “Unknown Legend,” and “One of These Days.” A stage chart hinted at even more deep cuts—“Natural Beauty,” “Old King,” and “War of Man”—meaning The Chrome Hearts have already mastered seven out of ten tracks from that cherished 1992 album. Young hasn’t explained the renewed focus on Harvest Moon, but he’s currently combing through the vaults as he readies the fourth installment of his archival box set.
Standout performer of the night was Micah Nelson, who impressively mastered Ben Keith’s signature pedal-steel parts on his Telecaster—a skill he honed specifically for last year’s Roxy shows in L.A. His playing filled the enormous shoes left by Keith, adding a haunting shimmer to the Harvest Moon material and locking into telepathic guitar exchanges with Young whenever “Old Black” roared to life.
Spooner Oldham lent each song a tasteful organ underpinning, drawing on decades of musical camaraderie with Young, while LoGerfo’s steady grooves and McCormick’s solid low end kept the entire performance anchored. Together, they proved themselves a dynamic, adaptable unit—even though this exact lineup had never shared a stage before.
This September outing wasn’t part of Young’s original plans—he had intended to appear at Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville and later headline the Hollywood Bowl and Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival. However, an unspecified illness within Crazy Horse forced him to cancel the rest of that tour. Whether Young will reconvene with Crazy Horse—or continue with The Chrome Hearts—remains uncertain.
The Chrome Hearts were born of necessity for Farm Aid and are already slated for the upcoming Painted Turtle benefit on October 5. With Crazy Horse veterans Ralph Molina and Billy Talbot both turning 80, it’s unlikely we’ll see another iteration of that band. But if Young needs a rock-solid backing ensemble for years to come, The Chrome Hearts have more than proven they’re the next best thing. Here’s to hoping they’ll stick around for the long haul.