If there's anyone's Wikipedia page that you could spend all day sifting through, it's Neil Young's. The folk rock legend's musical background is as gripping as the songs he crafts, an impressive trajectory that has defined an entire genre. To celebrate the beautifully varied discography that he's blessed us with over the years, Best Fest orchestrated a two-night, multi-city celebration in his honor. Taking place back-to-back in Austin and Dallas, the events enlisted the help of artists across the board including Norah Jones, Shakey Graves, Boz Scaggs, Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards, and Alison Mosshart of The Kills.
We got to check out the first extravaganza on February 18th at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, where the multi-instrumentalist's songs were covered and revamped to the nines. Between Matthew Logan Vasquez's (Delta Spirit) rendition of "Harvest Moon" and Shakey Graves, Nikki Lane, and Robert Ellis' take on "Heart of Gold", this night was out-of-control amazing. The best part? Norah Jones sang back-up vocals all. night. long.
Proceeds from the ticket sales went to the Refuge Foundation for the Arts, a non-profit organization supporting the creation of music and art. With a cause we can get behind and a roster for the books, this evening was high-point for 2017 thus far. Check out our photos from the show, and make sure to Track the artists on Bandsintown so you don't miss them in your city!
Concert notes by Ryan Vestil