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VANCOUVER — An all-star cast featuring Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Iron and Wine, Joan as Police Woman, Colin James and members of Broken Social Scene and Metric gathered to pay homage to Canadian rock icon Neil Young at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Thursday night.
Under the supervision of artistic director Hal Willner (famous for his work on Saturday Night Live), the Neil Young Project offered classic upon classic to an enthusiastic sold-out crowd.
You could tell this was meant to be something special: the stage, draped in white, filled with too many instruments to count, and the audience buzzing about the show's incredible lineup.
(Warning: If you're planning to attend the Friday night show, there are many, many spoilers past this point.)
Star attractions Costello and Reed singing Young's "Love in Mind" and a rousing rendition of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's "Helpless" fairly early on certainly stood out.
But gripping moments also came from the likes of Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek, who dug up a poignant "Albuquerque" (from Tonight's the Night) and "Powderfinger" (from Rust Never Sleeps). Outstanding.
Ron Sexsmith provided a quivery "New Mama" and Brendan Canning had the honour of tackling a sweet, flute-tinged "Harvest Moon."
Backed by the core of Broken Social Scene's cast and a rotating team of strings, horns and keys, the Project took on a multitude of shapes and contrasting moods.
Interestingly, the show seemed to work especially well when it went completely off the wall: spoken word artist Eric Mingus's reinterpretation of "For the Turnstiles," which went from strange, clap-along beat poetry to full-blown, apocalyptic wall of noise, Metric's Emily Haines and James Shaw delivering "A Man Needs a Maid" with piano and chimes, and Joan as Police Woman sending electric violin bolts through the audience on "On the Beach." Wow.
Other brilliant moments: "Expecting to Fly," "Needle & The Damage Done," Teddy Thompson's "I Believe In You" and Elizabeth Powell's crowd-jolting "Don't Let It Bring You Down."
Costello would eventually return for some mighty fine rocking with "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Cinnamon Girl" in the second act, and Reed would also come back for a killer "Fuckin' Up" with Costello and legendary bluesman James "Blood" Ulmer, decibels pushed as high as they would go.
Topping it off, a sing-along version of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" that had the audience swaying from side to side.
It wasn't always pitch-perfect, but that probably wasn't the point. When dealing with Young's material it's probably a pro more than a con — you need some real, honest grit to make it feel right, and there was plenty on Thursday night.
Considering the sheer magnitude of the undertaking and the absolute brilliance of the man's work, one couldn't help but be amazed by the whole thing.
The Neil Young Project hits the Queen E stage once more on Friday night.
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