Neil Young isn’t just back—he’s charging at the world like a hurricane with a harmonica. At 79, the godfather of grunge-folk has announced his sprawling Love Earth world tour, a crusade that’s equal parts rock revival, farm-fresh feast, and middle finger to ticket scalpers. Kicking off in Sweden this June before barnstorming across North America this summer, Young and his band the Chrome Hearts are ready to howl old anthems and fresh cuts (including last year’s lowercase whisper “big change”) in service of the planet. Because if there’s one thing Young’s six-decade career has taught us, it’s that he’ll never stop raging—or rambling—against the dying of the light.
The Chrome Hearts, Young’s latest crew, are a squad of soulful lifers and next-gen firebrands. Alongside organ wizard Spooner Oldham (a veteran of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere\-era sessions), the band includes Willie Nelson’s son Micah Nelson on guitar, plus bassist Corey McCormick and drummer Anthony LoGerfo. Together, they’ll tackle what Young’s camp vaguely bills as “music and songs, new and old”—which, given Young’s bottomless catalog, could mean anything from On the Beach deep cuts to Ragged Glory ragers.
But this isn’t just another victory lap. The Love Earth tour doubles as a manifesto. Partnering with Farm Aid—the organization Young co-founded in 1985—venues will serve up HOMEGROWN Concessions: sustainable, family-farm-sourced eats on compostable plates. Even the ticket policy is a statement. To thwart scalpers, resales will be locked at face value via Ticketmaster’s exchange (except in states and provinces where, alas, capitalism still reigns). It’s classic Neil: turning a rock show into a radical act of community.
The tour also marks Young’s latest comeback. After pandemic silence, he stormed back in 2023 with Crazy Horse, only to abruptly cancel dates mid-run due to murky health woes. But Young being Young, he pivoted fast, playing low-key Chrome Hearts gigs last fall. Now, he’s reviving the Horse’s scrapped itinerary—same sheds, same summer, new mission. From Detroit’s Pine Knob to the holy-grail Hollywood Bowl finale, these shows promise the shaggy thunder only Young can conjure.
Tickets hit presale for Neil Young Archives members on February 25, with general sales starting February 28. And true to form, Young’s announcement reads less like a promo and more like a rallying cry: Come for the music, stay for the revolution.
So grab a veggie dog, hug a stranger, and let Neil remind us all how to keep rocking in a free world—while we still can.
LOVE EARTH TOUR DATES
June 18 – September 15, 2024
Highlights: Hollywood Bowl (LA), The Gorge (WA), Budweiser Stage (Toronto), and the ghost of Woodstock at Bethel, NY. Full dates at neilyoungarchives.com.
