I'd like to share my memory of seeing Neil at the New York City Palladium, November 18, 1976. I had already seen him earlier in the year on July 11 with the Stills-Young Band at Colt Park, Hartford, Connecticut. I took photos and taped the Palladium show, so I had the chance to hear Give Me Strength over and over, learning it on guitar and harmonica. But I always thought Swett Road was swept road.

I had seen Neil twice in 1973 – at Madison Square Garden, NYC, for the Time Fades Away tour in January, and then the Queens College Early Show with the Santa Monica Flyers in November (the first show I ever taped). I then saw him with CSNY in 1974 at Roosevelt Stadium in New Jersey and Roosevelt Raceway on Long Island. I had owned early bootlegs of him which were subsequently released as “Official Bootlegs,” and thought I would tape this show for my personal use.

Of course, it was difficult to time the turning of the tape over at 45 minutes and I foolishly only brought one cassette, so I missed taping the end of the show. I wanted to document the evening as best I could, so I took a photo outside the Palladium and then at the show itself, one of Neil solo for his acoustic set with the interesting fadeouts, and then with Crazy Horse, whom I was seeing him perform with for the first time. Some photos came out well and some, well, nothing’s perfect.

It was a fantastic evening with trunks of memories still to come since I had pictures and sound. The acoustic set was sublime and seemed so intimate with Neil’s emotional vulnerability showing through. The electric set was ear-shattering joy. I left the show more in awe of his talents than I had coming in. There were the old familiar songs and then new ones that were not released for thirteen more years for Too Far Gone, fourteen years for Country Home, and forty-one years for Give Me Strength. Even Like A Hurricane and Lotta Love were a year or two from official release.

I’m grateful to have lived through Neil’s long, illustrious career. I do have Neil’s autograph, but it was written to my nephew, as my sister saw Neil at an airport in San Francisco. My nephew was kind enough to pass it on to me.

(left) The Palladium, New York City, November 18, 1976
(right) Neil Young’s autograph signed “to Jordan,” Andrew Jarmus’ nephew.

Neil with Crazy Horse (Ralph Molina, Billy Talbot, Neil and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro), at the Palladium, NYC, November 18, 1976. Photo by Andrew Jarmus.

Neil Young at the Palladium, New York City, November 18, 1976. Photos by Andrew Jarmus

Andrew Jarmus