He looked tired. Honestly, after the 2024 tour with Crazy Horse went up in smoke due to a mysterious illness that "hit a wall," nobody really knew if Neil Young would ever stomp on a fuzz pedal again. But then 2025 happened. He didn't just come back; he showed up with a brand new band, The Chrome Hearts, and a philosophy that basically flipped the bird to anyone expecting a "greatest hits" jukebox experience.
If you’ve been tracking neil young set lists 2025, you know the vibe changed the second he stepped onto that stage in Rättvik, Sweden, back in June. It wasn't the sludge-heavy, feedback-drenched marathon of the Horse. It was something... lighter? No, that's not the right word. It was more agile.
The Chrome Hearts Factor
Micah Nelson is a wizard. Between his work with Promise of the Real and now leading The Chrome Hearts, he has this telepathic connection with Neil that allows for the "long jams" Neil promised on the Archives site. Along with the legendary Spooner Oldham on the Farfisa, Corey McCormick, and Anthony LoGerfo, this lineup gave Neil the room to breathe.
In 2024, the sets were predictable—awesome, but predictable. You knew "Cortez" was coming. You knew "Cinnamon Girl" would roar. But in 2025, the neil young set lists 2025 became a playground for deep cuts that hadn't seen the light of day since the Bush administration.
Take "Sun Green" from Greendale. He hadn't touched that live since 2004. Then suddenly, there it is, anchoring the mid-set in Bergen, Norway. Or "Looking Forward," a CSNY relic from 1999 that hadn't been played in twenty-five years. People in the front row were literally checking their phones to make sure they were hearing what they thought they were hearing.
Breaking Down the neil young set lists 2025
The tour structure was split between a European summer run and a North American leg that hit some of his favorite sheds like Pine Knob and the Hollywood Bowl.
Early on, the sets were somewhat rigid. Sweden and Norway got a heavy dose of Greendale and American Stars 'n Bars. But by the time he hit Detroit in August, the wheels came off in the best way possible.
The Pine Knob Resurrection
At the August 13 show in Clarkston, Michigan, Neil did something wild. He opened with "Ambulance Blues." Think about that. A nine-minute, cynical folk masterpiece from On the Beach to start a rock show. It set a tone: I’m playing what I want. Later that night, he dusted off "The Loner." The crowd went absolutely feral. He followed it with "Southern Man" and "Ohio," leaning into the political "Summer of Democracy" theme he’d been preaching on the Archives.
Why the set lists kept shifting
Kinda like the weather in the Pacific Northwest, the 2025 sets were unpredictable. In Bend, Oregon, he dropped "Old Man." Yeah, his biggest song. Just tossed it. In its place? A rare electric version of "Cowgirl in the Sand" that clocked in near the twenty-minute mark.
One fan on Reddit mentioned that it seemed like Neil was "trying to find something" in those later shows. He wasn't just playing songs; he was searching for a feeling. He’s 80 years old now. He’s earned the right to skip "Heart of Gold" if he isn't feeling the spirit.
Interestingly, the new album Talkin’ To The Trees—released right as the tour started—was almost entirely ignored. Most artists use a tour to shill the new record. Neil? He played "Big Change" and "Let’s Roll Again" a handful of times, then went right back to the 1970s vault.
The Staples That Survived
Even with the chaos, a few songs acted as the North Star for the neil young set lists 2025.
- "Harvest Moon": This was the only song played at every single stop. Every one. It’s become his "Imagine," a moment of pure peace before he plugs back in and tries to blow the speakers out.
- "Be The Rain": This became the environmental anthem of the tour. With the stage decorated in "Love Earth" banners, this Greendale track felt more relevant in 2025 than it did twenty years ago.
- "Rockin' in the Free World": Usually the closer, though he occasionally swapped it for "Cortez the Killer" or a feedback-heavy "Like a Hurricane."
The "Body Told Me" Era
We have to talk about the health aspect. Neil was very open in his Zoom Q&As about why 2024 ended. He "hit a wall." He felt sick just thinking about the stage.
Because of that, the 2025 shows were shorter. No more 150-minute marathons. Most sets clocked in right at 90 to 100 minutes. He’s pacing himself. He told fans, "Health is #1," and you could see that in the way the tour was booked—more days off, fewer back-to-backs.
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How to track the remaining 2025/2026 dates
If you’re looking to catch the tail end of this or the newly announced 2026 European leg, the best place isn't Ticketmaster. It's the Neil Young Archives (NYA). He’s been using the "Timeline" feature to post set lists almost immediately after the shows.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Don't expect the hits: If you're going solely to hear "Old Man," you might be disappointed. Check recent shows on Sugar Mountain or Setlist.fm before you buy.
- Watch the opener: Neil’s mood for the night is usually telegraphed by the first three songs. If he starts acoustic, it’s going to be a "Harvest" kind of night. If he starts with "Ambulance Blues," buckle up.
- The Face Value Exchange: Neil is strict about ticket scalping. If you missed out, keep checking the official Ticketmaster Face Value Exchange. Tickets pop up at original prices because he won't let people flip them for profit.
The neil young set lists 2025 proved that the old man isn't ready to be a nostalgia act yet. He’s still digging, still changing the words to "Cortez" based on some old manuscript he found, and still making us wait twenty years for a deep cut. That’s why we keep going.
To stay ahead of the curve, make sure your Neil Young Archives subscription is active. That’s where the "Letters to the Editor" often leak the next run of shows before the press gets a whiff of it. If you’re planning on the 2026 UK/EU dates with Elvis Costello, those presale codes will hit the NYA app first. Check your notification settings now so you don't get stuck in the general sale nosebleeds.