Throat infection gripped me in Hong Kong and drowned me out on Neil Young night. I couldn't raise my voice above a whisper without it hurting. I went under the sonic blast, a carnage of beautiful noise let ripped by Young and the Crazy Horse. I let it wash over me, died and lifted me to heaven.

In all they played 15 songs, as follow:
1. Love To Burn (Ragged Glory 1990)
2. When You Dance You Can Really Love (After The Goldrush 1970)
3. The Loner (Neil Young 1969)
4. Fuckin' Up (Ragged Glory 1990)
5. Hey Hey My My Into The Black (Rust Never Sleeps 1979)
6. Love And Only Love (Ragged Glory 1990)
(solo acoustic)
7. Needle And The Damage Done (Harvest 1972)
8. Heart Of Gold (Harvest 1972)
9. Harvest Moon (Harvest Moon 1992)
10. Sugar Mountain (Live Rust 1979)
(crazy horse returns)
11. Like A Hurricane (American Stars 'N Bars 1977)
12. Sedan Delivery (Rust Never Sleeps 1979)
13. Powderfinger (Rust Never Sleeps 1979)
(encore)
14. Be The Rain (Greendale 2003)
15. Rockin' In The Free World (Freedom 1989)
Young started just before 10pm and bow out to a grateful 4 or 5,000 at midnight. Nazir and I took the wonderful MTR back to Nathan Road. Still hyped by the visceral experience, we had a couple of tsingtaos (paul, its just under S$4 there) at some Temple Street outdoor hawker place to wet the nerves. Nazir had his dinner while I plugged into my MD.

I always thought that after watching Young, that would be it... like I don't need to see another gig any more. I was wrong. Now I want more. More so than ever, I want to see him again. To feel that rush. In the meantime I have to contend with this (which will be here for a limited period only).

Daryl nearly didn't make it but he did (and posted his report). Day after Young, we went rock band teeshirt hunting

and found the shop in this nondescript building. They have a wide selection of Nick Cave, The Smiths, Cure, Bowie, etc. I kept my discipline and settled for a Kraftwerk tee. Daryl got a Smiths'. If anyone going HK, its worth checking out. Here's the address. Get off at TIN HAU MTR Station at Exit A1, cross the road to APPLE MALL, 14 Kings Road. Shop unit 85, 1/F. Tel number: 25667707.
Daryl was the one who alerted me to Young playing HK. But bless Soh Chin too.

I believe in the inexplicable crisscrossing of events that lead from one thing to another. Before the show, we were stuck with tickets that afford us only ant-sized view. So we stood by the barrier hoping somehow the security stewards would turn their heads away for us to hop over. Of course that didn't happen. Friendly Soch started talking to a French couple next to us, agreeing about how empty the front area was and how they should let people over to fill it up. After a while, the French couple scooted off. Then from afar we saw the Stewards letting them through. We tried our luck, walk over and plead to the Stewards who flatly turn us away. Slightly disconsolate it was back to the barriers, Row ZZY, Seat number 9999. A few minutes later, the French guy came out looking for us, "I got 2 free tickets... so here's the trick...." Hence, bless Soch!

Except for Kowloon Park and that afternoon with Jeanne at the Peak Cafe 3 years ago, I was never much a fan of Hong Kong. This time it felt different. I met a few old friends, Caroline and Wee Lin. And Hongkongers seems "better" each time I been there. Maybe its the aircon weather. Maybe its economical Maxim's. Nah... It's definitely the fine company with me that made the difference. And of course there was Neil.

Today is his birthday. Have a good 58th Neil.

I adore Neil Young's works and he has always been the one I want to see. In 1999 I was on a 5 weeks west coast USA trip and was staying at Noel's place in Eugene, Oregon for a while. A week after returning to Singapore, Young played a last minute show in Eugene at the city center which is about 3 minutes walk away from Noel's. Bang balls...

A few weeks ago, Daryl smsed me "Young playing in HK November 6th". After a flurry of phonecalls and checks on the internet, it was confirmed he's booked for HK. Unless something inexplicable happens, like a hurricane I am bound for Hong Kong on 6th November.

On that US trip I was in Seattle and chanced upon a Violent Femmes show. Eliiot Smith was playing a few days later but I didn't like Seattle and so very much wanted to leave by the second day. Maybe I should have gone back to see Smith. It's too late now.

Observatory played Bar None last month and paid a lovely tribute to another who passed on a long time ago. Here's Nick Drake's Joey.