While We’re Young

At this point, do we really need to talk about Neil Young’s music?

The musician, author and all-around pain-in-the-establishment’s-ass has a back catalog that qualifies his craggy mug to be carved into the Mount Rushmore of American music.

So if you’re wondering what Young’s 2015 release, The Monsanto Years, sounds like: It’s a little folk, it’s a little rock, it’s a little country-folk-rock and it’s altogether louder and more rockin’ than one might expect from a musician of Neil’s vintage.

And of course, along with all that, there’s the voice — a voice as distinctive as a Van Gogh brushstroke, a voice that’s an acquired taste, like a biting agave tequila. But really, what else do we expect from the godfather of grunge?

The Monsanto Years is (no surprise) a collection of tunes that are equal parts protest music and Neil standing on the street corner, ranting to strangers about GMOs and the reviled food mega-corp, Monsanto.

Not that GMOs aren’t a worthy topic to rant about, and you have to give Young credit for having the I’m-Neil-Young-I-do-want-I-want cojones to make a record with couplets like this from the anti-Starbucks screed “A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop”: “I want a cuppa coffee, but I don’t want a GMO.”

After all this time, there’s an undeniable, infectious and admirable joy conveyed through the music Young makes. And the prospect of seeing him, backed up by Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, is one not to be missed.

Reverend Billy and The Stop Shopping Choir join Neil Young and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real 7:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 8, at Matthew Knight Arena; $59.50-$125. All ages.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!