Neil Young Plays First 2026 Show in Bridgeport Before Farm Aid

Neil Young opened his two-date warm-up run with Willie Nelson in Bridgeport on September 22, marking his return to the stage after months of low public activity. The show served as preparation for Farm Aid on September 26, and Young closed the night in an unusual reversal of the typical billing order.

Performing with the Chrome Hearts, Young kept the set largely unplugged, shifting from his recent 2025 tour’s electric jams to gentler versions of “Long May You Run,” “Human Highway,” and “Comes a Time.” He played two live debuts: “Casting Me Away From You,” written and recorded in 1965 for his new LP Second Song, and “Earth Girl,” the album’s tribute to Daryl Hannah. Before the first, Young joked, “Well, these songs, some of them are old, and some of them are older. But this is the oldest one.”

Earlier, Nelson invited Young onstage for their 1985 duet “Are There Any More Real Cowboys?” after a set that included “On the Road Again” and “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.” Young also reached for Harvest material, playing “Old Man” and “Heart of Gold” to bring back the audience’s focus.

The Bridgeport show suggests Young is still looking backward and forward at once — moving through familiar songs while testing material from Second Song in a live setting.