Neil Young played the first of two co-headlining shows with Willie Nelson on Tuesday, September 22nd, at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Closing out a 12-song set, the 80-year-old rocker delivered a fiery rendition of “Rockin’ in the Free World,” punctuated by chants of “Take America Back!” and the ripping of several guitar strings. Watch footage of the badass moment below.
Earlier in the evening, Young joined the 93-year-old Nelson for a rare joint performance of their 1985 collaboration “Are There Any More Real Cowboys?” The duet came toward the end of Nelson’s 21-song set, during which he performed hits including “On the Road Again,” “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “Whiskey River,” and “Georgia on My Mind.”
Setlist and Performance
In his review, Friedman described Young’s set, backed by The Chrome Hearts, as mostly a “low key” acoustic performance. It featured the live debuts of “Comes a Time” and “Earth Girl” from his recently released 50th album, Second Song, alongside hits like “Heart of Gold” and “Harvest Moon.”
However, gears shifted with the two-song encore. Young began with 2006’s “Living with War” — the first performance of the critique of George W. Bush’s Iraq War since 2014 — and followed with “Rockin’ in the Free World.” See the full setlists for Young and Nelson’s performances below.
Upcoming Shows
The duo will play another co-headlining show at Philadelphia’s TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann tomorrow, September 24th. Both artists are also set to play Farm Aid 2026 on Saturday, September 26th, at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach.
Neil Young and Willie Nelson continue to entertain and inspire audiences with their unique blend of music and activism. With their upcoming shows, fans can expect more of the same energetic and thought-provoking performances that have come to define their careers.
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