Watch Ryan Adams, Norah Jones Cover ‘Old Man’ at Neil Fest
Neil Fest swept into New York’s Bowery Ballroom Sunday night, the first of two all-star performances dedicated to Neil Young‘s music. This year’s fest featured artists like Black Keys‘ Patrick Carney, Kim Gordon‘s Body/Head, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner, Jakob Dylan, Ryan Adams and Norah Jones, with the latter two singers teaming for a soulful rendition of Young’s “Old Man.”
Valerie June, Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon (who performed “Rockin’ in the Free World”), Butch Walker, Ruby Amanfu, Elvis Perkins, Charles Bradley, Michelle Branch and more were also on hand for Neil Fest. The annual get-together is organized by the Best Fest, the makers of the similarly New York-based tribute shows like Dylan Fest, Petty Fest and Stones Fest. Proceeds from Neil Fest, which will also take place at the Bowery Ballroom Monday night, will benefit Sweet Relief.
Adams, wearing a Samhain shirt, also put his alt-country sound on a laidback version of “Cinnamon Girl,” with Jones providing backup vocals on the Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere classic; Adams even gussied up the song’s famed one-note guitar solo. Among the other performances, Jakob Dylan served up “Southern Man” and “Ohio,” and the evening wrapped up with all the Neil Fest participants gathering onstage for a cover of “Helpless.”
However, even more fireworks came after Neil Fest, as Carney later accused Jack White of “bullying” and picking a fight with him while at a New York bar after the show.