Back in April, Neil Young revealed that he was helping to prepare for release a rare recording of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing at the historic New York City venue the Fillmore East in September 1969. Now, full details about the concert album have been unveiled.
Live at the Fillmore East, 1969 is a 17-song collection that will be released on October 25. The album, which can be pre-ordered now, will be available on CD, as a two-LP set, and via digital formats and streaming services. A limited-edition clear-vinyl version of the double-disc package will be sold exclusively at select retailers.
Videos by American Songwriter
A performance of the classic Crosby, Stills & Nash song “Helplessly Hoping” from the show has been made available as an advance digital track.
The album features a recently discovered multi-track recording of CSNY performing at the Fillmore East on September 20, 1969. The concert featured the band playing an acoustic set followed by an electric set.
The quartet of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Young were accompanied by drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Greg Reeves. The show took place about a month after CSNY’s historic performance at the Woodstock festival and was among the first 20 gigs the group ever played.
The album was mixed by Stills and Young, along with producer Jon Hanlon.
More About CSNY’s September 20, 1969, Concert
The concert featured renditions of six songs from Crosby, Stills & Nash’s 1969 self-titled debut, and three songs that would appear on CSNY’s first album, Déjà Vu, which wasn’t released until March 1970.
Among the latter tunes is a version of Nash’s ballad “Our House,” which he performed solo while playing the organ.
The show also included renditions of two songs by Stills and Young’s previous band, Buffalo Springfield— “On the Way Home” and “Bluebird Revisited.” Neil’s burgeoning solo career also was represented with performances of “I’ve Loved Her So Long” and “Down by the River.”
In addition, CSNY delivered a cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” and the rarity “Sea of Madness.” The quartet closed out the concert with a rendition of “Find the Cost of Freedom,” a studio version of which was later released as the B-side of CSNY’s 1970 protest single “Ohio.”
Comments from Young, Nash, and Stills About CSNY and the Show
Young reflected on CSNY’s early heyday in a statement.
“For me, CSNY was chance to reunite with Steve Stills and carry on the Buffalo Springfield vibe,” he noted. “Crosby’s great energy was always our catalyst. Graham and Stephen’s vocals, along with David’s and mine, were uplifting every night. Great moments I will never forget.”
Nash, meanwhile, shared his recollections about the Fillmore East concert.
“We were four people reveling in the different sounds we were producing, quietly singing together on the one hand, then rocking like f— for the rest of the concert,” Graham said. “Our audiences were as pleased as we were by what they said was a ‘concert to remember.’”
As for Stills, he pointed out that, with Young and a rhythm section having recently joined him, Crosby, and Nash, the band was just starting to find its footing as an electric unit at the time of the Fillmore East concert.
“The acoustic part of the show took care of itself, but now that we had equipment and Dallas and Greg and sizable shows to do, we just went for it,” Stephen said. “What we lacked in finesse we made up for in enthusiasm. The better arrangements were still to come. A band on the run. Expecting to fly.”
Live at the Fillmore East, 1969 CD Track List:
Acoustic Set
- “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”
- “Blackbird”
- “Helplessly Hoping”
- “Guinnevere”
- “Lady of the Island”
- “Go Back Home”
- “On the Way Home”
- “4 + 20”
- “Our House”
- “I’ve Loved Her So Long”
- “You Don’t Have to Cry”
Electric Set
- “Long Time Gone”
- “Wooden Ships”
- “Bluebird Revisited”
- “Sea of Madness”
- “Down by the River”
- “Find the Cost of Freedom”
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