'Feels good to be home': Neil Young revisits his old stomping grounds in Winnipeg
The veteran Canadian rocker dropped by one of the first places he played, and a local ice rink
For decades Neil Young has called California home, but this week he returned to his fomer Canadian hometown of Winnipeg and visited some of his favourite stomping grounds.
"December, 1962. The first known photo of The Squires. Neil, Alan Bates, and Ken Koblun rehearsing in drummer Jack Harper's house in Winnipeg," reads the caption on a Neil Young Archives Instagram post. "Winnipeg, where playing in a band began for me, see you all next week!"
In a later post, Young poses with his original Squires bandmate in front of Winnipeg's Crescentwood Community Centre, one of the first places the group played.
Young also visited a local ice rink where kids were playing hockey, and posted a short video with the caption "Feels good to be home."
Neil Young and Crazy Horse reunited in the Prairie city for two sold-out shows, one at Burton Cummings Theatre, and one at Centennial Concert Hall. The band also live-streamed the concerts.
"What a feeling to be home in Winnipeg, especially now, with all of you. We are having a memorable time here. There's something very special about this visit with the Horse," wrote Young, who was born in Toronto and spent his early years in Omemee, Ont., but lived in Winnipeg on and off, and settled there with his mother when he was around 12.
"Seeing the old places where I started with my first band.... then playing the night in this grand old theater.... surrounded by people I love, life is surely good."
Young is hitting the road again in May with a string of West Coast stops, followed by a pair of U.K. shows with Bob Dylan.