Neil Young in Toronto
Tonight I did the most Canadian thing a person can do: I saw Neil Young in a hockey arena. And I was front row.

This was absolutely a five-star gig. Even Everest were good, even though hardly anybody knew who they were.

I last saw Wilco at Ottawa Bluesfest in 2006, and I've really wanted to see them again, particularly since the release of Sky Blue Sky last year. Why? Well, the second I heard the guitar harmonies on the extended solos on "Impossible Germany," I knew it would be amazing live. It was. In fact, it was so awesome that it made me cry. Several times. Wilco pretty much played all my favourites during their set, including "War on War," "Jesus, Etc." and "I'm the Man Who Loves You" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the aforementioned "Impossible Germany" and "Walken" from Sky Blue Sky and "Handshake Drugs" from A Ghost is Born. Wilco's set was worthy of five stars in itself, but nothing could really prepare me for what would come next.

When Neil Young walked on stage to more applause than I've ever heard anyone get, I started crying again. See, we'd managed to get right up front to the barricade, which meant he was right in front of us. I could not believe I was that close to a living legend and my favourite singer/songwriter.

He truly knows how to write a setlist. Toronto got the same set he's been playing for most of his tour, but fuck is it ever good. Who cares if it's a repeat? You can't go wrong with a set that contains classic songs like "Hey Hey My My (Out of the Blue)," "Powderfinger," "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere," "Old Man," "Heart of Gold," "Cinnamon Girl," "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Cowgirl in the Sand." Nor can you dislike some of his best, more recent songs like "Love and Only Love," "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)," "Spirit Road," and "Unknown Legend." And even though he forgot the lyrics to The Beatles' "A Day in the Life" when he covered it in his encore, it was still astounding.

I don't know how any other show I see will ever top this. It's now the best show I've ever seen, and will probably remain so for a long time, if not for the rest of my life.

Here's the setlist:
"Love and Only Love"
"Hey Hey My My (Out of the Blue)"
"Everybody Knows This is Nowhere"
"Powderfinger"
"Spirit Road"
"Cortez the Killer"
"Cinnamon Girl"
"Oh, Lonesome Me"
"Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)"
"The Needle and the Damage Done"
"Unknown Legend"
"Heart of Gold"
"Old Man"
"Get Back to the Country"
"Just Singing a Song"
"Sea Change"
"When Worlds Collide"
"Cowgirl in the Sand"
"Rockin' in the Free World"
"A Day in the Life" (Beatles cover, encore)