Nicolas wrote: Sat Sep 20, 2025 8:10 am
Here’s what I’ll be watching and listening to today: Farm Aid 2025 Live Stream, starts at 11:30 AM Central.
So far, I’ve only listened to a handful of isolated parts of sets live or “near-live.” Not sure I’ll bother to comb through the video for sets of artists I like. Was there anything you particularly liked?
I’ll just say up front that I found the timing of the event unfortunate, given its mission: primarily to support small family farms, both economically and in terms of highlighting their plight and generating public support. Worthy objective, without a doubt. But this moment calls for so very much more. It was almost as if life here is normal. Addressing the fact that it isn’t, in a meaningful, full-throated way, would have probably sabotaged the goal of generating aid and public support for farmers.
As far as the music, the maybe 45 minutes of total music I listened to was chock full of surprises. I was surprised how country-oriented it was. I’ve really never watched much of any of the other 39 Farm Aids, so maybe it’s always been that way. Didn’t mind at all, because as far as I was concerned, it was a fine version of country music to be heard.
I thought Dylan’s band sounded great, but his singing is worse than ever. Barely tolerable. Pleasant enough music, though, as I could hardly hear his singing.
I was actually shocked at the few minutes of Neil Young I heard. He really seems to be going downhill as a performer. Not even sure how much of his guitar they had mixed in. His guitar style is probably better than most at concealing deteriorating technical proficiency, but maybe there are limits. I actually felt a little bad for him, for really the first time I can ever remember.
But it wasn’t all bad. I was quite pleasantly surprised at the parts of the Willie Nelson set I heard. It was wonderful, compared to the fiascos I’ve witnessed from him in person and through videos in recent years. Instead of treating Willie as the star singer and guitar player of the band, though his abilities are now severely limited by physical age, they actually showed some compassion and helped him out! His guitar work was limited to some brief embellishments, and he wasn’t expected to carry all the singing. His band let him step out when he wanted to, but he was also willing to step aside when he struggled, at which times his band would lovingly and gently step back in to carry the tune. It served everybody better: the band, the audience, and Willie Nelson. This time, instead of being annoyed, I found myself fondly remembering everything I love about Willie Nelson.
Sorry for so much negativity. Finding it especially difficult to feel very positive these days.
Oh — and thoroughly enjoyed Nathaniel Rateliff singing S.O.B.!
https://www.setlist.fm/festival/2025/fa … 52e1a.html <— setlists are available here
12:40 pm Madeline Edwards
1:05 pm Jesse Welles
1:35 pm Eric Burton
2:05 pm Waxahatchee
2:40 pm Wynonna Judd
3:15 pm Trampled by Turtles
3:45 pm Steve Earle
3:55 pm Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
4:40 pm Lukas Nelson
5:20 pm Billy Strings
6:05 pm Kenny Chesney
6:50 pm Margo Price
7:40 pm Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
8:30 pm John Mellencamp
9:20 pm Bob Dylan
10:10 pm Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts
11:00 pm Willie Nelson
