Neil Young kicked off a four-show run at New York’s Carnegie Hall last night. Though he did not officially announce it before the night, as many suspected the evening turned out to be a solo show, with Young jumping between various guitars and piano during his performance. Young famously played a series of earlier career solo shows at Carnegie Hall and recently released the early ’70s archival solo set Live at the Cellar Door.

Last night, Young opened his performance with his first take on the Harvest Moon classic “From Hank To Hendrix” since 2009, and he proceeded to offer a mix of covers and originals culled from throughout his career. Early in the night, he looked back on his Buffalo Springfield days with a version of “On The Way Home,” a song he last played during that seminal bands 2011 reunion run, and continued to bust out a number of songs he’s shied away from in recent years, including “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” (last played in 2006), “Love In Mind” and “Mellow My Mind (both last played in 2008) and “Are You Ready For The Country?” (last played in 2009). After dusting off the seldom played Freedom number “Someday,” Young covered Phil Ochs’ “Changes,” a number he introduced into his sets this past fall. The classics “Harvest” and “Old Man” closed out the evening’s first set.

His second set was equally as unique. After tackling the Comes a Time gem “Goin’ Back” and the Harvest staple “A Man Needs a Maid” for the first time since 2009 and 2008 respectively, Young dropped the needle on his Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young days with “Ohio.” The signature song portion of his set continued with his first “Southern Man” since 2005 and Buffalo Springfield’s “Mr. Soul.” Giving the night something of a thematic segment, he also debuted a version of his hero Bert Jansch’s “Needle of Death” before running through his own “The Needle and the Damage Done.” “Harvest Moon,” Buffalo Springfield’s “Flying on the Ground Is Wrong,” “After the Gold Rush” and “Heart of Gold” brought the set to a close. Later, Young returned for encores of “Comes A Time” and “Long May You Run.”

Young’s Carnegie Hall residency continues this evening. He will also perform the storied venue on January 9 and 10.

Here’s a l“ook at last night’s setlist”:http://www.sugarmtn.org/song.php?song=247 via Sugarmtn.org

Monday, January 6, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

Set I:
From Hank To Hendrix
On The Way Home
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Love In Mind
Mellow My Mind
Are You Ready For The Country?
Someday
Changes
Harvest
Old Man

Set II:
Goin’ Back
A Man Needs A Maid
Ohio
Southern Man
Mr. Soul
Needle Of Death
The Needle And The Damage Done
Harvest Moon
Flying On The Ground Is Wrong
After The Gold Rush
Heart Of Gold

E:
Comes A Time
Long May You Run