Neil Young continues to add to his ever growing archives, now with the announcement of the release of his 1971 performance at the Shakespeare Theater in Statford, Connecticut. Titled Young Shakespeare, the never-before-seen show is the earliest known footage of a solo acoustic Neil Young set.
Young Shakespeare was captured only days after Young's concert at Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada (released on the 2007 live album Live at Massey Hall). He released a statement about the new release, referring to it as βa more calm performance, without the celebratory atmosphere of Massey Hall, captured live on 16mm.β He went on to say, βTo my fans, I say this is the best everβ¦ one of the most pure-sounding acoustic performances we have in the Archive.β
Young Shakespeare will be released on March 26 on CD and vinyl; the film will be available on DVD. Fans also have the choice of a box set including all three formats, and the digital audio will be available on the Neil Young Archives website. Watch the trailer for Young Shakespeare below.