Neil Young and his current backing band, The Chrome Hearts, recently announced dates for a 2025 trek called the Love Earth Tour. According to the initial announcement about the outing, the tour was to have kicked off with a series of European dates starting on June 18 in Rättvik, Sweden.
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Now, however, Young has revealed that he’s planning to launch the trek with a special free concert somewhere in Ukraine.
A message posted on Young’s official website reads, “Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts will open the upcoming Love Earth Tour of Europe in UKRAINE with a Free Concert for all! We are currently in talks and will make the announcement of details here at [the Neil Young Archives website]. Keep on Rockin’ in the FREE WORLD.”
Young’s announcement comes days after President Donald Trump’s tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. During the meeting, Trump berated Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian leader didn’t want an end to Ukraine’s war with Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 22.
This would mark Young’s first-ever concert in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Young and The Chrome Hearts also have been confirmed to headline a concert in London on July 11. The show is part of the 2025 edition of the annual BST Hyde Park Concert Series. Also performing at the event will be Yusuf/Cat Stevens and Van Morrison, plus some other as-yet-unannounced acts.
Tickets for the Hyde Park concert will go on sale to the general public Wednesday, March 5. Pre-sale tickets currently are available via BST-HydePark.com. All the tickets for the event are general admission.
Fans who want to purchase tickets early may also want to check out StubHub.
More About Young’s 2025 Love Earth Tour
Young initially announced nine concerts for the European leg of the Love Earth Tour. Those dates ran from the aforementioned June 18 gig in Rättvik, Sweden, through a July 8 show in Stuttgart, Germany. The addition of the as-yet-unconfirmed Ukraine concert and the London performance brings the number Neil’s 2025 European concerts to 11.
Young and The Chrome Hearts also announced 15 shows in the U.S. and Canada for the Love Earth trek. Those concerts begin August 8 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and are plotted out through a September 15 performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Other 2025 Young Performances
Neil and The Chrome Hearts also will perform at the 2025 edition of Stephen Stills’ Light Up the Blues concert. The show, which takes place April 26 at the Greek Theatre in L.A., raises money for the Autism Speaks charity. The lineup also includes Billy Idol, Cat Power, Linda Perry, and actress Christina Applegate.
In addition, Young will be playing a benefit show in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada, on May 23. More details will be announced soon about that concert, which will be a solo performance.
About The Chrome Hearts and Young’s Other 2025 Plans
Young first performed with The Chrome Hearts at a trio of concerts in September 2024. They included the 2024 Farm Aid benefit show in Saratoga Springs, New York, and a September 23-24 engagement in Port Chester, New York.
The Chrome Hearts feature veteran Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section keyboardist Spooner Oldham, guitarist Micah Nelson, and two members of Promise of the Real—bassist Corey McCormick and drummer Anthony LoGerfo on drums.
Promise of the Real, which is led by Willie Nelson’s son (and Micah’s brother) Lukas Nelson, served as Young’s backing band for multiple tours and albums during the 2010s. Micah also took part in those same projects. In addition, Micah joined the lineup of Neil’s longtime backing group Crazy Horse for a 2024 tour.
Young released his first new original song recorded with The Chrome Hearts, the politically charged “big change,” in January. The track is the first single from an upcoming album Neil made with the band that he co-produced with legendary producer Lou Adler.
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