Watch: Neil Young Performs “Vampire Blues” at The Ford

These days, a Neil Young show is somewhat of a rare occasion. During the height of the pandemic, Young drew a hard line in the sand, canceling all live appearances for the foreseeable future. As time draws on, and the COVID-19 pandemic grows smaller and smaller in the rearview, Young has started booking a few dates here and there. Earlier this month, he played at The Ford in Hollywood and dusted off an old fan favorite, “Vampire Blues.”

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Young hasn’t played the song live since 1974. The song was originally released on Young’s studio album On the Beach. The lyrics are as timely as ever with Young singing about an oil magnate ruining the environment—a cause close to Young’s heart.

I’m a vampire, baby, suckin’ blood from the earth / Well, I’m a vampire, babe, sell you twenty barrels worth, he sings.

Check out a clip of the performance, below.

Young, whose recent West Coast shows broke his touring hiatus, set out with the goal of filling his setlist with songs he has seldom played live.

“I don’t want to come back and do the same songs again,” he wrote on his website when he announced the tour. “I’ll feel like I was on some sort of carnival ride. I’d rather be doing these other songs I haven’t done.

“They’re not new songs,” he continued. “They’re old songs. But I wake up with them in my head every morning. They are songs that apply to my life right now, and apply to everyone’s lives in this era that we’re in.”

Hence, Young decided to bring out “Vampire Blues” at the Ford show.

This Fall, Young will appear at the Roxy’s 50th anniversary celebration. He became the first act to perform at the historic venue in September 1973. On September 20 of 2023, Young will return to that stage for an intimate set. Find more information on the show, HERE.

Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images