Flashback: Neil Young takes the stage at Laurier

While the 1960s and 1970s are viewed as the golden age of rock 'n' roll, live music experiences weren't always golden for Laurier students during that time period.

Between 1968 and 1973, five concerts were cancelled as a result of performers failing to show up, including scheduled performances by Blood Sweat and Tears and Isaac Hayes. Bucking the trend, however, was Neil Young, who performed on campus as scheduled on Oct. 29, 1973.

Despite the fact he actually showed up, Young received a scathing review in Laurier’s student newspaper, The Cord.

“Neil Young was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the worst concert by a major artist that I have ever seen,” The Cord’s arts columnist wrote in a review.

Young certainly didn’t let one negative review stop him. He went on to international success and has been going strong for five decades. He is a member of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame as both a solo artist and member of Buffalo Springfield.

A dedicated philanthropist, Young also helped start Farm Aid, the longest-running benefit concert series in the United States. Funds raised from the concerts are used to provide grants to family farms and promote home-grown food. Farm Aid shows have raised $43 million since 1985.

– Daniel Rankin