On this date in history, Conseco Fieldhouse (now known as Bankers Life Fieldhouse) was the site of a 2000 concert by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The CSNY2K tour was in support of the album Looking Forward, which remains the final project the 4 musicians have released together.

CSN had been touring a lot throughout the ’90’s, but adding Neil Young to the mix took everything to a considerably higher level.

The word “chemistry” is thrown around a lot in discussions of iconic bands and it certainly applies to these legends, who performed their first live gig at the original Woodstock Festival.

The night I saw them in 2000 was a vivid demonstration of that fabled chemistry. The vocal blend they achieve together is stunning…not just when they all harmonize with each other, but even breaking it down in pairs.

The song “Guinnevere” featured just David Crosby and Graham Nash accompanied by Crosby’s lone acoustic guitar, and it was hauntingly mesmerizing and gorgeous.

On the other side of the spectrum. Neil Young’s very presence seemed to coax a mad dog rocker out of Mr. Crosby that few would have suspected was inside the walrus mustached folk singer. Crosby sang a searing rendition of “Almost Cut My Hair” that far surpassed the intensity of the studio recording.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Almost Cut My Hair (2000)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1M3-m9VDqc

Young himself systematically broke all the strings on his Les Paul at the culmination of a metal worthy take on “Rockin’ In The Free World” at the end of the show. Everyone who attended this show left that arena knowing they had witnessed something magical.

Written By Braddon S. Williams