Well it is another September as the years fly by and I headed out to another Farm Aid show last Friday. While it might be obsessive as I can be at times with many things I was on my way to another one. I have been all over the country to see this festival and I was hooked before I ever attended one in person. I would watch on TV or what ever method I could find and I have been supporting this event in person or by donating for roughly half of the now forty-one years of existence. Farm Aid started in 1985 is known as the longest running music festival of all time in this country. We can all thank the founder also known as an “American Treasure” the one and only Willie Nelson. The founding board members are now all aging and some new board members have been recently added. WiIlie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young added Dave Matthews in 2001. Margo Price joined in 2021 and Nathaniel Rateliff just joined in this year in 2026. Enough of the history most know I will tell you my story of this adventure.
This trip started back in the summer of this year as most of them do in recent years. I stay connected with Farm Aid and always sign up for a ticket as soon as I get word of the location and date. This year I saw the Virginia Beach location announce which is about a four and a half mile drive from my house and I knew I was going. I have boarded many flights to see Farm Aid and that only runs up the cost of of the entire trip. I say all that as I have more Farm Aid framed posters than I have wall space in my studio room. I have a section of my hanging rack in my closet of a couple of feet of Farm Aid t-shirts. All of the merchandise supports the cause and the whole thing just makes me feel good doing it. So I figured out my EV charging route to make sure the rural drive would support my vehicle which it did and everything was set. I had a hotel room setup and I took off on Friday night headed right at a giant storm headed up the east coast towards ground zero for an outdoor concert. Imagine living in close to three months of extreme drought at home and driving towards the largest storm in recent history to see a show!
Fear? No I have been through storms before to see Farm Aid. The first trip out to Saratoga Springs, New York in 2013 ended in a rain storm that was off and on. In fact at that time I was wearing a pair of 2006 model Keen sandals I had bought in Key West on Duval Street. I remember the water standing in the parking lot returning to the car after the show which was over my ankles. My Keens sole de-laminated and I remember tossing both into the trash can back at the hotel walking in! Hey I got seven years of good wear out of that pair! The trip out to Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin via Chicago was a total wash that started with landing in Chicago in the middle of an electrical storm and a large rainstorm brewing walking into the venue for the show that day which caused a major mess on the “ski slope” hill going down into the venue. Later that night the parking lot leaving was a disaster! I had rented a Jeep Wrangler in Chicago and had no problem getting out of the grass field parking area. Then there was that trip up to Northerly Park in Chicago where the rain came in before the show on Friday night and soaked the”Homegrown” exhibition area and made it a bit soaked but in the end it is just another adventure. I remember flying to O’ Hare and taking the train into the city to the hotel in the rain. I mean if it was perfect weather you might not even remember the day all that well! Ask me about some of the best weather Farm Aid shows and I can’t tell you as much! I have spent considerable time in a downpour or even remnants of a hurricane watching a music concert without a cover over the years. I appreciate a nice venue and a cover!
I rolled into the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater as they now call it in Virginia Beach early on Saturday morning and found my parking lot for my parking pass. It looked familiar as I had been here twice for Jimmy Buffett shows over time and I even remember getting a backstage tour and standing on that stage. All was well. I was early as always and at the gate in the front of the line with the other hardcore fans that had traveled from all over even my new friends from California. Most were Farm Aid veterans and sporting all kinds of fancy swag from years of attending Farm Aid. If they didn’t have a hat or a shirt on I can guarantee you there are more stories in that crowd than there is time to tell them all. That is part of the fun swapping stories with strangers who at times become friends.
As I walked into the entrance I passed this motorcycle in the parking lot from Florida. I had to take a photo. This reminds me of a time in the 1980’s when I took a white liquid shoe shine bottle and wrote “Stones or Bust” on my way to my first of many Rolling Stones concerts. I had a laugh and a memory as I walked in. The posters in the photos above were in the lounge area at the venue as part of the decoration and I liked them a lot. Everyone should read the sayings. Totally cool. I did get a chance to see Development Director Caroline Fiore of Farm Aid at the entrance and it was nice to see her. She and the team at Farm Aid do an incredible job of organizing and executing a very large traveling event each year. Kudos to Steve and Caroline. They are awesome at what they do. Did I mention the Hi-Fi lounge was awesome? This might have been the best ever with those locally sourced tacos not to mention the bison! If you have never had a peach flavored biscuit I highly recommend it. Thanks to all the volunteers for working on this project too. They delivered! The food was great and the sponsor Tractor drinks kept us well hydrated with those awesome drinks. https://drinktractor.com/#
So after socializing a bit over lunch I headed out to the venue to walk a bit. The show was getting started and I soon found a seat. The music just kept flying by almost every thirty of forty minutes. The stage crew was insanely fast and flawless as best I could tell. The only struggle I even noted was at times musicians asking to turn them up which is pretty normal for a stage not really setup for any one band. I don’t envy a sound crew on a rotating stage. That is one challenging job even for the most experienced crew.
There were several artists in front of this one but I will start here. Jesse Wells was an artist I was really looking forward to seeing. I had seen Jesse in Saratoga Springs in 2024 at Farm Aid and was looking forward to seeing him again. He did not disappoint. As he walked out on the stage the crowd roared their approval. I was on my feet and nodding my approval. He went through several songs acoustically and then brought out a band to go electric. The photo above was one of my favorite parts of his set with his dueling guitar solo sounding oh so good. I missed Jesse on tour earlier this year but I plan to get out to see him as soon as he returns to my area. I call him the young John Prine of this generation. He is not to be missed. His songs are very relevant observations of American culture in 2026.
Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs were next on my had to see list. I am a fan and have all the vinyl these guys have produced. Not to mention traveling up and down the east coast to see them in great venues.
Mike with one of his signature Gibson Thunderbird guitars. On the drums, the legendary Steve Ferrone of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Eric Clapton, Average White Band, Booker T and the MGs, and many more. What a sound! The set was great!
Love the Dirty Knobs! As they were closing the set and played the song Mike wrote for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers I play all the time called “Running Down a Dream.” I sang every word of it. I was seated very close to the stage in the middle. Mike was watching me sing during the song. When he finished he pointed at me as I didn’t miss a word. That was fun.
Here is a photo from one of the Dirty Knobs shows where I had a chance to have a conversation with Mike and get my vinyl album signed. Mike brought his dog with him for this photo. I wish I had asked him to bring his wife Marcie out for the photo as she was on hand at this show. I talked to Mike about my podcasts on a couple of his albums during this conversation. Within two months it was The day after Thanksgiving and I will never know what he did but my podcast with him was downloaded 42,000 times on the day after Thanksgiving! Thanks Mike!
Lukas Nelson came out for his usual stellar set with his band. One of the highlights of the show was not only seeing him with this guitar he has had for years but his vocals were amazing. He hung on to one note at a point that made me want to yell the old Eddie Murphy line of ‘Free James Brown!” It had that kind of vibe. It was incredible. Lukas has that genetic connection to his dad’s voice. He is always great on a stage and I never tire of watching his band.
Jake Simpson on fiddle with Lukas. Jake was incredible on stage with Lukas and later with Dave Matthews. Jake has also been touring with Dave Matthews as well as a regular with Lukas on stage.
Farm Aid board member Margo Price came out and kept the collaborations going with people coming and going from the stage.
Jesse Wells came back out on this set for a song.
Jesse Wells and Dave Matthews come out to add some guitar and vocals for the Margo Price set.
Brand new Farm Aid board member Nathaniel Rateliff came out on a mostly solo set. He has been a Farm Aid regular for many years and continues to support the cause.
Many years at Farm Aid the governor comes out to introduce an act. This year Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger came out to introduce Virginia’s own Dave Matthews. While the crowd gave her a welcome roar there were some loud boos in one section. Dave had a brief say on the introduction before he started. While I can’t exactly quote him he basically said ‘There are a lot of different politics here and that is OK.” “What we Americans have to do is get together and figure out how to support our family farmers.” Well said Dave!
I will say: We all must support the small family farms and all those hard working people who feed us! Don’t take our farmers for granted. Farmers are having a tough time right now from coast to coast. America needs to stand up for them and help where we can. That is why I support Farm Aid. Buy local and take care of your neighbors. Support Farm Aid! You can still buy merchandise and make donations at this link: https://www.farmaid.org/
Tim Reynolds and Dave Matthews came out to play their set and brought the intensity.
John Mellencamp walked out with his full band on the stage right after an introduction from Dave Matthews.
I took a ton of photos of the band as I always do. I have hundreds if not thousands of photos of this band from my concerts over the decades. You can go back in the web page tags and look through many of the better ones. Some people ask why I take so many photos and I usually answer: If I take twenty concert photos I get one I am happy with. The lighting can be a challenge and people are moving fast. Things like arms and hands go blurry fast. People stand up and throw up their hands at shows. I like photos that flatter the artist. I think about it like if someone were sharing a photo of me I would want it to be one that I would be proud of. I always apologize for my blurry or grainy photos but honestly I quit carrying a fancy camera to shows and now only use my iPhone. If I am not close enough to take a decent photo I don’t even want to go to the show. I have to connect with the music and the artist to feel the moment. I can’t do that in the back of the crowd. Not even in the second section back. I love music and I want to enjoy it. Finally the center photo is one I shot of bass player Jon E. Gee. He just happened to be looking at me when I was shooting this one.
John was working through his set and he started into his hit song “Pink Houses.” The crowd knew all the lyrics and most were singing many of the songs. He is headed through the lyrics and he gets to the line “And vacation down at the “Gulf of Mexico.”
He stopped. He looked straight at the crowd and asked “Is it the Gulf of Mexico or Gulf of America?” Then he basically laughed it off and mumbled some expletives somewhat off microphone. My shirt I wear these days says Gulf of Mexico established 1550.
Well, there’s people and more people
What do they know, know, know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
Ooh, yeah
And there’s winners and there’s losers
But they ain’t no big deal
‘Cause the simple man, baby
Pays for thrills
The bills the pills that kill
Oh, but ain’t that America
For you and me
Ain’t that America
Something to see, baby
Ain’t that America
Home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses
For you and me
Oooh
Ooooh, yeah…
John Mellencamp came back out to introduce Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts.
Neil Young. I always say Neil has the lights dimmed to keep the photos blurry! Most of my images are not top shelf due to the conditions and cell phone photos but you get the point. All that said the music was great! Was it the best Neil Young show ever? No we are both getting older and the age is taking a toll on the vocal power and stamina of these artists. Do they give me a thrill and a moment when I see and hear them on stage? Hell yeah. I am just glad they are still playing and performing. I don’t take it for granted at this point.
Even now there were several moments I can vividly recall from this set. As Neil played mostly acoustic through the first part of the set and it took me back to the 1970’s. In 1970 Neil Young released the album “After the Gold Rush.” I remember being just barely eleven years old and being in North Carolina on a visit at the time as I was not living here then. My cousin who was two years older than me had just bought the album. She had this compact “record player” that was wrapped in black vinyl and the speakers were hinged to the base so you could fold it up or disconnect the speakers. It had a handle on it. That was how I first heard these tracks in that Summer on my visit to my relatives on vacation. When I heard Neil start hitting the notes of the first song on his piano I knew every word of the song. In fact I own a couple of 180 gram versions of this album even now. I still love to listen to it. I will share another thought. I knew every one of the other song lyrics as well. I remember a day in 1978 when I was traveling home from Mississippi State University back to North Carolina in my car and I had just bought the newly released album “Comes A Time.” I had recorded the album to high fidelity cassette for my car audio and I think I knew all the words by the time I got to North Carolina almost a day later.
The set list for Neil at Farm Aid 2026:
- After the Gold Rush
- Human Highway
- Comes a Time
- Earth Girl
- Old Man
- Daddy Went Walkin’
- Harvest Moon
- Powderfinger
- Rocking the Free World
The fact that Neil played “Harvest Moon” was not lost on me. I really love this song and I taught myself how to play it. I keep an acoustic guitar tuned in “Dropped D” to be able to play this one and a few more as this is a favorite tuning. It is a very romantic song and about a month ago, as I mentioned in my last Molly Tuttle post, it was the first dance at her wedding.
The 2026 Harvest Moon reached its peak illumination on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 12:49 p.m. EDT according to the Farmer’s Almanac. This was the night of Farm Aid 2026! Coincidence, not likely.
Because the Harvest Moon is defined as the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox (which occurred on September 22, 2026), the exact date shifts slightly each year. While the peak moment of full illumination occurred during the daytime in North America, the moon appeared bright and full to the naked eye on both the night of Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26.
Micah Nelson on guitar for the Chrome Hearts. The legendary Spooner Oldman on the keys, Corey McCormick on bass and drummer Anthony LoGerfo round out the Chrome Hearts. These guys also play with Lukas Nelson at times and they are all favorites of mine.
The band rocking at the end. They closed the set with “Rocking the Free World.” I was pumping my fist and feeling the moment. I have seen this song live many times and I certainly hope this is not the last. I truly love the music and the man. He is a special human.
The banner came down on the stage to set the headliner for Farm Aid. Willie Nelson.
Neil came back out to introduce Willie Nelson and Family. Note the hat he was wearing. Neil Young is a lifelong model train enthusiast who co-owned Lionel, LLC and is listed as a co-inventor on seven U.S. patents related to model railroad control systems. Neil started a hobby with model trains began as a way to bond with his son Ben, who has cerebral palsy. Custom Controls: He wanted to make the trains operable for individuals with limited physical mobility. He worked with engineers to design large controllers and digital sound systems. TrainMaster Command Control (TMCC): His innovations led to digital command systems that allowed multiple trains to run on a single track independently. This technology became the foundation for Lionel’s modern legacy control systems.
The American Treasure. Willie Nelson. Willie is 93 years old at this point. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to last all day at a press conference and concert to play a set at 11:00 PM. Willie did it. He loves Farm Aid and the farmers of America. He invented the festival and it is still the oldest running music fund raiser and show ever in American history. He started as always with “Whiskey River.”
Willie and the musicians on stage closed the show with “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I Saw the Light.” The clock was headed towards midnight and I was sure we were past the venue curfew time. I headed out from my seat to see the first hard rain of the day. I made my way back to the car in my raincoat and mostly stayed dry. As I drove back to the hotel many thoughts were going through my mind of the adventure that another Farm Aid experience brings. I just keep wondering if I will see some of my favorite artists on stage again in the future. Only time will tell.
Until next time I’ll see you, down the road.
On the road again
I just can’t wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Goin’ places that I’ve never been
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again
Everybody sing
On the road again
Like a band o’ gypsies, we go down the highway
We’re the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way
And our way
Is on the road again
I just can’t wait to get on the road again
The life I love is makin’ music with my friends
And I can’t wait to get on the road again