Neil Young’s politics are at times blunt, and other times hard to pin down, but right now I’m digging them even more than his latest album—which by total coincidence, happens to be filling the air of the cafe I’m parked in.
Perhaps that’s not much of a fluke, given the lasting buzz since Neil’s show in Regina last week, as part of his most recent tour. That tour was supposed to touch down at the Los Angeles Forum last night, but Neil pulled the plug on the show in support of striking stagehands who are in a contract dispute with the owner of the venue, Faithful Central Bible Church.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees represents workers at the facility, which was once home to the Lakers and the Kings but now provides sanctuary for one of the largest megachurch congregations in the United States to worship a king of their own.
Neil, a honorary lifetime member of IATSE, stated he would not cross a picket line that was expected to be at his show. “I am extremely disappointed to have to choose between satisfying my fans or backing my brothers and sisters of the IATSE,” he said in a statement. “I will miss playing in Los Angeles and apologize to my fans for the inconvenience this has caused.”
Now if only there was a labour dispute at the Brandt Centre in Regina, I would have had a much better excuse for missing last week’s show!
[Image by Photoframe]
