Neil Young performs at benefit show in first live appearance of the year

By Andrea Dresdale May 26, 2026 | 9:57 AM

Neil Young performs at Farm Aid 2024 on Sept. 21, 2024 in Saratoga Springs, New York. (Gary Miller/Getty Images)

In February, Neil Young canceled his planned 2026 tour dates, but he returned to the stage on May 22 at a benefit concert in his home country of Canada.

As Billboard reports, Young performed a solo acoustic set at the show in Vancouver, which was held in honor of the 90th birthday of Canadian environment activist David Suzuki. During the surprise set, he treated the crowd to renditions of “Heart of Gold” and “After the Gold Rush.”

The show, which raised money for the David Suzuki Foundation, also featured fellow Canadians Sarah McLachlan and Bruce Cockburn, as well as Jane Fonda and Al Gore.

The performance marked Young’s first live appearance since a benefit concert in October of 2025.

When he canceled his U.K. and Europe tour dates in February, Young explained in a message on his website, “I’m sorry to let you down, but this is not the time.”

Young’s most recent album is 2025’s Talkin to the Trees, which he recorded with his band the Chrome Hearts. A live album recorded with the Chrome Hearts, As Time Explodes, is due May 29.