DIAMOND in CONCERT Aug. 18

DIAMOND WOW'S EM IN Blaisdell Arena Honolulu!

BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com

It’s always a kick to hear a song performed by the person who wrote it even if another artist was the one who recorded the definitive hit. Hearing Neil Diamond sing “I’m A Believer” Thursday night, Feb. 16, in Blaisdell Arena is a perfect example.

When the Monkees released their hit version, back in the mid-’60s when Diamond was still better known as a songwriter than a recording artist, the song was a youthful celebration of complete romantic fulfillment. Sung by Diamond on Thursday as an introspective ballad, and without the keyboard riff that was the musical hook in the Monkees’ hit, the song was steeped in weariness and a sense that being a “believer” might not be enough to guarantee life-long happiness.

“Red Red Wine” — a minor hit for Diamond in the ’60s that is known to two generations of “island music” fans in Hawaii as a Kapena hit — was also recast. A young man with a broken heart might find temporary solace in a bottle of wine. Diamond, who celebrated his 71st birthday last month, sang it with a world-weary stance of a man who knows that alcohol will only defer the pain.

“I Am…I Said,” a Top 5 hit for him back when he was 30, has aged beautifully. The sentiments are more relevant than ever, and the emptiness and alienation that comes with feeling “torn between two shores” ever more powerful as years and decades pass.

Time passed quickly at the concert. Diamond performed for a solid hour and 40 minutes. He shared an assortment of his chart hits and personal favorites. Almost all of them were instantly recognizable.

“Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)” was greeted with ecstatic applause and then became an instant sing-along. Diamond didn’t need to ask the crowd to sing, the fans were ready to go. They did the “So good! So Good! So Good!” chant on cue as well.

And, just when it seemed the “good times” were over and it was time to do some other song, Diamond called on the band for “one more reprise!” — and then called for another.

That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Most of the crowd seemed in the mood to sing “Sweet Caroline” all night.

Diamond had fun playing with the crowd. A well-timed comment — “You give away your age when you don’t get up and dance” — got almost every one on their feet, if not actually dancing.

Another announcement — “This show is about me going where the noise is” — got people in all parts of the arena screaming at him to come their way.

Diamond, consummate professional that he is, directed some of his attention to the people off to the side of the arena and those in the upper level seats as well.

He opened the evening with an expansive arrangement of “Soolaiman (African Trilogy II)” that presented that well-known song as a triumphant anthem. “Forever In Blue Jeans” also had a bit of extra energy to it; Diamond didn’t have to cue the audience to clap along, the arrangement was irresistible.

Diamond fans with tickets for Saturday’s show can expect to hear “You Got To Me,” “Hello Again,” “Cherry Cherry” and “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” as well.

Even in a show full of big hits and memorable moments, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” was something special. Diamond sang it with one of his backup female singers standing in for Barbra Streisand. They captured the raw, tragic emotions perfectly; the lighting effects were simple but eye-catching.

When Diamond and his singing partner finished the song, the headliner explained that men and women experience the song differently when he does it in a concert. Women experience the tragic lack of communication between the man and woman in the song. Men experience it by looking past Diamond and his singing partner and they “wonder how (the tech people) make those (stage) lights work!”

The encore rocked. Diamond opened with an up-tempo rendition of “Cracklin’ Rosie,” then introduced “America” with a short story about his grandmother’s arrival from Russia more than a century ago. He dedicated the song to her.

“America” would have been an excellent finale. Diamond took the energy level higher with a zesty arrangement of “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show” that brought the intensity of a modern “tent show” revival to the arena. It was remarkable work, and an excellent concert.

Diamond will do it again Saturday night, Feb. 18.

Neil Diamond Honored At The White House

Neil Diamond confirms Honolulu Return!

BY ELIZABETH KIESZKOWSKI /

Pop music singer and songwriter Neil Diamond is returning to Hawaii for the first time since 1976, with a Feb. 16 show at Blaisdell Arena.

Neil Diamond confirms Honolulu return!

BY ELIZABETH KIESZKOWSKI /

Pop music singer and songwriter Neil Diamond is returning to Hawaii for the first time since 1976, with a Feb. 16 show at Blaisdell Arena.

Neil Diamond performs in Boston during a 2009 concert with the Boston Pops. (Associated Press)

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Blaisdell Box Office and through Ticketmaster.

In a phone interview, Diamond said he’s grateful to think he still has fans waiting for him in the islands.

“I’m very satisfied to know that I’m still able to do the same thing, and in the same place,” he said.

Diamond, 70, is a consummate pop songwriter, one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, and generations of fans have taken his direct, romantic lyrics and affection for listeners to heart. Chances are you can sing along to some or all of these Diamond songs: “I’m a Believer,” “Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon,” “Red, Red Wine,” “Shilo,” “Sweet Caroline.” The list goes on.

“I got started about the same time as the Beatles,” Diamond noted, when talking about the artists he listens to, ranging from Adele to the Everly Brothers.

He’s been making hits since the ’60s, starting with “I’m a Believer,” performed by the Monkees. Diamond’s first hit single as a performer was “Solitary Man,” in 1966.

Neil Diamond

Presented by Marek Lieberberg Presents and Ron Gibson Entertainment

» Where: Neal Blaisdell Arena, 777 Ward Ave.
» When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16
» Cost: $49, $59, $99, $159
» Info: 800-745-3000 orwww.ticketmaster.com

The hits kept coming, right through the ’80s. All along, Diamond continued performing. And he attracted a new round of interest in his music when approached by producer Rick Rubin (who famously worked with Johnny Cash on the country singer’s later albums) to make two records, “12 Songs” in 2005, and “Home After Dark” in 2008.

“Home After Dark” went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, more than 40 years after Diamond’s first singles were released. In 2009, he released a live album, “Hot August Night/NYC,” recorded from a four-night run at Madison Square Garden. Overall, Diamond has sold more than 128 million albums worldwide, with 37 Top 10 singles.

“My work is absorbing me, still, after all these years,” Diamond said.

As for live performance, “What I enjoy most are the audiences,” he said. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces. I like it when they enjoy the music. I’m there to see them, and they’re there to see me. It’s a win-win situation!”

The Honolulu concert is being promoted by Marek Lieberberg Presents and Ron Gibson Entertainment.

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Blaisdell Box Office and through Ticketmaster.

In a phone interview, Diamond said he’s grateful to think he still has fans waiting for him in the islands.

“I’m very satisfied to know that I’m still able to do the same thing, and in the same place,” he said.

Diamond, 70, is a consummate pop songwriter, one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, and generations of fans have taken his direct, romantic lyrics and affection for listeners to heart. Chances are you can sing along to some or all of these Diamond songs: “I’m a Believer,” “Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon,” “Red, Red Wine,” “Shilo,” “Sweet Caroline.” The list goes on.

“I got started about the same time as the Beatles,” Diamond noted, when talking about the artists he listens to, ranging from Adele to the Everly Brothers.

He’s been making hits since the ’60s, starting with “I’m a Believer,” performed by the Monkees. Diamond’s first hit single as a performer was “Solitary Man,” in 1966.

Neil Diamond

Presented by Marek Lieberberg Presents and Ron Gibson Entertainment

» Where: Neal Blaisdell Arena, 777 Ward Ave.
» When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16
» Cost: $49, $59, $99, $159
» Info: 800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com

The hits kept coming, right through the ’80s. All along, Diamond continued performing. And he attracted a new round of interest in his music when approached by producer Rick Rubin (who famously worked with Johnny Cash on the country singer’s later albums) to make two records, “12 Songs” in 2005, and “Home After Dark” in 2008.

“Home After Dark” went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, more than 40 years after Diamond’s first singles were released. In 2009, he released a live album, “Hot August Night/NYC,” recorded from a four-night run at Madison Square Garden. Overall, Diamond has sold more than 128 million albums worldwide, with 37 Top 10 singles.

“My work is absorbing me, still, after all these years,” Diamond said.

As for live performance, “What I enjoy most are the audiences,” he said. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces. I like it when they enjoy the music. I’m there to see them, and they’re there to see me. It’s a win-win situation!”

The Honolulu concert is being promoted by Marek Lieberberg Presents and Ron Gibson Entertainment.

SEPTEMBER MORN

SEPTEMBER MORN
click photo to view video

Solitary Man

Solitary Man
click on photo

Im Glad Your Here With Me Tonight

Neil Diamond Tour Schedule 2012

Neil Diamond Tour Schedule 2012
click on photo to view tour dates

Diamond gets Billboard Music Award

It Would Be Nice if You'd Leave a Comment about my Website !

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

Midnight Train to Georgia

Hall of Fame Neil Diamond Stole The Show

Hall of Fame Neil Diamond Stole The Show
click on photo to view video

SUNDAY SUN

"DON'T BE CRUEL"

Hall of Fame Speech

Now let us tell you what really happened: The stage was set by Paul Simon, who did a wonderful job sucking the life from the room. In his induction speech for Diamond, Simon wagered a guess at why Neil had been denied Hall of Fame status for the last 24 years. "Six words," said Simon, "'You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore.' Unfortunately, if it's Barbara Streisand, it's not close to rock 'n' roll. They won't even let that DNA near the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame." The joke bombed, the crowd was too nervous to laugh -- like, honestly, who ever says something critical in an induction speech to a Hall of Fame?! When it was Diamond's turn to respond, it promptly devolved into the Friar's Club Roast of the Music Industry. He acted boorish, crass, flippant, indifferent, graceless, unappreciative -- it was pretty punk rock. "I still would sing that song with Barbara, she's the greatest," he said. "And guess what? She doesn't give a shit either." He tried to be a "man of the people" in this crowd of stuffed shirts, taking pictures of the crowd, pointing up at the cheap (LOL) seats and saying "These are my people." He bragged about flying commercial from Australia. It paid off, since he clearly had the most rapturous fan club of any of five inductees. He talked to the back of the room: "I'm not talking to you," he snapped at the tables up front. "You have too much money." He looked right at Irving Azoff and said that he was the only person in the room that loved him. He looked at the trophy and said, "I didn't even know what this looked like. They should make this object more famous." Seriously, this was so, so, so, so much better than the Sex Pistols just not showing up. His swagger during the performance was incredible. He left the stage to go play in the audience. Not in a friendly way, but in a downright aggressive way. During "Sweet Caroline," he shoved the mic in Lloyd Price's face and then Robbie Robertson's and then some total stranger's. The camera crew was not ready to follow him into the maze of tables, so he had to do a second take of the song entirely--which only got the crowd rowdier. Don't let anyone ever tell you that Neil Diamond isn't rock 'n' roll. Maybe it's time to reappraise Saving Silverman.

Dry Your Eyes

THE GANGS ALL HERE!

THE GANGS ALL HERE!
Music "Hall of Famers"

ITS ALLL ABOUT DIAMOND

New York: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's annual induction ceremony is the only place you'd find Bruce Springsteen as just one member of a 21-piece backup band. The rock hall's latest class brought together Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Dr. John and Leon Russell, and after all the speeches were done the musicians kept playing until the wee hours. ------------------------------------------------------- Springsteen brought his guitar to back Love, who created a modern-day "Wall of Sound" and dueted with Bette Midler on "He's a Rebel" after her induction Monday night. Guitarist John Mayer supported Russell in his ballad "A Song for You." Diamond had the crowd in the glittery ballroom of The Waldorf-Astoria hotel dancing to the 1960s era "Cherry Cherry." Diamond had seemed a bit loopy in his acceptance speech, after traveling 25 hours from Australia for the ceremony and looking ahead to another trip Down Under to resume a concert tour. He criticized Paul Simon, who inducted him, for giving Simon's upcoming album a difficult-to-remember title ("So Beautiful or So What"), then tried to recover by saying "I dare anybody in this room to make a better album." ------------------------------------------------------- Diamond got a cheer from the New York crowd for recognizing his city roots while performing "I Am I Said." Simon noted that Diamond, who was born in Brooklyn, had first been eligible for the rock hall in 1991 and wondered, "What took so long?" His theory: Diamond's duet with Barbra Streisand, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." "It's Barbra Streisand," he said. "It's not rock 'n' roll. I don't even think they let that DNA near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." ------------------------------------------------------- Alice Cooper is the stage name for singer Vincent Furnier and his band, known for 1970s era hard rock songs "Eighteen," ''No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "School's Out." Their concerts were steeped in horror movie theatrics, and Cooper wrapped a snake around his neck during his speech accepting induction. He performed a trio of the band's hits in a shirt spattered with fake blood. ------------------------------------------------------- "We've always been a hard-rock band," Cooper said. "We just wanted to decorate it a little differently." Cooper said he'd like to promise the rock hall that his band wouldn't embarrass it. "But I can't make that promise," he said. "After all, we are Alice Cooper." He was inducted by singer Rob Zombie, who recalled how he painted a portrait of Cooper dripping in blood when he was in fourth grade and was asked to make a picture of someone he admired — drawing attention from school authorities. ------------------------------------------------------- Songwriter Waits is well-versed in blues, poetry and ballads, with songs rough and romantic. Several of his Hall of Fame predecessors have recorded his work, including Springsteen ("Jersey Girl"), the Ramones ("I Don't Want to Grow Up"), Rod Stewart ("Downtown Train") and Johnny Cash ("Down There By the Train"). Neil Young said Waits is indescribable and "I'm here to describe him." The two later performed together; taped highlights of the rock hall ceremony will be shown on Fuse on March 20. ------------------------------------------------------- Waits noted that his rock hall trophy was heavy and wondered if he could have a keychain version "that I can keep with me in case I hear somebody say, 'Pete, take the cuffs off him. He's a Hall of Famer.'" "They say that I have no hits and that I'm difficult to work with," he said, "and they say that like it's a bad thing." Russell composed "A Song for You" and "Delta Lady," but he said he was in "a ditch beside the highway of life" when Elton John called a year ago and suggested they record an album together. The result was nominated for a Grammy. ------------------------------------------------------- "After that album," John said, "Leon came alive, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life." Russell, with a shock of long white hair and beard, walked haltingly onstage with the help of a cane and met John for a warm embrace. Love, whose voice cut through Phil Spector's heavy production, called her induction into the hall her best 70th birthday present. She praised Spector's work but also tweaked him: "Phil Spector said God made two musical geniuses: Beethoven and Phil Spector," she recalled. ------------------------------------------------------- Love lent her powerful voice to several of Spector's hits, in acts such as the Crystals and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. Her "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a holiday standard: She sang on U2's cover and performs it every December on David Letterman's show. She was inducted with a comic ramble by Midler, who said she was a goner when she first heard Love's voice on a transistor radio. "Listening to her songs, you had to dance, you had to move, you had to keep looking for that rebel boy," Midler said. "Suddenly nobody wanted the buttoned-down guy who was a good provider." ------------------------------------------------------- New Orleans piano maestro Dr. John, born Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack Jr., was inducted by singer John Legend, who recalled meeting him at a benefit for Hurricane Katrina relief. Legend said the new Hall of Fame member has been a leading global ambassador for New Orleans and its special musical gumbo. "He has never stopped flying the flag of funk," Legend said. "Tonight, he is definitely in the right place at the right time." ------------------------------------------------------- That was a reference to one of Dr. John's best-known songs, "Right Place, Wrong Time," with Allen Toussaint and the Meters, which he performed as the ceremony slipped past midnight. Dr. John wore a bright purple suit for his big night and was asked backstage where he had bought his shoes. "The pimp store," he replied. ------------------------------------------------------- Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman and Specialty Records founder Art Rupe also were inducted, in the non-performer category. The inductees' work will be celebrated in perpetuity at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

Hello Again

Hello Again
Click on Photo for Video

IAM I SAID

You Got To Me

You Got To Me
click on photo

Beautiful Noise

Beautiful Noise
click on photo

NEIL DIAMOND in MUSIC HALL of Fame

NEIL DIAMOND in MUSIC HALL of Fame
click on photo to view Story

The Uncommon Neil Diamond Collection Part 1

The Uncommon Neil Diamond Collection Part 1
Unseen Albumn Covers

The Uncommon Neil Diamond Collection Part 2

The Uncommon Neil Diamond  Collection Part  2
Unseen Albumn Covers

CHECK OUT DIAMOND'S NEW CD


http://neildiamond.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=39936_53763
CLICK ON PHOTO TO PURCHASE



Aint No Sunshine

Aint No Sunshine
click on photo

IT WAS A HOT AUGUST NIGHT

IT WAS A HOT AUGUST NIGHT
click on PHOTO for 1972 Article

NEIL DIAMOND FAN CLUB

NEIL DIAMOND FAN CLUB
CLICK PHOTO TO JOIN DIAMOND FAN CLUB

Neil Diamond Photos

Neil Diamond Photos
click on photo to view

Sunday

CHERRY CHERRY




No comments:

Post a Comment

Leave a Comment

"WE" by Neil Diamond

"WE" by Neil Diamond
click on photo to view video

HELL YEAH

HELL YEAH
click on photo to view video

AMAZON

GREAT DEALS

NEIL DIAMOND MUSIC

HOT AUGUST NIGHT

HOT AUGUST NIGHT
BEST SELLING ALBUMN 1972

LADY OH

LADY OH
Click on Photo for Video

CLICK ON PHOTO 4MORE PHOTOS

Solitary Man 2010

BEAUTIFUL NOISE

BEAUTIFUL NOISE
CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO

DELIRIOUS LOVE NEIL DIAMOND

DELIRIOUS LOVE NEIL DIAMOND
CLICK ON PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO

NEIL & WAYLON JENNINGS

NEIL & WAYLON JENNINGS
click on photo to view video

8 1/2" Neil Diamond Plate

8 1/2" Neil Diamond Plate
click on photo for info

"AT NIGHT" 1959 SONG BY NEIL

"AT NIGHT" 1959 SONG BY NEIL
click photo to view the video

AMERICA

AMERICA
click on photo to view video

LONELY LOOKIN SKY 1973

LONELY LOOKIN SKY 1973
click on photo to view video

PLAY ME / WITH SHIRLEY BASSEY

PLAY ME / WITH SHIRLEY BASSEY
CLICK ON PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO

NEIL AND JOHNNY CASH

NEIL AND JOHNNY CASH
click on photo to view video

BIG SAVINGS ON DVD'S

BROTHER LUVS SALVATION SHOW

BROTHER LUVS SALVATION SHOW
click on PHOTO View Video

DIAMOND GEM

DIAMOND GEM
CLICK ON PHOTO FOR ARTICLE

50th LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNION OF 1958

50th LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNION OF 1958
click on photo to view video

Neil Singing "CRAZY"

Neil Singing "CRAZY"
click photo to view video

SolitaryMan 1966 Video

SolitaryMan 1966 Video
Click on Photo to view Video

GIRL YOU'LL BE A WOMAN 1967

GIRL YOU'LL BE A WOMAN 1967
CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW VIDEO

BIG SAVINGS

GLORY ROAD


Karaoke Hello Again