In the last year, he has been feted with a Kennedy Center Honor and inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Some of that may have come from Diamond himself, who, at the age of 71, seems at the prime of his life both professionally and personally. Whether it was the sing-along reprisals of both “Red, Red Wine” and “Sweet Caroline,” which was delivered three times in some capacity, or the patriotic glee of “America,” which featured digital fireworks and red, white and blue imagery, the show was a testament to escapism. As a result, the shows played heavily on both nostalgia and merriment.ĬONCERT REVIEW: Red Hot Chili Peppers Show Love for L.A. Among the many highlights were the raucous “Holly Holy,” a gorgeously quiet “Morningside” and the anthemic “Cracklin’ Rosie,” which he punctuated with the lines, “We got all night, to set the world right.”Īs shrewd a performer as any touring today, one who, like Bruce Springsteen, knows his audience exceptionally well, Diamond grasped the significance of the shows not just for himself, but for his devout fans, many of whom were either reliving their past or trying to tap into a moment in time they might have missed on the first go-round. With four more decades of hits to draw from, Diamond and his exceptional band didn’t stick to the original set list strictly, but a vast majority of the material came from that album. Backed by a 14-piece band, Diamond kicked off the show with a joyous version of “Sooliamon,” the same celebratory track that led into the finale of the Hot August Night album. The significance of those original dates was felt beyond the stage banter, it hung over every part of his two-hour set. PHOTOS: The Beatles: Rare Photos Offer Inside Look at Fab Four Neil Diamond Musical 'A Beautiful Noise' to Open on Broadway in December “I love you,” he said to the screaming masses. Indeed, the impact of the venue was foremost on Diamond’s mind and he seemed visibly moved when, during the intro to “Cherry, Cherry,” he had the house lights turned all the way up to “take in” the crowd. #Neil diamond top rated live performer professional“Forty years ago it made my day, made my year, made my professional life, the Greek Theatre did,” he said of the album that changed his career. He acknowledged his own history on Saturday night, returning to the Greek for the first time in 25 years. After that date, Neil Diamond became an icon. He needed one major signature event to make the leap and the multi-platinum Hot August Night, recorded at the Greek on August 24, 1972, became that transcendent moment. As the story goes, and the new 40th anniversary edition of Hot August Night confirms, in 1972, Diamond was on the verge of superstardom. As one of the most popular live performers in the world, Neil Diamond has a lot of venues he can call his own, but only one he can truly call home: L.A.’s Greek Theatre.
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