Neil Diamond

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Tue May 10, 2005 4:10 pm

I know that 98% of you guys would not enjoy Neil Diamond, but I do.

I've just bought the DVD Greatest Hits Live from 1988 and I love it!

There's something about live shows which appeals to me far more than music videos a la MTV and the like.

One thing which really struck me about this concert was his backing band. Firstly it was a brilliant mix and the sound quality was excellent, the musicians all very accomplished (although no lead breaks at all). But the big attraction was watching the band thoroughly enjoy every part of the show - they were digging every song and it shined through.

The audience were so into the whole atmosphere and eagerly participated in what I imagine was a concert which will stay with them.

So, y'all might have found it boring and old hat, but I loved every bit of it.

Although this isn't the case for me at th mo', whenever I feel like I should retire from music, all it takes is a concert I enjoy and suddenly I'm straining at the leash again.

DC4 · Post by **DC4** » Tue May 10, 2005 4:54 pm

Yeah, know what you mean. I finally managed to get (took ages to track down!) The Shadows: Final Tour DVD. Recorded live last year (2004). Watched some of it for the first time last night - these guys just doing what they do just blows me away.
And they looked like they are having a ball, all three hours of it!
Sigh.

scottpalmy · Post by **scottpalmy** » Tue May 10, 2005 5:34 pm

I Agree Rog.

Went to the Neil Diamond concert in Wellington and had good seats near the front. Band was great, They certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves.

Atmosphere was good. And the singer wasn't too bad as well.

Scott

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Tue May 10, 2005 6:04 pm

I love Neil Diamond's early music and shouted my elderly mum and dad to his Chch concert in March.

I grew up on it

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Tue May 10, 2005 6:51 pm

OK I stand corrected, more here than I thought like the oldies. I thought maybe just B45-12 and myself ...

ash · Post by **ash** » Tue May 10, 2005 9:29 pm

My mother is somewhat keen on Neil Diamond. His CDs are always a handy christmas backup plan

While I can't say I'm specifically a fan, I do appreciate certain songs greatly and his songwriting talent extends beyond his own performances. His name appears in surprisingly many credits.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Wed May 11, 2005 7:40 am

I still find that I'm a Believer and Sweet Caroline sell very well at gigs - never fail to get people on the floor.

Gelato · Post by **Gelato** » Wed May 11, 2005 11:31 am

Now here's something I bet you didn't expect.... I really like Neil Diamond

He was my parents favourite singer and so growing up was probably the artist that I heard the most (him and Gordon Lightfoot). I would suspect that if I went to a concert I would be able to sing along with at least 90% of the songs without missing a word

raz · Post by **raz** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:05 pm

I thought Johnny Cash's version of Solitary Man really revitalised that song. On the whole, I don't like Neil Diamond himself, but think he's written some great songs.

raz

philipnz · Post by **philipnz** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:23 pm

Rog wrote:I still find that I'm a Believer and Sweet Caroline sell very well at gigs - never fail to get people on the floor.

Yep, we do I'm a Believer and people love it - even the young crowd in pubs who also ask us all the time for Sweet Caroline along with likes of The Gambler. They are cult songs

jimi · Post by **jimi** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:31 pm

He's my stepfathers favorite singer so I associate him with the childhood trauma of my stepfather singing sweet caroline at the top of his lungs while skipping down the hall and banging on the wall in his y-fronts at 9 in the morning to wake me up on weekends.

As a kid it was never cool to like the music your parent listened to, but my mother had the coolest collection of Bowie and Alice Cooper on vinyl and my father made it a bit of a mission to open my mind to music that didnt make it onto the Hawkes Bay top 40's radio stations by getting me listening to the Ramones and Jethro Tull. Neil Diamond however is one guy who I will never be able to enjoy.

ash · Post by **ash** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:01 pm

recycledpet wrote:banging on the wall in his y-fronts

He had a wall in his Y-fronts?!?!? Jeez!!

Tsuken · Post by **Tsuken** » Wed May 11, 2005 3:51 pm

hmmmm... my parents had Jimi Hendrix, Santana, and Iron Butterfly. No surprise how I turned out, eh?

They did have one Neil Diamond album, and I do vaguely recall rather liking it, but I've not remained consciously aware of him/his music.

Tehhaxorr · Post by **Tehhaxorr** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:34 pm

My mother listens to diamond, its god damn awfull. |Give me Nile any day.

JamesW · Post by **JamesW** » Wed May 11, 2005 8:19 pm

I like Neil Diamond. I went to see him in concert with my dad in Christchurch. He bought the tickets though. I wouldn't have paid for them myself. I'm not that big a fan.