17 October 2017 (gig)
17 October 2017
When I told my 75 year old mum we were going to see Neil Diamond she was hopping like a teenager. She had a number of opportunities over the years to see him live but for one reason or another she had never laid a hold of them. So, as Mr Diamond celebrated a distinguished 50 year career my old ma finally got her chance.
So, the expectation was that the majority of the crowd would be fellow septuagenarians, resurrecting those heady nostalgic rose tinted times of youthful romance and dreaming from the late 60s and 70s. But, the crowd that packed in to the O2 represented both an older and a newer generation. Sat next to us were four lads in their twenties who knew all the words. Albeit, there were quite a few other middle aged children treating there mums to a night with Neil.
Neil Diamond took the stage backed by an illustrious band, including long term collaborator, guitarist and composer Richard Bennett and his son Nick; flamboyant backing singers Julia and Maxine Waters, and a fine rhythm and brass section. Diamond delivered what was expected of him: a showcase of hits and plenty of opportunity for the besotted crowd to sing their hearts out.
“Fifty years … it’s gone by in a minute. Most importantly, I can still sing, and you can sing along with me,” he told the crowd before breaking in to his 1966 chart topper Solitary Man. This was not long followed by Love on the Rocks he wrote with Gilbert Becaud for the movie The Jazz Singer, and then the touching waltz Play Me. His voice is still rich after all these years and playing on those heart strings of nostalgia, I caught a glimpse of emotion well in my mum’s eyes.
Neil Diamond can’t quite move about as he used to, but the crowd made up for it with the first of a number of more energetic numbers. Song Sung Blue got most up on to their feet, and by the time Red Red Wine and I’m a Believer were played, there were hips a-wiggling and hands a-clapping everywhere.
Brooklyn Roads was accompanied on the video screen by a montage of personal family footage from his boyhood years, including a film of him circa 1970, young and handsome, walking the old roads of his youth. Fifty years may have seemed to have gone by in a second for Neil Diamond, but those times have long since passed.
Sweet Caroline opened the encore and without doubt got the loudest participation from the crowd, as the chorus was reprised. I thought it should have ended there, but next up was Cracklin’ Rosie and then the show was rounded off with America, a patriotic tribute to United States immigration. An important song in Neil Diamond’s catalogue, maybe, but not necessarily best choice finale for a London crowd who were still humming Sweet Caroline long after the house lights were up.
