by Paul Cashmere

Neil Diamond is one of the greatest songwriter / singers of a generation. I put songwriter before singer because before the "pop" fame Diamond literally had a day job as a songwriter working out of the Brill Building on Broadway in New York.

Young Neil would leave his Brooklyn Home every morning and go to work in the Brill Building to earn a paycheck of $50 per week.

It was here he knocked out hits for others including The Monkees I’m A Believer and Deep Purple’s Kentucky Woman.

It is important to note how Diamond’s career started because it set up for the foundation for who he was to become in the 70s off the back of his live album Hot August Night. “It is still my biggest selling album,” he told the audience last night at Rod Laver Arena.

Neil Diamond turned 70-years old in January but he can still make women squeal. When he performed Play Me and sang the line "I one day woke up to find her lying beside my bed / I softly said, 'Come take me'" the screams made it sound like a pop show. "It’s great to hear a group of hearts beating, especially at my age," he joked with the crowd.

Neil Diamond owned this audience from the moment he stepped on stage. The entire crowd were on their feet at song four Forever In Blue Jeans.

Did I hear Neil paying homage to Led Zeppelin during Cherry Cherry? I swear the band played a bit of the Black Dog riff and a few seconds of Zep’s Rock and Roll. Very subtle Mr D, but it did not go unnoticed.

On his most recent album Dreams, Neil covers some of his favourite songs. He included a set from the album in the show - Bill Withers' Ain’t No Sunshine, Gladys Knight’s Midnight Train To Georgia and his new version of his own song I’m A Believer which he played Rick Rubin style acoustic to start with and then rocked it up back to the original Monkees version.

Sweet Caroline was another audience pleaser. Once again, everyone was on their feet.

The Set List:

Main Set:

• Soolaimon (from Tap Root Manuscript, 1970)
• Beautiful Noise (from Beautiful Noise, 1976)
• Love On The Rocks (from The Jazz Singer, 1980)
• Forever In Blues Jeans (from You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, 1978)
• Pretty Amazing Grace (from Home Before Dark, 2008)
• Play Me (from Moods, 1972)
• Hello Again (from The Jazz Singer, 1980)
• Cherry Cherry (from The Feel of Neil Diamond, 1966)
• Solitary Man (from The Feel of Neil Diamond, 1966)
• Kentucky Woman (single, 1968)
• Ain’t No Sunshine (from Dreams, 2010)
• Midnight Train To Georgia (from Dreams, 2010)
• I’m A Believer (new version from Dreams, 2010)
• You Don’t Bring Me Flowers (from You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, 1978)
• Crunchy Granola Suite (from Stones, 1971)
• Sweet Caroline (from Sweet Caroline, 1969)
• Shilo (from Just For You, 1967)
• Holly Holy (from Touching Me, Touching You, 1969)
• Hell Yeah (from 12 Songs, 2005)

Encore:

• Cracklin’ Rosie (from Tap Root Manuscript, 1970)
• Brother Loves Travelling Salvation Show (from Sweet Caroline, 1969)
• I Am I Said (from Stones, 1971)