New Years Eve concert - in the mile high city;
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Photo by Linda McConnell, News Staff Photographer,
THE ARTICLE READS:
Diamond leaves fans 'song sung' satisfied
Yes, it may have cost up to $1,000 a ticket but all 15,842 people on the Pepsi Center on New Year's Eve will remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the calender turned over to 2000. Alternating between intimate moments alone with his audience, Neil Diamond wove his way through 35 years of his history and ending up singing Coming to America to the world as the clock struck twelve. Even non-fans would have gotten a chill from the moment - and believe me, there weren't any non-fans in the house. Odd, isn't it, that Diamond's blend of song craft, showmanship and emotion could attract fans of everyone from Robbie Robertson to Urge Overkill, and still fill arenas after 3 decades? Opening with Beautiful Noise from the Robertson - produced album of the same name, Diamond deftly walked through his 35 - year history, going heavy on the hits but also paying tribute to the key points in his career, from his early songs to breakthrough projects like Jonathan Livingston Seagull. It's hard to tell what his fans like better. The entire Pepsi Center was on its feet for barn burners like Cracklin' Rosie and Forever in Blue Jeans, yet was also spellbound, silent and rapt for more emotional numbers - Love on the Rocks and Play Me. Diamond loves to be onstage and his enthusiasm spreads; he reprised Cracklin' Rosie twice after ending the song, to the crowd's ever - increasing delight. With nine musicians on stage backing Diamond you'd think the temptation to swaddle his voice in lush arrangements would be irresistible. Yet Diamond's voice is the allure of any songs he sings, and he's wise enough not to let anyone cover it up. Strong and sure, his rich singing was front and center with nowhere to hide, especially powerful in If You Know What I Mean, You Don't Bring Me Flowers and a deliciously percussion - heavy Cherry Cherry. Diamond has tinkered with some of his arrangements, particularly a slowed, deliberate Solitary Man. Yet he's clearly not tired of the big hits that got him such a devoted following, delivering note-perfect renditions of Song Sung Blue and a delicate, intricate I Am...I Said. If other places had Y2K problems, they weren't showing up here. The only drawbacks were production-related. Early on, the mix tended to bury Diamond's vocals, a glitch that was soon fixed. Diamond's revolving stage made for a more intimate in-the-round concert experience, even from the rafters. But the setup left little room for him to stretch; you could sense a restlessness that could have been explosive if the man had just had a little more room to move. No matter. He left the crowd delirious with Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show and a spontaneous sing-along in Auld Lang Syne. If nothing else, he ensured that the arenas will be full again next time he comes around.
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Copyright © Jean & Tony Bovis 2003