Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 6, 1993 TAG: 9303060153
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FANS LOVE DIAMOND'S OLDIES MUSICAL REVUE
Love in the Round.That was what Neil Diamond called it. That was what Neil Diamond did.
From a circular, rotating stage surrounded by 10,474 people Thursday night at the Roanoke Civic Center, Diamond offered up a loving tribute to his music, an enduring 30-year career and one of the most loyal legion of fans in the rock era.
They, in turn, loved the theatrical Diamond, who drank up the adoration for everything it was worth. Clearly, Diamond is a man unafraid to show how much he enjoys the spotlight.
But he has earned the right.
How many other performers can pack a room like Diamond? And at 52? There are only a handful. Few of them, too, have Diamond's flair for the dramatic.
Granted, it isn't to everyone's taste, but there was no denying Thursday night that Diamond's bombast was effective. He pointed, sweated, pumped his fist, thumped his chest, swiveled his hips and let loose that gravel-throated voice of his, all at the right moments.
He is a master of the arena-filling, "Thannk-yooouuuu."
His entrance alone said everything, as Diamond hit the stage amid a swirl of green lasers and rushing sound that made it appear almost like a spaceship was landing.
Diamond's graying mane - thinning on top and longer in the back - his sideburns and bushy eyebrows added to the illusion as well. (Was it just me or did Diamond look like one of the Klingons from "Star Trek" fame?)
Two songs into a show that had no opening act and ran nearly 2 1/2 hours, he teased: "Hey, we're going to reach back and do some oldies for you. I hope you remember some of these things."
He then launched into three of his biggest hits from three decades ago, "Solitary Man," "Cherry, Cherry" and "Sweet Caroline," backed by a tight and lively nine-piece backing band that was heavy on percussion. On the rotating stage Diamond carried with him a drummer and two percussionists who filled out Diamond's sound immeasurably.
The band kicked some life into several of Diamond's songs with a harder rock treatment, but at the same time it drowned out the singer's vocals.
A better complement came with the softer numbers, particularly "Brooklyn Roads" and the somber "Morningside." His best vocal work, however, was on "Shilo" and "Holly Holy," which were show-stoppers.
Not so good was a weak "Cracklin' Rosie" and a faux-reggae arrangement for "Red Red Wine" that badly missed the mark. Diamond also left out favorites, "Thank the Lord for the Night Time" and "Kentucky Woman."
Mostly though, he included the biggies: "Love on the Rocks," "Forever in Blue Jeans," "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," "I Am . . . I Said," "September Morn," "Song Sung Blue," even "I'm a Believer."
And you have to give Diamond credit. He poured everything he had into his performance, singing every song as if it was his last of the night.
He finally did end with "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show."
For Love in the Round, it seemed an appropriate finish.