“That Ain’t No Brotha, That’s a White Boy!”
Guess what I did on Thursday? I crossed off one of the items on my “Things I Want to do Before I Die” list! No… I didn’t make passionate love to a farm animal. I saw Neil Diamond in concert!!! And it was everything I thought it would be, and more!
Yes, I know you are all jealous of me. Hell, I’m jealous of myself!
Mr. Diamond sang for about two and a half hours straight without any breaks, and not once did he try to do a “remake” of any of his songs. I hate when artists sing their own songs differently in concert. I went to a Sting concert one time, and he sang all his songs using different arrangements, and everyone in the crowd tried to sing along and it sounded like a bunch of first graders trying to sing the national anthem. He even had some dude rap during the break of “Englishman in New York“. It was a travesty.
Anyway, for as old as Neil Diamond is, he was extremely energetic and really worked the stage. Although he really only had one “move” where he extended his arm out, palm up, and waved it across the crowd like he was serving a tray of hors d’ oeuvres.
I will say this, never in my life have I seen so many people unable to clap in unison. Neil would start a song, tell everyone to clap their hands, and for the first three or four claps, everyone would be ok. Then complete clapping chaos would ensue. The black dude playing the bongos kept having to stop playing and facilitate clapping seminars where he would exaggeratedly clap his hands over his head to get the audience back on track. These people had less rhythm than microwave popcorn. It was pretty funny.
Nevertheless, no amount of poor clapping nor embarrassingly horrible dancing in the aisles could ruin the evening. Neil was phenomenal, and I’m so thrilled I got to see him live!
