Posted on 08/12/2005 4:03:44 AM PDT by 7thson
My wife and I went to the Neil Diamond concert the other night at the MCI Center in Washington, DC. There were about 18,000 people there and he puts on a great show. Did over two hours of songs with no intermission. Not bad for a guy in his 60's.
He brings in a fantastic cross section of people. People from their teens to their 60's; white, black, Chinese, Indian, etc.
My wife and I saw him for the first time in 2001. It was about a week after 9/11 and we did not know if they would still have the show. I think everyone was still kind of jittery but he opened with Coming To America and brought the house down. Back then, everyone in the audience rocked to that song? And four years later?
Though he did not open with Coming To America, when he sang it, he brought the house down. 18,000 people cheering and singing! It gives lie to the MSM saying there is no support for this country!
During the song on the jumbo screens, a film ran showing scenes of immigrants - the legal ones - arriving to our shores. The end of the film was the Statue of Liberty with a panaramic background of NYC. The last scene showed the Twin Towers. Brought a lump to my throat.
All in all, a good night and a great concert. Makes you wonder why the media ignores guys like Diamond, he openly praises the United States, and concentrates on arseholes like Jagger and his ilk.
One more thing. While waiting to take the esculators, my wife and I spoke with an Army guy and his family. He was ramrod fit and straight. I asked if he was Army - suspected he was - and he said yes. Came back from Iraq back in February. Was not bitter or angry or anything like that. Very upbeat. Kept calling me sir until I finally said he did not have to do that. He was there with his wife and two kids. Asked later why I thought he was Army and not Marine, I told my wife its because he didn't have a slopping forehead. Just kidding. I respect all you Marines out there. I then seriously said that while his hair was cut short, it was not Marine style. Also, I said all the service branches carry themselves differently and he did not carry himself as a Marine.
Cool.
Oops. My Bad. I was thinking of Neil Sedaka. Sorry.
ping
Woh who who who yeah yeah yeah
(Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
Hmmm... I don't know that one.
It's more than one. Why, it's more than two!
Then it's somewhat less creepy. It's gonna take me a long time to shake the sketchiness.
Neil Diamond wrote the Monkees hit I'm a Believer. His recorded version is pretty good as well.
Another one I've been listening to a lot lately is Summerlove. That's a good one.
Sedaka's been married to the same woman since '62, which doesn't automatically rule out homosexuality, but probably.
Somehow the idea of a late middle aged man with a disintegrating voice singing a song told from the point of view of a single mother forced into prostitution is a bit much.
Not to mention when Gerard Depardieu sang it in "My Father, The Hero."
BUMP!
Well, thanks for the info, but I am one surprised guy if he does play on our team.
I typed in "Neil Sedaka" gay, and you may be right. He's a big supporter of something called Amfar since his long-time partner (*songwriting* partner, wink) died of AIDS. Also, in some British play, he played a gay bodybuilder who is married. The page with the AIDS info claimed he wasn't gay, but I'm not taking their word. In fact, I'm clearing my browser history since their url contains the word "queer" in it.
he did support Kerry, no suprise for a famous artist, and he is Jewish also, so that also makes it less of a shock.. But he's not a koolaid drinking ultra leftist that goes on the record staking his talent reputation and tying it to his politics, like Barbara Streisand....
One they may not shove it in my face. I expect to be entertained by entertainers. If I want politics I will turn on C-SPAN.
Second, they must not be anti-American.
Neil passes muster on both accounts.
My favorite Neil Diamond album was "Tap Root Manuscript".
Glad you enjoyed the concert. I haven't seen Neil Diamond but I gave my Dad tickets to see his show once and he said ND performed an excellent show.
By far my favorite of his songs is "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show.
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