Live Music Blog

Hearing Neil Again
I heard about the Neil Diamond performance coming to Charlotte on December 12. I became excited and tried to buy tickets. After a few hours on the Internet, I realized this has been going to be a treat reserved for those who can afford to pay the scavenger’s exorbitant prices for the tickets. Not that Neil is not worth it, I just can’t afford it. Thus, my moodiness tonight. I want to hear Neil in person one last time, and can’t.
Loving Neil has been a lifetime joy of mine. He captured my heart in the 60’s with “Cherry, Cherry” and later with “Song Sung Blue” and “Stones”, and many others. I saw him in performance in Charlotte in 1977. After the performance, I drove behind the coliseum, saw a bus, thought it has been his and chased it all over Charlotte at high rates of speed until I lost track and has been forced to go home. I honestly thought I would follow this bus to it is destination upon which Neil would depart and walk into my arms to stay forever. I has been 29 years old then.
I’m 61 now, and still have that fantasy…someday I will take Neil into my arms and convey my absolute appreciation of his skill and sensitivity. His songs guided me through years of self-discovery, new motherhood, loss of love, and finally rediscovering myself. Regardless of my mood, Neil’s music can take me there. I nursed my babies in the wee hours of the morning to the sound of Neil, I loved my husband in the wee hours with the echoes of Neil’s music in my head, I endured my boring jobs with the beat of Neil’s music in my limbs yearning to dance, to express, to feel his words with motion. Neil always had a song that would relate to whatever has been going on with my life. I need to let him know it. I need to go to this performance. It will probably be by last opportunity.
The performance is a big deal to me. It’s probably a big deal to Neil. We’re both getting older, both needing to justify our years, both needing to be appreciated, both needing to feel that we’ll be remember ed. He will be remember ed for his skill, but will I be remember ed as the the dedicated, lifelong fan?