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Well here I am near Calais waiting for my ferry in the morning. Time to reflect on last night’s concert. Ian has done a very accurate review so I will not repeat. I just wanted to say that if I had not been a ND fan I would never have gone to Antwerp. The holiday of 5 weeks was not scheduled to go to this part of Belgium. However a small voice in me said “Why not go to the first concert of the tour, you have the time.” Was it part of listening to Neil’s words in Hell Yeah for the last three years, maybe. I just knew it was something I HAD TO DO. What a time we have had by just going on instinct and going with the flow. No time to worry about getting best seats in the house for us any seats in the house would do. No time to worry about getting the tickets in the post more how the hell will we get these e-tickets printed on campsites. Then how do you get to the venue when the campsite is on the other side of the river. We managed all of this helped with kind Belgians who speak English far better than we deserved.
Being a ND fan has meant that I have had three fantastic days in Antwerp that I would not have had without Neil picking this city for his concert. Was it worth it? Hell Yeah it was. I had to pinch myself that I was listening to Glory Road, Morningside and I’ve Been this way before.In fact I hope he sings them again in the UK because I was so shocked by their magnificence and presence that I don’t think I really took them in certainly not IBTWB. It was interesting to watch Neil perform in a country where the native language is not English. IT did not seem to matter. The audience loved the hits that some on this board have had enough of. Like Tristan I think they were reserved towards the end BUT it was SO HOT in the venue. WE needed all the cans of spray that Neil could provide in the high balconies.
Some observations:
I loved to see Neil in a coloured shirt. Black is good but colour was great. I was on the LHS of the arena so we had a lot of the HORNDOGZ. I am beginning to agree with those on the board who do not like them. They were used quite a bit throughout the concert and there were times when I hoped that I could just hear Neil and the guitars. Hell Yeah was the vocal and emotional highlight for me like Holly Holy was at the EP in the UK. I would still like PAG if Neil could fit it in because it is his modern masterpiece.
Neil seemed in such good form, talking, joking taking time out to TALK to us that WAS GOOD. Clearly songs I would rest like YDBMF are still LOVED LOVED LOVED by the main audience. They LOVED BN, FIBJ, HA, LOTR and the rocking IAB. Vocally Neil is in fine form and I love listening to him and his guitar only which is why I loved Hell Yeah, The concert really exploded with Cherry Cherry- it is like Neil getting a big shot of magic juice that just gets him up when those riffs are played. CGS is still my concert favourite and I hope it never goes out of the setlist because it ROCKS.
Antwerp was a wonderful concert and a wonderful city to visit, I will be back. Like Jane/VA said in 2008, “It is a great time to be a Neil Diamond fan.” Roll on the UK concerts they will be a blast.
PS Nicky, David was rocking to Sweet Caroline, even on the third time, even though he would never admit it!! Will I ever dry the dishes with my new ND T towel? I am not sure and last but not least, the new tour book is beautiful.