In 1973, my mother returned from a lengthy bridgework session, where the dentist played her what became her favorite record, Neil Diamond’s career making live double, Hot August Night. It’s a more interesting set than I, age 5, then realised.
The former Tin Pan Alley tunesmith, brandishes his cast iron contributions to the Great American Songbook in a Californian amphitheatre, shaggy like a rock star, but unambiguously showbiz.
Diamond’s bizarre Springsteen-Manilow hybrid remains unresolved, even after tinkering from the reinvention guru Rick Rubin in 2005, but this expanded Hot August Night captures the freshly cut Diamond in his most enjoyably conflicted state.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk