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.
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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John Robins, Comedian
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Stuart, Chortle
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com