Diamonds are forever.  And Neil is no exception.  Almost 50 years ago, the singer-songwriter captured a Hot August Night at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre in front of a sold-out crowd.  That electrifying 1972 double-platinum double album, in turn, inspired four sequels released between 1977 and 2018.  Now, in September 2020, the Greek Theatre is dark as a result of COVID-19.  But Capitol and UMe have just released those four sequel albums as newly-remastered 2-LP vinyl sets.  Standard black vinyl versions are available everywhere while colorful variants are being sold exclusively through the uDiscoverMusic.com store.  Taken together, these four albums trace Diamond's development as a concert performer through various stages, from newly-minted superstar to elder statesman of popular song.  While his showmanship never falters, the setlist, arrangements, and "the feel of Neil" all vary from album to album.

By the time the original Hot August Night arrived at its conclusion with the inevitable "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," Diamond's voice was shredded and torn, but his passion was never more evident.  Even today, Hot August Night just about defines every aspect of Neil Diamond, the musician and the entertainer.  (A crystal-clear vinyl edition available from uDiscoverMusic.com.)  It's joined by the new quartet of reissues which kicks off with 1977's Love at the Greek.

The concert was recorded on September 13, 1976, three months after the release of the platinum-certified Beautiful Noise.  Like that LP, it was produced by The Band's Robbie Robertson who channeled the energy of the evening into four sides of vinyl.  It was issued in conjunction with a television special of the same name.  It received four Emmy Award nominations, and the album earned Diamond another top 10 berth on the Billboard 200.

But Love at the Greek, despite its title, wasn't just a collection of love songs but captured the breadth and variety of Diamond's set.  He leaned heavily upon Beautiful Noise, opening with "Street Life" and then presenting the title track, "Lady Oh," "Stargazer," "If You Know What I Mean," and "Surviving the Life" as a mini-suite occupying the entirety of Side Two.  While the singer and his tight-knit, long-standing band - Dennis St. John on drums, Richard Bennett on guitar, Alan Lindgren on keyboards, Doug Rhone on guitar, Reinie Press on bass, Linda Press on vocals, King Errisson on percussion, and Tom Hensley on keyboards - were largely faithful to the album renditions, the live versions capture the raw immediacy of the still-fresh material.  Diamond's mastery in front of an audience is evident by the grand treatment of the carnival-esque "Beautiful Noise" as well as the intimacy of "Lady Oh."

With the show having occurred roughly just a decade after Diamond's ascent to superstardom at Bang Records, the anthemic 1969 hit "Sweet Caroline" isn't a save-the-best-for-last moment but rather is performed early in the set.  ("Cracklin' Rosie" is absent from the album altogether.)  A couple of notable audience members - Helen Reddy and Henry Winkler, then playing the Fonz on Happy Days - joined Neil to a sing a couple of lines of "Song Sung Blue."  The raucous one-two punch of "Holly Holy" and Diamond's traditional show closer, "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," is the emotional high point but not the end of the set.  An epic yet earnest 15-minute Jonathan Livingston Seagull suite dominates the Side Four encore.  Thanks to Diamond's sincerity, it still maintains a power that transcends the poorly-received film for which Diamond composed the score.

Note that the longstanding CD edition (first released by Columbia and still available from Capitol) dropped "The Last Picasso" and "Longfellow Serenade" from the original album, so this reissue is a long-overdue chance to enjoy those songs anew in remastered sound.  (Now wouldn't a 45th anniversary complete CD/DVD edition be nice for 2022?)  The packaging replicates the original gatefold and individual sleeves, with new, custom labels in place of the Columbia ones.  Love at the Greek doesn't emphasize love songs, per se, but the love between performer and audience is visceral, indeed.

15 years after Hot August Night, 1987 saw Neil release an official sequel.  Produced by Val Garay, Hot August Night II was also recorded at the Greek, and shared some of the same repertoire with its predecessor. (The same band also supported Diamond, save Ron Tutt instead of Dennis St. John on drums, plus a full string section.)  But it also reflected Diamond's changing setlists; the concert opened with an urgent, raspy "Headed for the Future" from the album which the singer was then promoting while relatively newer favorites like The Jazz Singer's "America," "Hello Again," and "Love on the Rocks" had already become concert staples.  Since 1972 (and even since Love at the Greek), Neil had become yet more confident, and that bigger presence is in evidence here.  The emotion had become more outsized on ballads like the Gilbert Becaud co-write "September Morn" or the semi-autobiographical "I Am...I Said," and the exuberance greater on flashy renditions of "Cherry, Cherry," "Thank the Lord for the Night Time," a throat-shredding "Cracklin' Rosie," and the bright "Forever in Blue Jeans."

That evening at the Greek, Diamond also introduced the uptempo "Back in L.A." as well as his version of the then-new "I Dreamed a Dream," from the musical Les Miserables.  (His studio version of the anthemic showstopper, originally issued on a single, still remains sadly unavailable in the CD/digital era.)  The lyric doesn't quite work for a male singer, but Neil clearly recognized the song's enormous potential.

The closing high-energy salvos of Diamond's early world music exploration "Soolaimon" and the rousing "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" - the same two songs that closed the first Hot August Night - were now followed at the show's climax by a subdued final encore of "Heartlight," the artist's E.T.-inspired hit co-written with Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. Hot August Night II went platinum, and like Love at the Greek, hasn't been available on vinyl in 30 years.  This edition nicely replicates the original gatefold and features new custom labels.

This vinyl collection then jumps ahead more than two decades.  In August 2008, as part of a world tour, Diamond took the Hot August Night spirit east to his hometown of New York City.  The next year, Columbia released Hot August Night/NYC, recorded at Madison Square Garden, on DVD/BD and CD.  Produced by Ian Stewart, it opened at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and - further attesting to Diamond's longevity and cross-generational appeal - became another platinum smash.

Diamond and his band (this time bolstered by a four-piece brass section as well as Maxine and Julia Waters joining Linda Press on backgrounds) kept his setlist fresh, opening with "Holly Holy" - one of the final songs on the prior live albums - and continuing right into "Street Life" and "Beautiful Noise," last heard live on Love at the Greek.  This all-embracing, career-spanning approach resulted in an electric as well as eclectic night for his longtime fans; as with "Street Life" and "Beautiful Noise," "Brooklyn Roads" provided a touching moment of connection for the New York audience.  Seeming to channel the city's pulse, Diamond was playing his guitar more than ever, and the horns got a workout on such energetic songs as "Street Life" and "Done Too Soon" in addition to offering more subtle support elsewhere.  Throughout, the sound of NYC is rich and full.

Reprising the then-recent "Home Before Dark," "Don't Go There," "Pretty Amazing Grace," "Man of God," and "Hell Yeah" from his acclaimed and intimate album collaborations with producer Rick Rubin, Diamond delivered vigorous, passionate, and surprisingly tender performances for such a massive arena.  Sturdy compositions all, they benefit from the band's re-arrangements.  "Don't Go There" swings lightly while "Pretty Amazing Grace" emphasizes its Latin flavor and "Man of God" leans into a New Orleans gospel flavor.  "Hell Yeah" is a triumphant latter-day equivalent to "I Am...I Said," performed earlier in the set; it's also the de facto finale here.  To keep Hot August Night/NYC to two LPs, six songs have been cut from the fulsome original CD presentation: "Crunchy Granola Suite," "Sweet Caroline," "I'm a Believer," and the closing three songs, "Cracklin' Rosie," "America," and "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show."  The gatefold artwork is adapted from the CD version and makes room for Neil's introduction as well as brief liner notes, credits, and plenty of photos.

The final release in this series, 2018's Hot August Night III brought Neil Diamond full circle as it preserved the 40th anniversary concerts celebrating the original 1972 album.  The setting was again The Greek Theatre in August 2012, and Diamond persuasively recreated numerous highlights from '72 including "Solitary Man," "Play Me," "I Am...I Said," and the inevitable "Sweet Caroline," "Cracklin' Rosie," and "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show."  Remarkably, his band was still intact, plus the same horn section and background trio as heard on the '09 set.  The album (produced by Diamond) was released on CD, DVD, and BD, and this release brings it to vinyl.

The set has a valedictory air to it, altogether appropriate for an artist of Diamond's stature.  He's in good voice throughout - throaty but still commanding - and particularly enjoyable as he revisits the Bang-era favorites "Red, Red Wine," "You Got to Me," "Cherry, Cherry" incorporating band introductions), "Kentucky Woman," "Solitary Man," and "I'm a Believer" - the latter in both ballad and rock arrangements.  His earnest, down-to-earth demeanor makes even the most dramatic numbers like "America" land beautifully; no matter how sweeping the sentiment, Diamond believes in the lyric - and the audience does, too.

As with NYC, numerous songs have been cut from the longer CD presentation of the marathon show to keep it on two vinyl platters.  "Love on the Rocks," "Hello Again," "September Morn," "Shilo," "Red, Red Wine," "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon," "Glory Road," "Chelsea Morning," "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind," "Pretty Amazing Grace," "We," "Stones," "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," "Morningside," and "Crunchy Granola Suite" have all been excised from the original setlist, with a generous 17 songs remaining plus an overture, reprise, and exit music.  Losing the Rubin-era material and some of the deeper cuts transforms Hot August Night III into an even more explicit nostalgia trip, sharing ten songs with the '72 album.  The album is housed in similar fashion to the other titles, with a glossy gatefold sleeve and photos and credits on the colorful printed inner sleeves.

The new reissues have been mastered for vinyl by the artist's longtime associates Bernie and Dale Becker, and sonics are consistent with their past work on his discography.  While Diamond has released other live albums (including the underrated Gold: Recorded Live at The Troubadour, as raw and rocking a show as he ever played - and one fully in need of a remaster on both vinyl and CD), the Hot August Night series captures him at his finest, performing in his original and adoptive hometowns of New York City and Los Angeles.  All of these releases are available now alongside a 2-LP black vinyl edition of the career-overview All Time Greatest Hits.  Target has been carrying a crystal-clear exclusive variant of the 23-song compendium originally released on CD in 2014.  (Unlike the original CD edition of this anthology, the chart-topping duet version of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" with Barbra Streisand is indeed included.)

Happily, Neil Diamond is still thriving today.  In 2018, not long before Hot August Night III was first released, he announced his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.  As a result, he shared, he would no longer be able to tour.  Yet he's still making music.  In early 2020, Neil thrilled audiences with a heartwarming surprise performance at a Las Vegas benefit gala.  "I'm feeling great," he confirmed to People.  The singer added, "It does have its challenges, but I'm feeling good and I feel very positive...I'm feeling better every day.  Just dealing with it as best I can, and keep the music coming."  During COVID-19, Neil also shared a video in which he performed "Sweet Caroline" with some topical lyric rewrites: "Hands, washing hands..."

September might be upon us, and the world might still be fighting COVID-19, but these Hot August Night reissues are powerfully enjoyable reminders of those days when "good times never felt so good."

Neil Diamond, Hot August Night (MCA Records LP MCA2-8000, 1972 - reissued Geffen/UMe B0026465-01, 2020) (Clear Vinyl Edition: uDiscoverMusic.com)

Side A

1. Prologue
2. Crunchy Granola Suite
3. Done Too Soon
4. Solitary Man
5. Cherry Cherry
6. Sweet Caroline

Side B

1. Porcupine Pie
2. You're So Sweet
3. Red, Red Wine
4. Soggy Pretzels
5. And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind
6. Shilo
7. Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon

Side C

1. Play Me
2. Canta Libre
3. Morningside
4. Song Sung Blue
5. Cracklin' Rosie

Side D

1. Holly Holy
2. I Am...I Said
3. Soolaimon/Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show (Encore)

Neil Diamond, Love at the Greek (Columbia LP KC2 34404, 1977 - reissued Capitol/UMe B0031895-01, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / uDiscoverMusic.com)

Side A

1. Street Life
2. Kentucky Woman
3. Sweet Caroline
4. The Last Picasso
5. Longfellow Serenade

Side B

1. Beautiful Noise
2. Lady-Oh
3. Stargazer
4. If You Know What I Mean
5. Surviving the Life

Side C

1. Glory Road
2. Song Sung Blue
3. Holly Holy
4. Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show

Side D

1. Jonathan Livingston Seagull: Be/Dear Father/Lonely Looking Sky/Sanctus/Skybird/Be (Encore)
2. I've Been This Way Before

Neil Diamond, Hot August Night II (Columbia LP C2X 40990, 1986 - reissued Capitol/UMe B0031892-01, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / uDiscoverMusic.com)

Side A

1. Song of the Whales (Fanfare)
2. Headed for the Future
3. September Morn
4. Thank the Lord for the Night Time
5. Cherry, Cherry
6. Sweet Caroline

Side B

1. Hello Again
2. Love on the Rocks
3. America
4. Forever in Blue Jeans
5. You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Side C

1. I Dreamed a Dream
2. Back in L.A.
3. Song Sung Blue
4. Cracklin' Rosie
5. I Am...I Said

Side D

1. Holly Holy
2. Soolaimon
3. Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
4. Heartlight

Neil Diamond, Hot August Night/NYC (Columbia 88697 62841 2, 2010 - reissued Capitol/UMe B0031894-01, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / uDiscovermusic.com)

Side A

1. Opening/Holly Holy
2. Street Life
3. Beautiful Noise
4. Love on the Rocks
5. Play Me

Side B

1. Thank the Lord for the Night Time
2. Home Before Dark
3. Don't Go There
4. Pretty Amazing Grace
5. Done Too Soon

Side C

1. Brooklyn Roads
2. I Am...I Said
3. Solitary Man
4. Kentucky Woman
5. Forever in Blue Jeans

Side D

1. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
2. Song Sung Blue
3. Man of God
4. Hell Yeah

Neil Diamond, Hot August Night III (Capitol B0028149-00, 2018 - reissued Capitol/UMe, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / uDiscovermusic.com)

Side A

1. Overture
2. Soolaimon
3. Beautiful Noise
4. Forever in Blue Jeans
5. Play Me
6. Red, Red Wine

Side B

1. You Got to Me
2. Cherry, Cherry
3. Kentucky Woman
4. Solitary Man
5. Cracklin' Rosie

Side C

1. I'm a Believer
2. Holly Holy
3. Sweet Caroline
4. Sweet Caroline (Reprise)

Side D

1. I Am...I Said
2. America
3. Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
4. I've Been This Way Before
5. Walk-Off

Neil Diamond, All-Time Greatest Hits (Capitol B0020812-02, 2014 - reissued 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / uDiscoverMusic.com / Target.com)

Side A

1. Cracklin' Rosie
2. Forever in Blue Jeans
3. Song Sung Blue
4. Sweet Caroline
5. Holly Holy
6. Red Red Wine

Side B

1. Hello Again
2. Beautiful Noise
3. America
4. September Morn
5. Love on the Rocks

Side C

1. Shilo
2. You Don't Bring Me Flowers (Duet with Barbra Streisand)
3. Morningside
4. Soolaimon
5. Play Me
6. Kentucky Woman

Side D

1. Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon
2. Solitary Man
3. I'm a Believer
4. Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
5. Cherry Cherry
6. I Am, I Said