Customer Reviews

Stages

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Neil Diamond tends to evoke a strong emotional reaction in most people. He is loved and loathed in equal measure. For those who loathe him, he is a purveyor of overly sentimental schmaltz with banal lyrics. For those who love him, he touches raw emotional nerves with the honesty and lyricism of his composition and his total commitment to his craft.

There is one thing that is undeniable, Neil Diamond is at his very best when he is performing in a live setting. His fans adore him and he is utterly committted to them.

Stages is, as a consequence, the epitome of what it is that makes Neil Diamond the phenomenon he has been since the mid 1960's. Five audio discs of live performances, including one comprising Christmas songs, and one DVD containing highlights from his 2002 Irish concerts and a look at backstage life on tour.

This box set is, in short, a masterpiece. Discs 1 and 2 comprise the complete 2002 tour concert set recorded in December in Las Vegas. Diamond is in fine voice throughout. The show is well paced and contains many of his classic hits together with some new songs from his last studio album, Three Chord Opera. Highlights include Lady Magdalene/Yes I Will, Captain Sunshine, The Boat That I Row, Starflight, I Haven't Played this Song in Years and If You Know What I Mean. These songs will be well known to fans but not to the casual listener. They are worth attention because, particularly in the live setting, they give some insight to the non-believer why Neil Diamond has such a devoted and passionate following.

Discs 3 and 4 contain many really wonderful live performances of lesser known Diamond songs and some covers. Primitive, Home is a Wounded Heart, Fire on the Tracks, Rainy Day Song, Glory Road, The Story of My Life and Mountains of Love are magnificent. Covers such as Teach me Tonight, Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/ The End, God Only Knows, Lay Lady Lay and Rocket Man demonstrate the ability of Diamond to take a song written by somebody else and, with that astonishing voice, turn it into something uniquely his own.

Disc 5 comprises Christmas Songs. Not everybody's cup of tea and really only for seasonal listening.

The DVD is divided into two parts. One part shows highlights from Diamond's sold out Irish concerts in Dublin in 2002. The set comprises the usual suspects: Cracklin Rosie, Sweet Caroline, Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, I Am...I Said, I'm a Believer and more. Diamond is in great voice, the audience is wildly enthusiastic and the whole thing leaves you wanting more. You just know that, as good as it is watching a DVD of the show, it must have been amazing to be there. I was...and it was!

The backstage portion of the DVD is a revelation. You gain insight into life on the road. You get to know the band and the crew. You see how close knit this community have become over more than 25 years together. You see the strain of a long tour. You understand the decency and the humanity of a very down to earth band of inter dependent people. You see the genuine humility of the "lead vocalist" and the respect and love that he and his troupe share.

This box set is an essential purchase for all Neil Diamond fans. If you are not a fan of the Neil Diamond you think you know (as one other reviewer described himself), you could do worse than spend a few hours with this collection. You may be surprised by what you will find

I think what is most impressive about this boxset is the sheer volume of live performances being released as one set. I know that Pearl Jam released most of their performances on individual discs during one of their tours, but this is one package, and it spans a number of decades. Interestingly enough, there is a great deal of consistency passing through the years. Many artist's voices change through the years, and as they grow older, it's difficult to tell that the mature performer is the same voice as the young performer (i.e. see Elton John from the early 70's compared to the voice of today). This is not the case with Neil Diamond. His very unique voice, delivery, and sound has stayed consistent through the years. Whether or not this is good, I will leave up to the individual listener, but you can't deny the consistency of the guy's voice and performance based on listening to the material in this boxset. Additionally, the mixing is consistent too. There's not a ton of echo that you might expect from live performances. I'm not sure if this was toned down in the mix but it's good nonetheless.

The surprises on this boxset for me were surprises because of the performances. Specifically, I Got the Feelin' has such a great groove to it and Neil sings it just as well as he did back in the 60's and this recording is current! Another great song on the set is You Got to Me. If you know the original version, you'll have to turn your head twice when you hear this as the arrangement is totally different, but it works very well. A final very exciting performance on the boxset (although they are all really good) is Dedicated to the One I Love which is just a total treat to hear Neil singing a 50's style song.

Two thing to keep in mind if you're not totally familiar with Neil Diamond's music. First, don't expect perfection in vocal quality. You'll hear a few growls, rasps, and cracks, but the performance and energy of the delivery is always top notch. Second, these are live performances, so expect that the arrangements will not always exactly follow the arrangements from the studio recordings (i.e. the hits you're used to). If you keep those things in mind and love the music of Neil Diamond, you're going to love this boxset.

A final note, the DVD that comes with this boxset will make you appreciate just how good Neil Diamond continues to be after over 40 years of music making. He still has a voice and a drive to make his "Beautiful Noise".

This is the best box set I've ever purchased. Neil Diamond has put all his time and talent into one beautiful package. From his early songs to his most recent you can truly feel Neil Diamond's music career on each and every cd. The DVD brought tears to my eyes because it makes you feel like you're really at his Dublin Concert. You get to meet each and every one of Neil's band and can feel the love that is Diamondville!! If you truly want to see what Neil Diamond is all about, this is the best purchase you will ever make. Thank you Neil for putting so much time and talent into this box set. This will be a collector's item!!

That is how I feel when I listen to this box set. Neil Diamond still "has it" as evidenced by Discs 1 and 2 which were recorded live on his most recent concert tour. Discs 3 and 4 have real gems on them. There are new arrangements of some of his songs that really rock. He also does a great job covering "Lay Lady Lay". The DVD is great with excerpts of his most recent tour plus a behind the scenes look at Diamondville.
This is an incredible bargain for an absolutely awesome box set!!

Here is an extraordinary thing - I have always thought that I hate Neil Diamond and his music. Surely this is a guy who sings sentimental tosh like You Don't Bring Me Fowers and others of that ilk? All the critics have said he is rubbish and they must know.

My wife bought this Set and forced me to sit and watch the DVD with her. I got a shock. Here was this 62 year old man, in concert, wowing 35,000 people with electric stage presence, dynamic performance and...shock, horror...some fantastic songs! Songs I knew... but didn't know...if you catch my drift. I'm A Believer, I Am..I Said, Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, Solitary Man, Cracklin' Rosie..hell Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon (featured in Pulp Fiction by Urge Overkill).

I was stunned. I decided to listen to the other discs. I found an extraordinarily eclectic writer of songs, an extraordinarily powerful performer, an extraordinarily successful career lasting 37 years for God's sake and still as good as ever.

This man is, despite my long held ignorant, ill informed prejudice, a modern musical giant. I would rate him alongside U2 and Tom Waits, which, in my book makes him pretty damned good.

Listen to him sing the Beatles' Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End, Dylan's Lay Lady Lay, Elton John's Rocket Man, the Beach Boys' God Only Knows, his own Lordy, Home is a Wounded Heart, Primitive, You Got to Me, Soolaimon, Kentucky Woman, Holly Holy, Cherry Cherry, the unbelievably powerful I haven't Played This Song in Years and many more.

Do yourself a favour...ignore the received wisdom about Neil Diamond and buy this set. It contains live performances of exceptional quality spanning 32 years at the top. You will not be disappointed. In the words of Diamond himself...I'm a Believer

Since missing out on Neil's last tour, it was great that Neil released a FULL LIVE concert album of the two Vegas CD's. Even though Love At The Greek, Hot August Night 2, and Live In America has its good songs on them, but STAGES is really representative of a concert Neil can put out. In many ways it's Hot August Nightesque, and it's hard to believe those Vegas concerts were released in almost 30 years apart from Hot August Night

Really enjoyed the third, and fourth disc as it does contain hits and rarities that Neil rarely sings now, or only sang a few times. Adding Longfellow Serenade, I Got The Feeling(Oh No, No), and Unchained Melody was a great gesture from Neil as the 98 and 99 tour had those songs, even though Neil performed Longfellow Serenade for a select few. Wished he'd included some Indiana venues on those CD's though.

As for disc five, great to hear Neil singing Christmas songs. This cd should receive a lot of play around Christmas time. Neil is more relaxed singing those too!

Last, but not least the DVD of his concert in Dublin Ireland. Really was great to see Neil and the band having a good time on the stage, and the backstage footage. Shows that Neil and Diamondville are professional fun loving people. Really enjoyed the shots of Catgut Girls, Julia Waters, and of course my favorite Linda Press! Wished the DVD would have been a FULL concert though.

All in all STAGES is very representative of his career and Diamondville(Neil's Band). Highly recommend this to everyone for their self, or for a gift. STAGES conveys a lot of positive emotions that shows the best of humanity.

Much cheaper at Best Buy also free shipping. Only 29.99

What a gift! What a package! STAGES" is probably the best recorded music ever. Neil spent 2 years working on this Box Set, I heard him on the Larry King show saying, "it was a labor of love,passion and also very difficult at the same time". You know that Neil Diamond is a perfectionist when it comes to his music and he got it "right". Disks 1,2, and 3 are extrmeley excellent in sound, and the way only Neil can sing those songs that we all love to hear. The band sounds incredible, you can hear the audience singing along on specific songs like, Sweet Caroline, Cherry Cherry. You can tell that the audience is having a blast with Neil and so was Neil. Disk 4, the Christmas songs are so very beautiful. And,by far the most exciting of all is the show in Dublin, I just wish it was a complete show. I wanted to see more. But the cherry on top is the show that goes on backstage, the preparations, the traveling, the suit cases, the instruments, the band, Neil on the road, the fatigue, the clothes, the people who work backstage, how things get done, How Neil makes sure that his people are well taken care off, the food, the timeing, the rehersals, this too was a great show. You must see this to really understaned how a concert is put together. I certainly had no idea what it entailed. How being on the road takes its toll and how they cope with all the travel, time zones and most importantly the Love that is expressed for Neil, how they truly are friends, musicians who have been with him for over 25 years, and still care very much for each other. This is a lesson for other artists to learn from Neil on how this is done. Myself and my family just love this Box St, and we enjoy it often. This deserves the "Grammy" nomination and the "People Choice Award"

Neil Diamond's passion and love for his music shows on all these cd's and DVD. His music is the best and we are lucky to have him still going strong and young at heart and sounding even better than ever. We only hope he doesn't retire anytime soon.

This is a career defining set. Neil Diamond, for all his faults in the studio, is the consummate live performer. This showcase of that aspect of his life is absolutely wonderful.

The first two discs, being his entire 2002 set, show that Diamond, at the age of 61, is still, incredibly, at the zenith of his powers. His voice remains a unique, rich and powerful instrument. The show contains some rare gems, including, in particular, Yes I will/Lady Magdalene, Captain Sunshine and the Boat that I Row. The pacing of the show is exactly what you would expect from an entertainer from the old school: carefully constructed to elicit, by turn emotions filled with joy, sadness, elation, poignancy, excitement and melancholia.

Discs 3 and 4 are a revelation. These are records of performances spanning thirty years. The choices of songs are, in many cases, tracks from past albums and would not be terribly familiar to people who have only a passing interest in Neil Diamond. I sense that the cuts were chosen, not because they are the best renditions in a live setting of the particular song, but because they reflect where Diamond was in his life and music at that particular point in time. They are all the better for this approach. Songs like Home is A Wounded Heart carry an immense emotional impact.

These discs also contain covers of songs by Dylan, John, the Beatles and others. The only one that did not work for me was Elton John's Rocketman.

Disc 5 is somewhat redundant at this point, covering, as it does, live performances of Christmas songs. The performances are, nevertheless, entertaining.

Disc 6, the DVD, contains highlights of his Irish shows in 2002. A daylight gig is a little disconcerting at first, but the excellence of the performance and the enthusiasm of the fans soon dispel any misgivings. In fact, in the end this disc is a highlight of the set and the pity of it is that the whole concert is not featured.

Disc 6 also contains a documentary style look at Backstage on tour. It is entertaining and informative. Most interestingly, you see Diamond, his band and the entourage, as 'real people'; and people that are genuine, grounded and likeable. How refreshing!

What must be remembered is that Neil Diamond has released four double Live albums in the past three decades - plus several compilations featuring live tracks. His live shows have developed over the years. This Stages box represents, in my opinion, the vivacity, variety, skill and electricity of live Diamond performances. It is not a rehash of old songs, because there are different arrangements, musicians (although the core bans has been with Neil since the 70's). Some of the performances feature arrangements and ND covers of songs that haven't been put on disc before and for fans these are truly exciting.
Fans over the years will have memories stirred by listening to, not just the first 2 disks (Live in Vegas 2001) but the second 'Many Stages' disks. All credit to the production team for presenting more obscure songs from the Diamond back catalogue. Do not doubt the catchiness of the majority of these tunes. Most of the live favourites are included, but a lot of stuff that will not be familiar to fans if they do not have individual albums.
OK, only fans will buy this box set (let's face it, box sets are for fans and completists) - it is not an intro to the music of Neil Diamond. There are plenty of cheaper compilations already available for the casual listener - remember Neil changed labels in the early 70's and this is reflected in the different MCA/ Columbia (Sony) output on compilations. However saying this is for fans is not a criticism in any way, as this set is a fabulous gift for any fan. The production quality is excellent, even considering the limitations of technology in the 70's. The variety of material is superb and the band's evolution and arrangements are very interesting.
In short, this box set is exceptional. The DVD gives a superb insight into 'Diamondville' (the backstage world of the ND band). The packaging is of an excellent quality with many archive photos that would not be familiar to many fans.
Neil Diamond is a very humble person who genuinely performs for his audiences. It is perhaps time that some people simply acknowledged that to perform successfully for 35 years takes some skill and hard work. Many artists just trade on the occasional comeback and nostalgia - Neil Diamond is more than that. He has developed his live performances to present something different each time.
Tracks are extracted from all periods of Diamond's music - from his 60's early & late 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's. Let's not forget how long he's been with us. The recent live performances are anything but stale. In fact the 2001 set is reminscent of the critically acclaimed Hot August Night1 and Love at the Greek sets in parts because of the intimacy, energy and obvious clicking with the audience.
The purpose of this set is to stir a few memories (if you doubt what a live performance can be from a 60+ then experience a Neil Diamond concert when you get a chance and perhaps you'll understand). Unlike some box sets which package up exisiting albums in one box, there is nothing cynical about this release - it offers exactly what it says: a representative overview of the stages of Neil Diamond's live performances since 1970. Only one track (the excellent Lordy from the LiveGold album) has ever appeared in its exisitng form on an album. Several covers some fans will never find on any of Diamond's studio albums (Rocket Man, Lay Lady Lay, This is Dedicated to the One I Love). It is a gift for fans.
I recommend anyone who is a Neil Diamond fan (or perhaps doubts whether he still has got it) to get hold of this. You will not be disappointed. Be careful though, you may find yourself looking out the original studio albums after being reminded of some of the more forgotten songs.