| April 16th, 2005 05:06 PM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Diamond Jubilee: Neil Diamond Plans Summer Tour
Sat Apr 16, 7:51 AM ET
By Ray Waddell
NASHVILLE (Billboard) - The U.S. touring industry will get a 24-carat boost from Neil Diamond) this summer.
One of the most consistently bankable performers of the past 30 years, Diamond will hit the heartland July 25 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb.
Neil Diamond -- Live World Tour 2005 will play at least 34 cities across the United States, Billboard has learned. AEG Live will promote the U.S. portion, in conjunction with longtime Diamond tour directors Sal Bonafede and Jeff Apregan.
"Neil Diamond touring America is good for the arenas, it's good for his fans, and it's good for the touring industry," AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips says.
The tour will support Diamond's new Rick Rubin-produced album that Columbia will release this summer. Dates have been booked through Oct. 26 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
These will be Diamond's first U.S. concerts since the 2001-02 Three Penny Opera world tour. That 117-show outing grossed $88.6 million and drew more than 1.5 million people to 117 shows, 98 of them sellouts, according to Billboard Boxscore. AEG Live also promoted that tour.
Diamond's 2005 road work began in March with a sold-out tour of Australia and New Zealand promoted by Paul Dainty. The Down Under trek has been nothing short of a box-office monster: Fifteen dates have drawn 212,710 people and grossed $14.6 million.
The tour continues in the United Kingdom and Ireland before arriving in the States in July. Barry Clayman at Clear Channel Entertainment Europe is handling the U.K. portion.
Diamond will be joined by his longtime touring band, which includes a horn section and backup singers.
Phillips says the "cycle is right" for a hugely successful run in the States, as well. "We will be adding dates, and there could be (multiple shows) in some markets."
PRICE-CONSCIOUS
Tickets will go on sale in early May and will be priced "well under $100," according to Phillips.
"Neil insists on keeping his ticket prices lower than other artists with a similar demographic, because he would rather play more shows for more people," Phillips says. "His philosophy on pricing is exactly the same as ours. That's how we were able to take Prince out for less than $100 (per ticket) last year."
Still, Phillips insists, the deals are structured so AEG Live can realize a fair return, which is not a given in today's marketplace of high artist guarantees. "It's a tough deal, but we're not a not-for-profit company," Phillips says.
A workhorse on the road for years (he was the top solo touring artist of the 1990s, grossing $182 million from 461 shows), Diamond's last tour was lengthy even by his standards.
"This (tour) was special, in the sense that it really became more than a tour after the 9/11 tragedy," Diamond told Billboard at the time. "I got a sense that people were really in need of not so much entertainment, but to get on with their lives. It started as a tour and ended as a mission."
Diamond initially didn't intend to work so much on Three Penny Opera. "Once I realized what was going on out there, I called Sal Bonafede and Jeff Apregan and told them to fill up my dance card. I don't know if I could do it again, but I felt it was necessary."
At one point, industry speculation was rife that Diamond might tour in 2005 with his high-profile duet partner Barbra Streisand). One source told Billboard the proposed guarantee for a Streisand/Diamond date was in the range of $3.5 million per show.
"A Neil Diamond/Barbra Streisand tour would have been absolutely huge," Phillips says. Talk persists that Streisand will tour in some fashion in 2005.
Reuters/Billboard |
| April 16th, 2005 07:10 PM |
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| glencar |
So that's what that fancy schmancy new qwest Center was built for! Neil is a loser. Nobody will travel to Omaha to see him. Right? |
| April 16th, 2005 09:24 PM |
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| Martha |
I think Joey lives at the Qwest Center, so he'll definitely be going. |
| April 16th, 2005 09:42 PM |
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| glencar |
Joey hates the Neil! Although if that's all Omaha has this year... |
| April 16th, 2005 09:45 PM |
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| Martha |
Are you sure he HATES the NEIL? Doesn't sound like the Joey we all know and love. Hum......... |
| April 16th, 2005 09:53 PM |
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| glencar |
I believe so. Joshy loves the Neil though. Maybe the two can finally come together! |
| April 17th, 2005 07:51 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
My father has always been a huge fan of Neil Diamond. I used to like many of their songs, really.
If I was Joey, I certainly would check it out.
Word. |
| April 17th, 2005 09:23 AM |
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| corgi37 |
Man, did that guy take over! Here really is huge here. He's chick is an Aussie too (he supports Brisbane Lions, the asshole) and just like the restful and tanned Stones, he loves it here. I can imagine him at that Qwest joint, surrounded by weirdo's and going "yes, its nice, but it aint Melbourne".
I wouldnt see him in a pink-fit, but Crunchy Granola Suite is just awesome. As is some of his Monkees tunes.
Oh, and good news. He dyes his hair like Keith, but at least he's trimmed those bloody awful side-burns. |
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