Tribute entertainer Bobby Bruce is bringing his Nearly Neil show to Duncan at a special time for Neil Diamond’s fans.
The legendary Diamond’s recent, devastating announcement about his Parkinson’s diagnosis and his immediate retirement from international touring have left his legions of fans saddened.
According to Bruce, who’s Canadian, he was in Australia for his annual tour down under, when he experienced the shock firsthand as his Nearly Neil concerts overlapped many of the areas where Diamond had just cancelled the last of his remaining 50th Anniversary Tour dates.
Not knowing how the fans would react, Bruce was stunned with the reaction of the Aussie Diamond enthusiasts.
His Nearly Neil audiences doubled and tripled in size as fans sought out the chance to see and hear the music they loved.
Returning home to Gambier Island in mid March, Bruce reflected fondly on the warmth and comfort the fans took in the show.
“It is great to witness and respect the importance of Neil’s songs and the meanings they have in people’s lives. I am honoured to be a part of it,” he said.
Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band are coming to the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre Sunday, April 8 as part of a Vancouver Island tour that also included stops in Nanaimo and Victoria.
The show celebrates the thrilling early days of Neil Diamond’s career, focusing on his rise to fame in the mid-1960s to his historic 1980 album, Jazz Singer.
Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band is an entirely live musical tribute. Everyone on stage is performing live and there are no pre-recorded additions. Bruce’s research and rehearsal really show as he has spent more than two decades keeping the Diamond repertoire alive in North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia with this passionate vocal salute.
Tickets are $50 each for this exciting show. Get them online at cowichanpac.ca or call the Cowichan Ticket Centre at 250-748-7529.
