"Night Of Neil" Comes To Oceanside Theatre

OCEANSIDE, Calif. - Jan. 3, 2024 - PRLog -- It's been over six years since Neil Diamond, one of the world's leading songwriters and performers, last graced the stage or performed in public. His last San Diego area show took place in August of 2017.  San Diego's own Neil Diamond, Scott Samuels (of San Marcos) and his band Solitary Diamonds, are helping keep his performances alive with "A Night of Neil", a look back at his long and fabled musical career, Friday, February 9th, 7pm at the Brooks Oceanside Theatre, 217 N. Coast Highway.

The two-hour show chronicles many of Neil's greatest songs, tells the stories behind many of his milestone tunes, and examines his evolution from a sometimes awkward struggling songwriter and solo artist to a world-reknowned performer.  Along the way, the show delves into a few of the songs and artists he influenced and competed with.

Samuels and his Diamond band are a five-piece outfit that replicates the original well-known song arrangements rather than "modernizing" and "rocking-out" the Neil Diamond sound.  The band includes keyboardist Steve Kiraly of Rancho Penasquitos; bassist Philippe Conway of San Marcos; drummer Ted Reed of La Jolla; and Penni Hawkins of La Mesa on vocals, backing vocals and percussion.

A natural-born storyteller, Samuels started his long musical career in the Chicago area at the age of 13, and has performed his own music all over the country, moving to San Diego County in the late '80s and becoming a vital part of the local music scene.  It was eight years ago that a bandmate pointed out his uncanny vocal similarity to Diamond, and floated the concept of a Neil Diamond tribute band.  Since then, Samuels and Solitary Diamonds have entertained audiences throughout Southern California, including an acclaimed 2018 performance at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista, and a recent show in front of thousands at the La Mesa Oktoberfest.

"We're excited and honored to be able to present 'A Night of Neil' at the Brooks Theatre, a beautiful downtown Oceanside venue, and an intimate setting for the show," Samuels said.

The show is presented by the Oceanside Theatre Company in conjunction with Palos Verdes Concerts.  It is sponsored by Senior Care Options of Oceanside, Mark Caruana Law of Carlsbad, Carlson Mobile Notary of Oceanside, and MG Travel of San Diego.

Tickets are available for $25 ($20 for seniors 60 and over) at the Oceanside Theatre box office, online at https://oceansidetheatre.org/otc-tickets/, or by calling 760-433-8900.

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