From Sony:

Neil Diamond treated his dedicated fans to a historic show at the West Village's famed music venue The Bitter End last night, May 7, 2008. He performed seven song set mixed with new songs from his latest album, Home Before Dark, and classic material. Diamond captivated the lucky first 200 concert-goers who had queued-up since mid-morning upon learning of the secret show sponsored by MySpace.

Neil Diamond greeted the long line of fans stationed outside The Bitter End on Bleeker Street, saying hello and posing for pictures. Once inside the club, Diamond, backed by a small band consisting of members from both his studio and touring musicians, gave an energized acoustic performance of "Solitary Man", "Don't Go There", "Home Before Dark", "Pretty Amazing Grace", "Kentucky Woman", "Cherry, Cherry" and "Sweet Caroline". The club placed speakers in the windows during the performance allowing the hundreds of fans who couldn't get into the club to sing-along on the street and sidewalk and participate in this once in a lifetime event.

"I sang that song on this very stage 40 years ago," Diamond told the adoring crowd after a raucous performance of his 1967 hit "Kentucky Woman". Performance footage from The Bitter End show will be available on www.myspace.com early next week.

Diamond's 27th studio album, Home Before Dark, was released on Tuesday, May 6. A world tour will begin in Rotterdam, Netherlands on May 24; returning to the US on July 19 (St. Paul, MN) hitting 37 cities stateside. Diamond will return to NYC in August for a 3 night run at Madison Square Garden. Full tour dates can be located at www.neildiamond.com.

Please download pictures from The Bitter End show here:
http://www.columbiarecords.com/dropoff/drop/NeilDiamond/BitterEnd.zip

Neil Diamond Official Website:
http://www.neildiamond.com

Opened in 1962 by Fred Wintraub, the Bitter End is New York's oldest rock club. In 1968 Paul Colby took over as manager and booking agent and by 1974 became the owner. Under Colby, the Bitter End was elevated from basement bistro to renowned rock club.

Its legendary hootenannies on Tuesday nights launched many careers in front of the famous red brick wall. To namedrop just a few: comedians Woody Allen, Sandra Bernhardt, Jon Stewart (he got booed off stage two minutes into his very first gig), Jay Leno, Robert Klein, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, Steven Wright, Freddie Prinze, Henny Youngman, Richard Pryor and Albert Brooks; and musicians Billy Joel, Les Paul, Kris Kristofferson, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin, Bette Midler, Van Morrison, John Denver, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, Blues Traveler, Billy Preston, Miles Davis, John Denver, Bob Dylan, Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, Everly Brothers, John Sebastian, Pete Seager, Carly Simon, Stan Getz, Curtis Stigers, James Taylor, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Flip Wilson, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, George Thorogood, Bill Haley, Etta James, and Norah Jones.

Major albums by Curtis Mayfield,  Donny Hathaway, Peter Paul and Mary, Randy Newman, Arley Guthrie, Tom Paxton, Neil Diamond, Pete Seager, Tommy James, The Isley Brothers and the Serendipity Sisters were recorded live at the Bitter End.

The Bitter End was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission on July 23, 1992