SOLD-OUT SHOW: September 19, 1986 in New York — Neil Diamond Performed at Radio City Music Hall to a Packed House… But The Most Unforgettable Moment of That Night Is About to…

By 1986, Neil Diamond had already spent two decades cementing his reputation as one of America’s great songwriters and performers. From stadium anthems like Sweet Caroline to heartfelt ballads such as Love on the Rocks, his concerts were legendary for their intensity and intimacy. Yet on September 19, 1986, at New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall, Diamond delivered a performance that fans still call one of his most unforgettable.

The night was electric from the start. Radio City was sold out, every velvet seat filled with fans eager to see their hometown hero return to one of the city’s grandest stages. Diamond emerged in his trademark sequined shirt, greeted by a roar that shook the rafters. Backed by a powerhouse band, he launched into a setlist that spanned his career—Cracklin’ Rosie, Forever in Blue Jeans, September Morn, and more.

But the most unforgettable moment of that night didn’t come from the carefully planned setlist. It happened when Diamond, moved by the energy of the audience, decided to strip everything back. After nearly an hour of soaring, full-band numbers, he quieted the hall and asked for just a single spotlight. With only his guitar in hand, he began to play I Am… I Said.

The contrast was stunning. One moment, the hall had been vibrating with drums and horns; the next, silence fell, broken only by Diamond’s voice—raw, vulnerable, and unguarded. The song, written years earlier as a meditation on loneliness and identity, took on new life in that hushed setting. Fans remember tears streaming down faces throughout the hall as he sang the haunting refrain: “I am… I said. To no one there. And no one heard at all. Not even the chair.”

In that stripped-down performance, it wasn’t the superstar shining, but the man behind the songs. For a few minutes, Radio City Music Hall felt more like a small club, with Neil Diamond confiding directly to each person in the audience. When the last chord rang out, the silence broke into thunderous applause that lasted for several minutes, forcing him to pause before continuing the show.

Those who were there still describe it as the defining moment of the concert, and perhaps of his career: proof that beyond the glitter and spectacle, Diamond’s greatest gift was his ability to connect through honesty. It wasn’t the grandeur of the venue or the size of the crowd that made the night unforgettable—it was the vulnerability of one man alone with his guitar.

Looking back, the September 19, 1986 performance stands as a reminder of why Neil Diamond endures. His music fills arenas, but it also fills hearts. And on that night in New York, under the glow of a single spotlight, he reminded everyone that the most powerful performances don’t always need volume. Sometimes, they only need truth.