CALGARY - In a way, it's fitting that Neil Diamond arrived hot on the heels of Elton John's performance last week, bringing in a just-slightly smaller crowd than Elton to the Saddledome last night.

After all, with more than 115-million records sold, he is just behind Elton (and Barbra Streisand), somewhere in the ballpark of third place for adult contemporary artists.

Meaning, of course, that Neil Diamond is huge, huge, huge and the audience reaction as he walked onto the stage proved it.

Looking lean and fit, dressed head to toe in black, he took his time for the applause to die down and then launched the show with Holly Holy, a tune that took him to No. 4 on the Billboard charts in 1969.

It was a song no doubt chosen for its instant sing-along characteristics, having percolated in the public consciousness for nearly 40 years, and led quickly to another big hit rife with recognizability, Beautiful Noise, off the 1976 album of the same name.

He kept the hits coming, lowering the mood a little for Love on the Rocks, building back up a bit more for Play Me and then getting closer to full tilt for Cherry, Cherry, one of his early big hits off his 1967 Just for You album.

It was an early display of Diamond's masterful pacing and wealth of stage experience as a high-grossing stage performer.

Until he tore into Cherry, Cherry, the massive 14-piece band behind him had been relatively low key, the players in the horn section hanging their heads in the low-key lighting, the three women handling backing vocals sitting prim and proper.

As he hit mid-song, he introduced the band and let them sink their teeth into the song.

Running through an organ solo, the tune segued into an acoustic guitar duel, moved through a spotlight on the backing vocals towards a percussion-heavy segment with conga and full drum kit and then fell back into its previous groove.

Over the course of the evening, he slowly upped the ante with bigger, more anthemic hits such as Sweet Caroline, Solitary Man, Forever in Blue Jeans, Done Too Soon ... nearly anything you could think of.

But what was most telling of Diamond's current status was the trio of new songs from his Home Before Dark album that he played right after Cherry, Cherry.

He sat on a stool while the band played minimalist backup and picked an acoustic guitar, playing material that stands up to all his work as a songwriter.

And, having been covered by everyone form Johnny Cash to Deep Purple, UB40 to Urge Overkill, Diamond still is first and foremost a songwriter.

Sure the audience didn't know the songs, and responded accordingly -- but for those still buying records it was proof.

There is still time to take Diamond back from your mom -- he's not Vegas sunset material just yet.