TORONTO - He may be a senior citizen, but 67-year-old Neil Diamond has still got the goods in concert.

Certainly the songs. And the voice remains strong too.

During the first of two back-to-back shows at the Air Canada Centre last night, the legendary singer-songwriter made a dramatic entrance standing at the back of his large, slightly slanted stage before marching past his 14 band members towards the crowd until he was in front of a microphone.

Decked out in a black suit and wearing a subdued sparkly black top -- subdued for his taste anyways -- and carrying an acoustic guitar, he was the very picture of a troubadour still at work, still very near the top of his game.

"We're happy to be back here in this amazing city," said Diamond after opening with such classics as Holly Holy and Beautiful Noise.

He took the energy slightly down a notch with the ballads Love on the Rocks and Play Me, wandering around with his microphone, often raising his left hand in the air to make a point during a specific lyric, as is his trademark move, or acknowledging the audience directly behind the stage.

"How did you people get stuck back there?" he joked afterwards. "What did they tell you? It was close to the stage? I'm going to have to go back there again. But right now, shall we dance?"

Then Diamond delivered one of several highlights during his hour-and-50-minute show -- Cherry Cherry -- ditching his jacket and dancing along as his band members delivered individual songs, including a four-man horn section and the percussionist who seemed to have borrowed one of Neil's more flamboyant sequined shirts from the past.

Diamond next sat down with an acoustic guitar on his lap for the first new song of the night, the somber title track from his new disc, Home Before Dark that was produced by Rick Rubin and became, unbelievably, the first No.1 album of his five-decade career that has seen him sell 125 million records worldwide.

"That was yesterday and this is now," he explained before continuing with two more new songs, Don't Go There and Pretty Amazing Grace.

"We got a brand new album out called Home Before Dark. We like it and we want you to like it. You don't have to do a thing just sit back, relax, we'll do the work."

Of the three new tracks, the most appealing was the Latin-influenced Pretty Amazing Grace.

But it wasn't long before Diamond delved back again into the vaults for Crunchy Granola Suite, made famous 35 years ago when he used the tune to open a concert at L.A.'s Greek Theatre, which was recorded for his best known live album, 1972's Hot August Night.

However, it was the next song, Brooklyn Roads, that touched hearts as old home movies and family pictures were shown on large video screens while Diamond sang about his New York childhood.

For sheer drama, nothing could beat I Am... I Said, Cracklin' Rosie, and Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show, which all got the audience singing along, and the feel-good appeal of Solitary Man, Kentucky Woman, and Forever in Blue Jeans, wasn't lost on the crowd either.

But it was the mother of all sing-along songs, Sweet Caroline, that really riled the crowd up into a fever pitch, so much so that Diamond peformed a snippet of it again immediately after he finished it.

Sadly that fun moment led to the schmaltzy duet of You Don't Bring Me Flowers, featuring Diamond seated at a table with a bottle of red wine and a single rose, and singing opposite Linda Press, one of his three female back up singers, before he stood up, came towards her, and they held hands and slow danced.

Diamond also didn't forget about his first Rubin-produced album, 2005's 12 Songs, which was represented by the gospel-tinged Man of God and the contemplative Hell Yeah.

He introduced those two songs by explaining that he was so moved by the plight of folks affected by Hurricane Ike in September in a small town about 40 miles south of Houston, Texas, that he decided to donate all of the proceeds from his tour merchandise towards building them new homes.

"And I want to go down there at Christmas time, and tell them that people in Toronto, Canada, helped build their houses, and they won't ever forget it, they'll talk about it for generations, I promise you," said Diamond.

SET LIST:

Holly Holy
Beautiful Noise
Love on the Rocks
Play Me
Cherry, Cherry
Home Before Dark
Don't Go There
Pretty Amazing Grace
Crunchy Granola Suite
Done Too Soon
Brooklyn Roads
I Am I Said
Solitary Man
Kentucky Woman
Forever in Blue Jeans
Sweet Caroline
You Don't Bring Me Flowers
I'm A Believer
Man Of God
Hell Yeah

ENCORE:

Cracklin‚ Rosie
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show