PRESS RELEASES   

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                                                                      It’s all about the show      

Face it impersonations are passé, dead, gonzo, out of here. They date back to Ed Sullivan and Rich Little, who do you say? In their day they were big …. REALLY BIG. Today, people are no longer impressed by someone’s ability to sound like someone else – unless they are related to them - maybe. Technology took away the awe. Who needs an impressionist when they’ve got a tape recorder, an mp3 player or an ipod? That is unless you are counting tribute artists. Now that’s different.

There is a real appreciation by audiences for good tribute bands from Victoria to ‘Vegas. Maybe because there aren’t those many stars anymore that “do” the clubs; maybe because audiences crave a look at days gone by, or most likely because people just want to enjoy a darn good show.

British Columbia, residents you are in for a treat. Double Diamond, the Neil Diamond tribute band set to perform their 2009 BCTOUR, is just such a show. From TUSK the Fleetwood Mac opening tribute numbers to the Double Diamond tribute by Victoria’s Bill Zaalberg and his band of eccentric and in at least one case, zany, but talented musicians, audiences find real pleasure in the Vegas-style show that highlights the Neil Diamond sound with respect and attention to detail.

The desire to “be” Neil Diamond isn’t something that Bill Zaalberg spent years planning. “You don’t set out as a nineteen-year-old to impersonate anyone,” said Bill. Upon entering the workplace, Bill wasn’t given a chance to think of music as a career. Unlike Neil Diamond, who at about the same time was struggling to get his first demos heard by US record companies Zaalberg had just discovered what an electric guitar could do. But Bill didn’t argue with his Dutch-born father when it came time for taking on a career. He studied as an electronic technician and went to work for BC Telephone Co.

Through the next ten years Bill found that one artist’s songs resonated in his life. Neil Diamond’s Shiloh, Crackling Rosie, He Ain’t Heavy, Cherry, Cherry, I Am-I Said, Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show, Holly Holy and Solitary Man. All seemed to fit the feelings that Bill experienced through those years. Ten years into his career with top seniority Bill made the decision to leave his job and jump in and become a full time musician. From 1975 on Bill entertained as a solo, duo or trio in bars and lounges all over British Columbia under the name “Brandy”.  Each night he included several of his favorite Neil Diamond tunes. Audiences often remarked on the resemblance of  Bill’s renditions to the real Diamond sound.

It wasn’t until the release of  Neil’s “Jazz Singer” album in the 80’s that an idea came to Bill of a “true” tribute to Neil Diamond. Bill included songs like Love On the Rocks, Hello Again, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, Desiree and many more. hits from Neil's most recent top selling albums like "Pretty Amazing Grace" and "Delirious Love".  He’d studied and practiced and performed Neil Diamond’s songs to a “T” but that wasn’t enough. He had to get the makeup right and the gestures right. He needed the right sound and so he searched for seasoned musicians in the Victoria area that could adhere to strict weekly rehearsals all twelve of them including his own daughter-in-law Kathleen, who is now one of the backup vocalists and a dead ringer feature as "Stevie Nicks" in the TUSK- Fleetwood Mac opening act to Bill’s main show. The show became “Double Diamond” and they continue to practice on a weekly basis. One of the things that Bill set out to do was to include every instrument exactly the same as in Neil Diamond’s world tour show band including guitar, drums, keyboards, backup vocalists and an entire brass section. Their first performance was a huge success with standing room only.

Little could Bill predict that since 2002 that his Double Diamond show would sell out almost every theatre they perform at including Victoria’s McPherson  Playhouse Theatre. in Victoria, B.C. in 2003.

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Nanaimo Daily News Front page feature Oct. 8, 2003 By: Lynn Welburn

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COMOX Valley Record Sep. 13, 2005 by Beth Scott

Does Neil Diamond have an unusual number of fans in Victoria or is there something special about the Victoria Double Diamond tribute group that sees fans continue to fill each venue? The full stage production with the heart beat of Diamond tunes and vocals by tribute artist Bill Zaalberg turns out not just to be a take off of “The Best of Neil Diamond” but a group with its own true following. Could this stem from a yearning for times gone by? Perhaps, but the growing following can’t be pigeon-holed easily. The audience is a mixture of blue jeans and leathers along with the expected suites and twin sets.

For anyone following the Victoria music scene the climax for Double Diamond’s local appeal should have been last year’s McPherson performance that played to a sold out crowd. But it didn’t stop there. Set to perform at the Port Theatre in Nanaimo September 16 and the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay September 17. The Double Diamond group recently entertained a huge sold out crowd of 1,500 at the International World Curling Championships April 7, 2005 at the Save On Foods Memorial Centre.

The fact is the combination of the Kathleen Zaalberg’s tribute to Stevie Nicks opening to the polished, authentic performance of Zaalberg and the lively professionalism of his orchestra is truly entertaining. Zaalberg is a veteran performer working in the entertainment business since age 17. Over the years he recorded three albums and traveled extensively around BC as the solo act “Brandy”.

In setting up his life-long dream, Zaalberg set out to find a group of professional musicians who ready to adhere to strict weekly rehearsals. Musicians he looked to like Jay Van Buskirk, tenor sax with many years in local Victoria bands including “Voodoo Slaves”, Armando Alvarez, sax and Javier Alonso trumpet both members of “Son De Cuba”, Andy Termehr, lead guitar, Linden Northcott, drummer for “Out of the Blue”, Bruce Wapola bass guitarist from “Backbeat” and Allen Pleasants with the “Bloodwarmers”, Tyson Reilly, keyboards, Kathleen Zaalberg, Vocals and Laurie Belknap, vocals. It helps that the tunes and the lyrics are familiar and singing along is not only permitted but a prerequisite. True it is a chance to once again enjoy a taste of the brilliance of Neil Diamond’s creative talent, but there are bonus delights including the audacious antics of “bone man” Allen Pleasants who gets the audience rocking during the brass section solo. This is one group that continues to bring smiles to peoples faces and to draw them back to take part in a very special performance.

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Victoria Times Colonist GO! cover fearure March 17, 2005 By: Mike Devlin

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Victoria Times Colonist  article Oct. 2, 2003 by Mike Devlin

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 Nanaimo News Bulletin Sep.1, 2005  by: Catherine Litt 

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COMOX Valley Record, Aug. 31, 2005 By: Beth Scott

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COMOX Valley Record, July 17, 2005 By: Beth Scott  

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