Not even his overpowering schmaltz can ruin the best part of a Neil Diamond show: his umpteen Top 40 hits.

For well over two hours Friday night, he bombarded a huge, fawning crowd with more than two dozen of his best-known songs, some of which (like "Cherry, Cherry") are now more than 35 years old.

Diamond is approaching his 62nd birthday, which makes him a contemporary of many mid-60s rock stars (like, say, Mick Jagger). To his credit, though, Diamond doesn't try to act or dress like someone half his age. If not for the sparkles on his lavender shirt, he'd have looked like your average mid-management retail salesman: creased and flared charcoal-gray slacks with a black belt, generic black shoes, hair combed conservatively.

He is a salesman, all right (and a bit of a horndog, too, which I'll get to later), but he's also an accomplished pop songwriter. His set list comprised 30 songs, yet it omitted some of his best material (like "Song Sung Blue" and "You Got To Me").

Backed by a 16-piece band that included a four-piece string section, a four-piece horn section and two backup singers and with a huge American flag hanging over the stage, Diamond opened with "America" and "Hello Again," two of his three hits from "The Jazz Singer."

He strummed an acoustic guitar during "Kentucky Woman," an early highlight. He then rattled off three of his best and best-known songs: a straight version of "Cherry, Cherry," "Red, Red Wine" -- which started off as a soft ballad but quickly swerved into a jaunty reggae-funk number -- and then a horn-infested version of "I'm A Believer," a hit for the Monkees in December 1966.

Diamond's voice hasn't changed much over the years: It's as deep, brawny and range-deficient as ever, but that only preserved the timelessness of his songs. His rendition of "Sweet Caroline," easily the most rousing number of the evening, sounded a lot like the original version, which was a hit in the summer of 1969.

There were other similar moments: "Cracklin' Rose," "Soolaimon" and "Holly Holy."

His stage mannerisms, however, need some refining. He favors grand gestures with his arms (think of Bill Murray's piano-lounge singer), and awkward dance moves (like a half-looped guy dancing at his daughter's wedding).

He also indulged in some urge overkill during "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon": First he coaxed a younger lady from the front row up to the edge of the stage, where he stooped and took her hand. After a few moments of innocent caressing, he lay on his side and leaned into her. By the end of the song, their mouths were locked and they were kissing like overheated adolescents. After that was over, he slyly told the male "friend" sitting next to her: "I got her ready for you."

The show ended with more fanfare: a cover of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," a three-alarm version of "I Am I Said" and "Cracklin' Rose." The nightcap was "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," which segued into a short reprise of "America," the song that started it all about 30 hits ago. As that song began, the huge flag reappeared and Diamond gestured magisterially toward everything -- the flag, his band, the screaming crowd -- beaming, as if this were all new to him.

He may not be heavy, but he's a first-class showman.

CONCERT REVIEW

Neil Diamond

• Venue: Kemper Arena

• Reviewed: Friday, Dec. 20

• Attendance: 16,000 (approx.)