IPSWICH will welcome yet another massive music star for one night only next year as legendary singer Neil Diamond is on his way to town.The star is booked to perform at Ipswich Town Football Club on May 26 and tickets for the much anticipated date go on sale today.

IPSWICH will welcome yet another massive music star for one night only next year as legendary singer Neil Diamond is on his way to town.

The star is booked to perform at Ipswich Town Football Club on May 26 and tickets for the much anticipated date go on sale today.

Neil Diamond is without doubt a big name to secure for Ipswich. He was the number one top earning solo artist on the 1990s, playing to some 4.4 million fans over the course of 461 shows – including 373 sell outs – and grossing nearly $183 million in that ten year period.

And his popularity seems not to have waned even slightly in the years since. Only last month, two arena dates in Melbourne, Australia, sold out within 20 minutes prompting a third date to be added soon after ticketlines opened.

Whether his Ipswich concert will sell out just as quickly remains to be seen but his army of Diamond Heads – the official name for his fans – are big in number throughout the world.

And his forthcoming appearance at Portman Road is one of only four UK dates he is currently set to play next summer.

The tour was due to be officially announced on GMTV this morning, with an interview with Diamond via live video link to America.

The crooner shot to fame in the 1960's with songs including Cherry Cherry and Solitary Man, and lists classics like Sweet Caroline, You Don't Bring Me Flowers and Song Sung Blue among his biggest hits.

ITFC's sales and marketing director Andrew Goulborn said: "Suffolk's number one venue has attracted its second major act of the summer of 2005.

"I am delighted to announce that Neil Diamond will take to the Portman Road stage on May 26.

"Neil Diamond is a music legend, has universal appeal and only last month sold out his 2005 venues in Australia and New Zealand in a matter of minutes.

"Ipswich Town Football Club is one of only four outdoor venues to be played by Neil in the UK and we know that demand will be high so the message is clear – make sure you don't miss out on an awesome night with a world superstar at Portman Road. Book your tickets now."

The announcement that Neil Diamond is coming to Ipswich comes as an extra boost for ITFC and the town as a whole.

It comes only two weeks after it was revealed international supergroup R.E.M. are also heading this way next summer, booked into to take to the Portman Road stage on July 8.

Both concerts are set to bring thousands of music fans to town boosting business, helping to raise the profile of Ipswich both nationally and internationally and further establishing Ipswich Town Football Club as Suffolk's, if not East Anglia's, number one entertainment venue.

n Neil Diamond will be at Portman Road, in Ipswich, on May 26, 2005. Tickets for the concert go on sale at 9am today, priced from £35 (plus booking fee).

To book your ticket call 0870 405 0447 or 0870 145 1114 or logon to www.seetickets.com or www.ticketmaster.co.uk

A stand alone line, for customers with special needs only, has been set up at 01473 400555 and corporate and personal hospitality packages can be booked directly through the club on 01473 400864/052/594.

Weblink: www.neildiamond.com