Although Paul Simon isn't technically a native New Yorker, being born in New Jersey 83 years ago, he grew up in Queens and has never swayed from his love of NYC.
He proved that starting last Monday (6/16), when the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter kicked off the first of a four night residency at the 94-year old Beacon Theatre in NYC's Upper Westside.
Despite being nearly as old as the beautiful venue, Simon played 22 tunes from his deep songbook that begun in 1957 when he first saw "Hey, Schoolgirl" a song of his (and partner Art Garfunkel) hit the #49 Billboard pop chart. He was just 16 at the time.
His first hit didn't find its way into the setlist (he hasn't performed it as a solo artist in over 30 years), he didn't have much trouble finding material to draw from. This tour is mostly about the other bookend of life's curiosity: that of aging, spirituality, and introspection.
The first set of the concert is the entirety of the surprisingly heavy Seven Psalms, his 2023 release that draws accurate comparisons to David Bowie's Blackstar.
In Spinal Tap terms, while they couldn't make Smell The Glove any more black, Paul Simon has indeed made a blacker Blackstar in many ways, particularily in tone.
The 33-minute acoustic collection (intended to be heard in one sitting) only claims to have one track on your CD player, but indeed is seven separate numbers, mostly of Simon and his guitar.
But when his wife of 32 years, Edie Brickell, joins him on the last two tunes, it's far less black, if not far more beautiful. Is there a lesson here for us all?
Because mobile phone use was strictly prohibited in the 3,000 seat venue on Broadway between 74th and 75th, it was nearly impossible to find any video images from inside the show to share.
However, one brave soul did capture the final banger of the night, "The Sound of Silence," which was successfully covered by Disturbed, as the kids know well, but was originally composed by the maestro for Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 debut.
Despite being hailed as one of the greatest pop songs ever, the original never charted, nor was Grammy nominated.
However the Recording Academy in 2004 corrected its oversight by putting it in their Hall of Fame "for its lasting qualitative or historical significance."
Despite Disturbed having performed it 382 times, Simon, who isn't what you'd call a road dog, still tops the entertainers who have played it the most in concert at a smooth 420 times.
And yet, it is not his most busted-out jam. That honor goes to the Graceland-era "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" which is now at 460 performances.
Live, Simon utilizes a talented 11-piece backing band that creates far more depth and musicality to the pieces, especially in the first act.
This comes in as an extra benefit because the superstar does not have as strong of a voice as he once did. Which may have been why he went on his Homeward Bound Farewell Tour in 2018.
But as we've seen from artists like KISS, Eagles, Motley Crue, and Ozzy, retirement sucks when rock 'n roll has got your soul.
So Paul returned this year with the Quiet Celebration Tour which will soon hit its 40th concert.
After one more show at the Beacon tonight, Paul heads down to Philly for a trio of gigs, then he's off to California for a good deal of July and then the Pacific Northwest.
Grab your tickets on Paul's website.
Paul Simon A Quiet Celebration Tour - remaining dates
June 23 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theater
June 26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
June 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
June 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Academy of Music
July 7 – Long Beach, CA @ Terrace Theater, Long Beach Performing Arts Center
July 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
July 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
July 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
July 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
July 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall
July 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
July 21 – San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
July 22 – San Francisco, CA @ Davies Symphony Hall
July 25 – Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum
July 26 – Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum
July 28 – Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum
July 31 – Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
August 2 – Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
August 3 – Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
