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Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre
Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre

The Province

time3 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • The Province

Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre

Legendary singer Simon plays a trio of Vancouver shows. Here's our review of night one. Iconic singer/songwriter Paul Simon has just announced A Quiet Celebration Tour. The North American tour will stop in Vancouver at the Orpheum Theatre for three shows July 25, 26 and 28. Tickets go on sale Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. at Photo: handout Photo by Rick Diamond / Getty Images North America Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Paul Simon brought the A Quiet Celebration tour to the Orpheum for the first of three concerts last night and it wasn't that quiet. The first of many standing ovations came before a single note had been played when the singer strode on stage. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Many more followed in the lengthy set, which packaged the whole of his new album Seven Psalms alongside hits and his selected deep cuts in the second half. The entire evening was a triumphant return to live performance after the combination of hearing loss and severe back pain looked likely to end the 83-year-old music legend's performing career. Instead, Simon released his new record, a critically-acclaimed orchestral song cycle exploring life, love and the eternally shifting nature of faith and took it on the road his way. That is with absolute class. While uneven, the show was a study in respect for musical craft and honesty in presentation. Backed by his truly exceptional 10-piece band with additional vocals from his wife Edie Brickell, Simon explored his latest record and lengthy back catalogue with a sense of adventure and a willingness to face up to the inevitable effects of passing years on his voice. He can still turn a tune with style, but the song choices reflected material that could be reimagined in a more forgiving manner to both his present projection and range. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Frankly, it was a master class in how to do it right, with a lot the new arrangements bringing elements to past classics that weren't obvious before. A prime example of this was Graceland, which opened the second half of the night. Toning down the song's upbeat groove into a far more Austin City Limits shuffle let guitarists Gyan Riley and Mark Stewart have a blast twanging back and forth. The Late Great Johnny Ace turned into a blues groover that the flute, viola and cello could swing into with sax backing from the two keyboardists. Marimbas, gongs, harmonium, grand piano and glass bells that looked like someone snagged a bunch of clear hair dryers from a sixties beauty parlour packed the stage. Everything was played. The instrumentation was always surprising and perfectly suited to the material This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Having legendary drummer Steve Gadd behind the kit added that little bit extra on 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. While Miley Cyrus may have made that song her own on the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, having the tune's original drummer driving the beat was a treat. So was the presence of Bakithi Kumalo on bass. The sole surviving member of the original Graceland band held down the bottom end with fluid playing and some sweet vocal percussion along the way. Seven Psalms was clearly the work Simon was more interested in performing, which makes complete sense when you consider how many times he has performed Homeward Bound or America over the decades. The new songs are deeply introspective and so meticulously rendered that Simon was occasionally conducting the band along the way. That made sense. Songs such as Your Forgiveness contain passages where one bar of organ would quickly shift to a flute note, quick pizzicato run on the viola and a sudden percussion explosion. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It was taut and beautiful and a million miles away from most contemporary digital auto-tuned, computerized live presentations. Doubtless, many were less pleased with the deeper cuts such as Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War and St. Judy's Comet taking up space where Cecilia or Kodachrome could have been. But it's worth considering that his selection of his more non-singalong songs was deliberate to avoid the crowd confusing his hearing. While Simon can obviously play what he wants, The Only Living Boy in New York or the Afterlife would have been better than the fairly weak Spirit Voices or Father and Daughter. To each their own. Either way, everyone got to belt it out for Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard and the Boxer. The closing solo take on the Sound of Silence was a beautiful finish. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As previously noted, Paul Simon is a class act. Tickets for the two remaining Orpheum concerts are available at Paul Simon A Quiet Celebration set list The legendary singer has been performing the whole new album Seven Psalms as well as a career-spanning set of songs. Here is the set list from night one in Vancouver: Seven Psalms The Lord Love Is Like A Braid My Professional Opinion Your Forgiveness Trail of Volcanoes The Sacred Harp (with Edie Brickell) Wait (with Edie Brickell) Hits and Deep Cuts America (Simon & Garfunkel song) Graceland Slip Slidin' Away Train in the Distance Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song) (With teases of 'I am a Rock' and 'The Sound of Silence') The Late Great Johnny Ace St. Judy's Comet Under African Skies (with Edie Brickell) Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War Rewrite Spirit Voices Mother and Child Reunion Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell) 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel song) The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel song) (solo without band) sderdeyn@ Read More Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.

Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre
Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre

Vancouver Sun

time3 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Vancouver Sun

Concert review: Paul Simon brings A Quiet Celebration to the Orpheum Theatre

Paul Simon brought the A Quiet Celebration tour to the Orpheum for the first of three concerts last night and it wasn't that quiet. The first of many standing ovations came before a single note had been played when the singer strode on stage. Many more followed in the lengthy set, which packaged the whole of his new album Seven Psalms alongside hits and his selected deep cuts in the second half. The entire evening was a triumphant return to live performance after the combination of hearing loss and severe back pain looked likely to end the 83-year-old music legend's performing career. Instead, Simon released his new record, a critically-acclaimed orchestral song cycle exploring life, love and the eternally shifting nature of faith and took it on the road his way. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. That is with absolute class. While uneven, the show was a study in respect for musical craft and honesty in presentation. Backed by his truly exceptional 10-piece band with additional vocals from his wife Edie Brickell, Simon explored his latest record and lengthy back catalogue with a sense of adventure and a willingness to face up to the inevitable effects of passing years on his voice. He can still turn a tune with style, but the song choices reflected material that could be reimagined in a more forgiving manner to both his present projection and range. Frankly, it was a master class in how to do it right, with a lot the new arrangements bringing elements to past classics that weren't obvious before. A prime example of this was Graceland, which opened the second half of the night. Toning down the song's upbeat groove into a far more Austin City Limits shuffle let guitarists Gyan Riley and Mark Stewart have a blast twanging back and forth. The Late Great Johnny Ace turned into a blues groover that the flute, viola and cello could swing into with sax backing from the two keyboardists. Marimbas, gongs, harmonium, grand piano and glass bells that looked like someone snagged a bunch of clear hair dryers from a sixties beauty parlour packed the stage. Everything was played. The instrumentation was always surprising and perfectly suited to the material Having legendary drummer Steve Gadd behind the kit added that little bit extra on 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. While Miley Cyrus may have made that song her own on the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, having the tune's original drummer driving the beat was a treat. So was the presence of Bakithi Kumalo on bass. The sole surviving member of the original Graceland band held down the bottom end with fluid playing and some sweet vocal percussion along the way. Seven Psalms was clearly the work Simon was more interested in performing, which makes complete sense when you consider how many times he has performed Homeward Bound or America over the decades. The new songs are deeply introspective and so meticulously rendered that Simon was occasionally conducting the band along the way. That made sense. Songs such as Your Forgiveness contain passages where one bar of organ would quickly shift to a flute note, quick pizzicato run on the viola and a sudden percussion explosion. It was taut and beautiful and a million miles away from most contemporary digital auto-tuned, computerized live presentations. Doubtless, many were less pleased with the deeper cuts such as Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War and St. Judy's Comet taking up space where Cecilia or Kodachrome could have been. But it's worth considering that his selection of his more non-singalong songs was deliberate to avoid the crowd confusing his hearing. While Simon can obviously play what he wants, The Only Living Boy in New York or the Afterlife would have been better than the fairly weak Spirit Voices or Father and Daughter. To each their own. Either way, everyone got to belt it out for Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard and the Boxer. The closing solo take on the Sound of Silence was a beautiful finish. As previously noted, Paul Simon is a class act. Tickets for the two remaining Orpheum concerts are available at . The legendary singer has been performing the whole new album Seven Psalms as well as a career-spanning set of songs. Here is the set list from night one in Vancouver: Seven Psalms The Lord Love Is Like A Braid My Professional Opinion Your Forgiveness Trail of Volcanoes The Sacred Harp (with Edie Brickell) Wait (with Edie Brickell) Hits and Deep Cuts America (Simon & Garfunkel song) Graceland Slip Slidin' Away Train in the Distance Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song) (With teases of 'I am a Rock' and 'The Sound of Silence') The Late Great Johnny Ace St. Judy's Comet Under African Skies (with Edie Brickell) Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War Rewrite Spirit Voices Mother and Child Reunion Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell) 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel song) The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel song) (solo without band) sderdeyn@ Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.

Paul Simon in Vancouver: Concert to highlight new album Seven Psalms plus timeless classics
Paul Simon in Vancouver: Concert to highlight new album Seven Psalms plus timeless classics

Calgary Herald

time5 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Calgary Herald

Paul Simon in Vancouver: Concert to highlight new album Seven Psalms plus timeless classics

Article content Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article content Paul Simon opened his 2018 Homeward Bound: The Farewell Tour on May 16, 2018 at Rogers Arena. Article content Choosing the more intimate confines of the historic theatre was a deliberate choice for an artist who normally plays large arenas. After all, this is the star who, on the Simon & Garfunkel reunion tour in 1983, broke the existing attendance record for B.C. Place with 45,000 fans in the venue. Article content Article content His website notes under the announcement for the A Quiet Celebration tour that 'Simon, who has been dealing with severe hearing loss, has chosen intimate venues with optimal acoustics for this tour.' Simon had planned to retire from music altogether after his 2018 goodbye shows, but then returned to recording and touring with the release of the Grammy-nominated 2023 album, Seven Pslams. Article content When the 83-year-old finally strums off into the sunset, it will mark the end of a career that first saw him enter the Billboard 100 charts in 1961 when the single Motorcycle by Tico and the Triumphs hit number 99. Article content Article content Article content Beginning with the duo Simon & Garfunkel, the platinum-selling albums just kept coming. After a widely reported acrimonious break up, Simon's solo career took off with his 1972 self-titled Paul Simon. Since then, he has consistently created iconic albums, from Still Crazy After All These Years to Graceland and Stranger to Stranger. He is a rare double-inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with 16 Grammy Awards to his credit. Article content That legacy is one that the artist is constantly reassessing, as he told Vancouver Sun writer Neil McCormick in a September 2018 interview that ran with the headline 'But is it really over?' Even on the eve of his farewell, Simon was excited about his latest recording, In the Blue Light.

Paul Simon in Vancouver: Concert to highlight new album Seven Psalms plus timeless classics
Paul Simon in Vancouver: Concert to highlight new album Seven Psalms plus timeless classics

Vancouver Sun

time5 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Vancouver Sun

Paul Simon in Vancouver: Concert to highlight new album Seven Psalms plus timeless classics

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Paul Simon opened his 2018 Homeward Bound: The Farewell Tour on May 16, 2018 at Rogers Arena . This week, the superstar singer/songwriter will play a trio of back-to-back shows July 25, 26 and 28 at the Orpheum Theatre on his A Quiet Celebration Tour. Remaining tickets are on sale at . If this is goodbye, fans are getting spoiled with a wealth of local performances. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Choosing the more intimate confines of the historic theatre was a deliberate choice for an artist who normally plays large arenas. After all, this is the star who, on the Simon & Garfunkel reunion tour in 1983, broke the existing attendance record for B.C. Place with 45,000 fans in the venue. His website notes under the announcement for the A Quiet Celebration tour that 'Simon, who has been dealing with severe hearing loss, has chosen intimate venues with optimal acoustics for this tour.' Simon had planned to retire from music altogether after his 2018 goodbye shows, but then returned to recording and touring with the release of the Grammy-nominated 2023 album, Seven Pslams. When the 83-year-old finally strums off into the sunset, it will mark the end of a career that first saw him enter the Billboard 100 charts in 1961 when the single Motorcycle by Tico and the Triumphs hit number 99. The cascade of classics that followed is almost overwhelming. Without question, he is an American musical icon with a legacy to rival the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. Beginning with the duo Simon & Garfunkel, the platinum-selling albums just kept coming. After a widely reported acrimonious break up, Simon's solo career took off with his 1972 self-titled Paul Simon. Since then, he has consistently created iconic albums, from Still Crazy After All These Years to Graceland and Stranger to Stranger. He is a rare double-inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with 16 Grammy Awards to his credit. That legacy is one that the artist is constantly reassessing, as he told Vancouver Sun writer Neil McCormick in a September 2018 interview that ran with the headline 'But is it really over?' Even on the eve of his farewell, Simon was excited about his latest recording, In the Blue Light. 'There's no time to get sentimental,' said Simon. 'I've trained myself to be focused on the performance, as opposed to saying 'Wow, look at all the people and the sun going down and this is the end.' When the sound is good and my voice is good, I give myself the pleasure of just singing, but if I allow myself to get distracted, I'm not doing my job. You don't want to forget your lyrics in front of 65,000 people.' There are no reports of Simon forgetting a line live on this current tour, which began in New Orleans on April 4 and will conclude in Seattle on Aug. 5-6 at McCaw Hall. He has had to cancel dates on the tour due to medical reasons, including two June concerts in Philadelphia, where severe back pain required a minor medical procedure to remedy. In The Guardian's review of opening night of the tour, writer Ramon Antonio Vargas noted the artist still brings his all to performing and his 19-song show, which included career gems such as the Boxer, found the audience 'collectively belting out the song's concluding 'lie-la-lie' refrain and a round of cheers that ultimately rivalled the closing standing ovation later.' Backed by a band including Caleb Burhans, Jamey Haddad, Gyan Riley, Mick Rossi, Andy Snitzer, Nancy Stagnitta, Mark Stewart, Eugene Friesen, Steve Gadd, Soundgarden drummer Matt Chamberlain and Simon's wife Edie Brickell , the concert is divided into two halves that include performing the entirety of Seven Psalms. The set list has been mixing mega hits with deep cuts from across the artist's career, every last one of which appears to receive a uniquely new arrangement reflecting the artist's always-imaginative creative impulses. This has been the singer's practice in previous Vancouver appearances. When he toured with Sting on 2014's On Stage Together , I was floored by all the nuanced and new directions he took tunes so familiar to fans that they could probably recall every note perfectly. 'All you have to do to appreciate Simon's genius is listen to him change his phrasing on Mother and Child Reunion, to completely change the emotion of the lyric, or funk out 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover with a New Orleans second line brass band riff,' The Vancouver Sun review noted. 'And a song as new as Dazzling Blue from 2011's So Beautiful or So What proves he still has the songwriting chops. Plus, a voice that is still awesome.' Only two years later, before his first announced retirement, Simon played a sold-out show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in 2016. In a Vancouver Sun review, it was noted 'the 24-song set that never flagged, frequently amused and the man can still sing. Like really belt it out. Paul Simon, still vital after all these years.' Whether this is indeed Paul Simon's final road show, it seems unlikely that fans will be hearing the sound of silence from this star any time soon. The set list for Paul Simon's new tour has been broken down into two parts, with an intermission and costume change at the halfway point. While the song choices are changing slightly each night, a search through point to the below list as a likely lineup for the Vancouver concerts. After Set 2 Encore: Encore 2 — With research files from Postmedia librarian Carolyn Soltau sderdeyn@ Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.

Paul Simon Delivers As ‘A Quiet Celebration' Tour Winds Down
Paul Simon Delivers As ‘A Quiet Celebration' Tour Winds Down

Forbes

time19-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Forbes

Paul Simon Delivers As ‘A Quiet Celebration' Tour Winds Down

Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL 'Here's a… an old song,' said Paul Simon with a smile on stage in Chicago. 'I suddenly realized they're all old songs,' he said softly with a wink on opening night of a sold out three evening stand at Symphony Center, part of his 'A Quiet Celebration' return run. Few songwriters can match the canon of music Simon, 83, has meticulously crafted over the course of more than six decades. Partnering with Art Garfunkel, Simon moved over 100 million records globally, tacking on another 35 million albums sold as a solo artist, rendering him one of the best selling artists of all time. The duo's final studio album Bridge Over Troubled Water stood for a spell as the best selling album ever following its release in 1970, with Simon continually experimenting with an array of sounds in his wonderfully diverse body of solo work, going on to move in excess of 16 million copies of his 1986 opus Graceland. Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL Following a farewell tour in 2018, Simon has appeared on stage a handful of times but 'A Quiet Celebration' marks his first full tour since, with the legendary singer and songwriter appearing for multi night runs in each city, performing in smaller theaters better equipped to support and showcase the nuance in his new music better than the arenas he could otherwise easily fill (a North American run which continues this weekend in San Francisco, California ahead of closing shows in Vancouver, British Columbia July 26 through 28 and Seattle, Washington on July 31 and August 2 and 3). At the heart of the incredible return run lies Simon's latest album Seven Psalms, a spiritual affair inspired by the old testament's Book of Psalms which appears on record as an acoustic suite: seven unbroken songs ruminating upon life and mortality which were designed to be absorbed by the listener in full, with the carefully chosen rooms on this tour supporting Simon's mission. Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL On stage at Symphony Center, home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Simon and company opened the show with the new album uninterrupted over the course of about 35 minutes, closing the performance with both deep cuts and hits over about two hours and 15 minutes. 'The Lord' read the screen flanking the band as Simon got going with sparse acoustic guitar while voices built the conclusion of the new album's opening track. Flute cut through xylophone and percussion early as more guitar and timpani rang out later. That dueling percussion lent 'My Professional Opinion' a bit of a shuffle while Simon plucked in an almost flamenco fashion during 'Your Forgiveness.' Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL Vocalist Edie Brickell, Simon's wife of 33 years, joined for both 'The Sacred Harp' and 'Wait,' with the backing band swelling to 12 as Simon and Brickell harmonized on the chorus of the former while church bells brought the stunning full album performance of the new Seven Psalms to a close moments later. 'This is the first time since COVID that I'm able to play with my fellow musicians,' noted Simon at the top of the show, setting up the album suite. 'The second half is a bunch of hits. Some deep tracks - sort of,' explained the songwriter. 'Songs I always liked - but haven't played live much before. I hope you enjoy yourselves.' Slide guitar, flute and fiddle fueled a hootenanny as Simon donned his trademark baseball cap during 'Graceland." Simon started 'Slip Slidin' Away' solo acoustic before dusting off 'Train in the Distance' from 1983's Hearts and Bones record. 'Here's a song from the Simon & Garfunkel days,' he said, characteristically underselling 'Homeward Bound' as the second set began to find its footing. Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL One of the great storytellers, Simon was in fine form on stage, returning to Hearts and Bones as he told the story behind 'The Late Great Johnny Ace,' a highlight on opening night in Chicago. 'Here's a song direct from a childhood memory…' he began. 'When I was an adolescent, there was a blues singer named Johnny Ace. His #1 record was 'Pledging My Love.' I loved that song,' Simon continued, explaining how Ace accidentally shot himself on Christmas day in 1954. 'I heard it the next day on the radio. The DJ said, 'We're gonna play his new song and from now on we're gonna call him the late great Johnny Ace.'' Simon conducted a bit as drums stomped in, gesturing left toward flute, violin and cello as images of John Lennon and John F. Kennedy appeared on screen as Simon namechecked them lyrically (also both victims of gun violence). Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL 'This next song comes from the Graceland album and it's written about a specific person,' said Simon, reintroducing fans to Joseph Shabalala of South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. 'Here to help me sing - and improve the performance vastly - is Edie Brickell,' said Simon dryly with a smile. While he experimented with South African sounds on Graceland (bassist Bakithi Kumalo, 69, who performed on the album, is back for this live run) it was authentic reggae he was after in 1972, working with Jimmy Cliff's backing band on 'Mother and Child Reunion.' Heading for home, Simon and company worked up 'Me and Julio Down Down by the Schoolyard' shortly thereafter as opening night neared encore. Paul Simon performs on stage during his 'A Quiet Celebration' tour. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at ... More Symphony Center in Chicago, IL Returning to the stage, the Chicago faithful went berserk as Simon put his spin upon '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,' clapping along slightly offbeat as he made his way back to the Simon & Garfunkel canon one more time. 'This song is called 'The Boxer,'' he said simply. Starting the legendary track on his own, the band came swooping in out of the first verse as the crowd roared, with Simon's arms spread wide as the band took a bow. Gazing to his left, Simon was clearly swept up in the moment as he wrapped up the evening with the iconic 'The Sound of Silence,' delivering both a stirring and stunning solo take on the unparalleled number to the rapt audience. 'In restless dreams I walked alone…' sang Paul Simon as 'A Quiet Celebration' drew to a close on opening night in the Windy City.

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