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Watch Paul Simon play an emotional farewell at his final ever concert

24 September 2018, 11:14

Paul Simon

By Tom Eames

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The legendary singer-songwriter said goodbye to his fans at an emotional show at the weekend (September 22).

Paul Simon played his final ever concert in Queens, just a few minutes from where he grew up.

He ended his Homeward Bound farewell tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, playing 26 classic tracks that ended with two rousing encores.

Paul Simon's greatest ever solo songs

When explaining why he decided to play his final concert in Flushing, Simon said: “It feels more like fate than coincidence that I should do the final show on the final tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.”

He added: “I could have ridden my bike from home to the park in about 20 minutes when I was a kid. But this is less a goodbye than a farewell. Thank you all for the ride, I had a great time.”

Watch fan-filmed footage from the gig below:

View this post on Instagram The final performance on Paul Simon’s farewell tour! . . . . #theboxer #music #paulsimon #concert #NY #dance #jams #goodtimes #danceoff #squdgoals #youcancallmeal #queens #thesoundofsilence #liveinconcert #farewelltour #tour A post shared by Hillary K. (@hakaufma) on Sep 22, 2018 at 7:16pm PDT

paul simon farewell tour dvd

Paul Simon - Graceland @ Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens NY 2018

Only cried 4 times at Paul Simon’s last show tonight. What a special night ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4mC5ODy19p — Candace Svoma (@canicallucandy) September 23, 2018
Paul Simon says goodbye in Queens. #PaulSimonFarewellTour pic.twitter.com/i6FnpFQYrA — Robert Levin (@Rlevin85) September 23, 2018

Paul Simon opened his final show with Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘America’, before playing some of his most beloved tracks including ‘The Boy in the Bubble’, ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’ and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.

The encore ended with various songs including ‘Graceland’, ‘The Boxer’ and ‘The Sound of Silence’.

The full setlist was:

America  50 Ways To Leave Your Lover The Boy in the Bubble Dazzling Blue That Was Your Mother Rewrite Mother and Child Reunion Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell) Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War (with yMusic) Can’t Run But (with yMusic) Bridge Over Troubled Water (with yMusic) Wristband Spirit Voices The Obvious Child Questions for the Angels The Cool, Cool River Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes You Can Call Me Al

Encore 1: Late in the Evening Still Crazy After All These Years Graceland

Encore 2: Homeward Bound   Kodachrome The Boxer   American Tune The Sound of Silence

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Paul Simon Kicks Off U.S. Farewell Tour – Set List, Videos

Paul Simon kicked off the U.S. leg of his Homeward Bound farewell tour last night at Seattle's Key Arena. Below you can find the complete set list and fan-shot video of his recent performances.

He performed a mix of his solo work and hits from Simon & Garfunkel , all of which was so well received he returned for three encores, playing a total of 25 songs.

Prior to the Seattle show, Simon, 76, began performed on May 16 in Vancouver, B.C. The videos below are from that performance.

The tour is set to wrap in New York City on Sept. 22, at a location to be announced. Many fans are guessing he may end his touring career in Central Park, a nod to his 1981 reunion performance and hugely successful 1992 live album by Simon & Garfunkel,  The Concert in Central Park .  You can check the remaining tour dates  and ticket information on his website.

Paul Simon Set List - Seattle, Wash. - May 18, 2018

1. "America" 2. "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" 3. "The Boy in the Bubble" 4. "Dazzling Blue" 5. "That Was Your Mother" 6. "Rewrite" 7. "Mother and Child Reunion" 8. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" 9. "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War" 10. "Can't Run But" 11. "Spirit Voices" 12. "The Obvious Child" 13. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" 14. "The Cool, Cool River" 15. "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" 16. "You Can Call Me Al"

Encore: 17. "Kodachrome" 18. "Mrs. Robinson" 19. "Still Crazy After All These Years"

Encore 2: 20. "Homeward Bound" 21. "Graceland" 22. "The Boxer" 23. "Late in the Evening"

Encore 3: 24. "Questions for the Angels" 25. "The Sound of Silence"

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Watch Paul Simon deliver an emotional farewell to fans during his last ever concert

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paul simon farewell tour dvd

Paul Simon  played his final ever concert last night (September 22) in Queens, just minutes from where he grew up.

‘The Boxer’ star ended his ‘Homeward Bound’ farewell tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, playing a 26-strong set that ended with two separate encores.

Listen to The National’s Bryce Dessner and Paul Simon’s new version of ‘Can’t Run But’

Explaining the reason behind his decision to play his final concert in Flushing, Simon said: “It feels more like fate than coincidence that I should do the final show on the final tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.”

He added: “I could have ridden my bike from home to the park in about 20 minutes when I was a kid. But this is less a goodbye than a farewell. Thank you all for the ride, I had a great time.” You can see fan-footage and reaction to his final gig below:

https://twitter.com/shoedesign1/status/1043662829507825664

Goodbye Rosie, Queen of Corona, indeed! Paul Simon in Flushing Meadow-Corona Park. pic.twitter.com/z0LVJGwL9S — steve greenberg (@steviegpro) September 23, 2018
Paul Simon says goodbye in Queens. #PaulSimonFarewellTour pic.twitter.com/i6FnpFQYrA — Robert Levin (@Rlevin85) September 23, 2018
Paul Simon closes his last ever show with what else, but “The Sound Of Silence.” Every person around me was wiping away tears. Unforgettable moment. #PaulSimonFarewellTour — Will Oliver (@weallwantsome1) September 23, 2018
Only cried 4 times at Paul Simon’s last show tonight. What a special night ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4mC5ODy19p — Candace Svoma (@canicallucandy) September 23, 2018
“Strange times,” says Paul Simon at his final concert. “Don’t give up.” #paulsimon — Betsy Gleick (@BetsyGleick) September 23, 2018

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoDjndVgoFR/?tagged=paulsimon

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoDeM5wjEYL/?tagged=paulsimon

View this post on Instagram This sums it all up. Welcome home @paulsimonofficial #farewelltour #thatsawrap . . . . . . . #homewardbound #NYC #queens #home #corona #flushingmeadows #i❤️ny #paulsimon #laststop #coronapark #saturdaynight #nycparks #livemusic #acousticguitar #newyorkcity #l4lm #paulsimon A post shared by Joanne Masso (@jomassny) on Sep 22, 2018 at 8:35pm PDT
View this post on Instagram The final performance on Paul Simon’s farewell tour! . . . . #theboxer #music #paulsimon #concert #NY #dance #jams #goodtimes #danceoff #squdgoals #youcancallmeal #queens #thesoundofsilence #liveinconcert #farewelltour #tour A post shared by Hillary K. (@hakaufma) on Sep 22, 2018 at 7:16pm PDT

Opening with Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘America’, Simon played some of his most revered tracks during the gig including ‘The Boy in the Bubble’, ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’ and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.

The encore closed with other classics including ‘Graceland’, ‘The Boxer’ and ‘The Sound of Silence’.

Speaking earlier this year about his farewell tour , Simon said: “I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I’d consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief.”

He added: “I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly. I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in their music that touched their hearts.”

Earlier in September, Simon also released a new album – ‘The Blue Light’ – to coincide with his final tour . Featuring re-worked versions of his songs through the years, the album included collaborations with artists such as Bryce Dessner and the instrumental music ensemble yMusic.

Towards the end of the gig, Simon hinted that he would be “open” to playing “one-off” performances in the future but confirmed that ‘Homeward Bound’ would be his final ever tour. You can see the set-list for the concert below:

America  50 Ways To Leave Your Lover The Boy in the Bubble Dazzling Blue That Was Your Mother Rewrite Mother and Child Reunion Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell) Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War (with yMusic) Can’t Run But (with yMusic) Bridge Over Troubled Water (with yMusic) Wristband Spirit Voices The Obvious Child Questions for the Angels The Cool, Cool River Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes You Can Call Me Al

Encore 1: Late in the Evening Still Crazy After All These Years Graceland

Encore 2: Homeward Bound   Kodachrome The Boxer   American Tune The Sound of Silence

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Paul Simon Plots Final Leg of Farewell Tour

By Ryan Reed

Update : Paul Simon announced his final show will take place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, New York in September. “It seems more like fate than coincidence that I should do the final show on this final tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park,” Simon said in a statement. “I could have ridden my bike from home to the park in about 20 minutes, when I was a kid. … But this is less a goodbye than a farewell. Thank you all for the ride, I had a great time.”

Paul Simon extended his farewell tour with additional North American dates. The Homeward Bound trek now includes concerts throughout September, concluding with a trio of New York City shows.

Tickets for eight of the 11 shows go on sale Friday, March 16th at 10 a.m. local time. The Newark, New Jersey concert goes on sale on the 16th at 9 a.m. The New Orleans date follows Saturday, March 17th at 10 a.m., with the Washington D.C. show available Saturday, March 13th at 10 a.m.

The singer-songwriter’s climactic run launches May 16th in Vancouver and continues until mid-July, incorporating a stretch of European shows – including a London performance with James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt . Upon announcing his final tour last month, Simon said, “It feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief.”

“I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians,” Simon continued. “I think about music constantly. I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in my music that touched their hearts.”

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Paul Simon Tour Dates

September 5 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center September 7 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena September 8 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BB&T Center September 11 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center September 12 – Atlanta, GA @ Cellairis Amphitheatre September 14 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena September 15 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center September 17 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena September 20 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden September 21 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden September 22 – New York, NY @ Flushing Meadows Corona Park

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Paul Simon Announces Final Concert of Farewell Tour

By Andrew Magnotta

June 20, 2018

Paul Simon Announces Final Concert

Legendary singer/songwriter Paul Simon has announced the final performance of his farewell tour will take place in the same borough in which his career began: Queens, New York.

Though he was born in New Jersey, Simon spent his formative years in Queens. On Saturday, September 22, the singer will take the stage with his band at Flushing Meadows Corona Park to play a career-spanning set of hits and fan-favorites.

"It seems more like fate than coincidence that I should do the final show on this final tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park," Simon said via a press release. "I could have ridden my bike from home to the park in about 20 minutes when I was a kid. But this is less a goodbye than a farewell. Thank you all for the ride. I have a great time."

Over the years with Simon & Garfunkel or as a solo artist, Simon has written a number of songs about his hometown.

"When Paul Simon sings 'Homeward Bound,' there's no doubt he means New York," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "The grit, beauty and complexity of this city are woven into Simon's most haunting songs, and our greatest venues have formed the backdrop of his performing career. It's only fitting that this son of Queens comes home to Flushing Meadows Corona Park."

Simon announced his farewell tour in February in a statement clarifying his future . 

"I've often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I'd consider bringing my performing career to a natural end," Simon said in a   statement released via his website . "Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief."

Simon clarified that he's not losing any of his ability to perform—he can still sing and play like he used to—but his ambition to travel is waning, especially since the death of his longtime lead guitarist Vincent N'guini , who passed away last December.  

"I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians," Simon said. "I think about music constantly."

But N'guini's death put things into perspective, he added. 

"His loss is not the only reason I’ve decided to stop touring, but it is a contributing factor. Mostly, though, I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing. I’d like to leave with a big Thank You to the many folks around the world who’ve come out to watch me play over the last 50 years."

The singer anticipates he'll perform occasionally for charity in his retirement, emphasizing his continuing dedication to environmental causes.  

Simon will be donating all personal net-proceeds from his final show at Flushing Meadows Corona Park to a previously-selected cause. The name of the cause will be announced at a later date. Last summer, the iconic performer donated much of his tour proceeds to the Half-Earth Project , promoting biodiversity and devoting at least half the Earth's surface to nature.

Photo: Jessica Gilbert, courtesy of Legacy Recordings

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Paul Simon Confirms ‘Homeward Bound’ Farewell Tour: ‘I’d Like to Leave With a Big Thank You’

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icon says in a statement that he's scared, exhilarated and relieved to be announcing his final tour.

By Gil Kaufman

Gil Kaufman

Paul Simon

Paul Simon is going to bid his fans a fond farewell. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer announced on Monday morning (Feb. 5) that he has set the dates for what he is calling Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour. 

The legendary 76-year-old singer-songwriter, known for such hits (both solo and as half of best-selling duo Simon & Garfunkel) as “The Sound of Silence,” “You Can Call Me Al” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” wrote in a note to fans that he’s spent time considering his decision, and while he’s emotionally torn of it, now feels like the right time to bow out gracefully.

“I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I’d consider bringing my performing career to a natural end,” he said in the statement. “Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief. I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly.” Simon goes on to note that his band recently lost their lead guitarist and friend of 30 years: Vincent N’guini, who passed in December.

“His loss is not the only reason I’ve decided to stop touring, but it is a contributing factor,” Simon explained. “Mostly, though, I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing.” 

Paul Simon Announces Final Show: 'Homeward Bound The Farewell Performance'

Last week, it was announced that Simon was hosting the final night of the Barclayard British Summer Time Festival on July 15 with special guests James Taylor & His All-Star Band and Bonnie Raitt in what was advertised as “Paul Simon: Homeward Bound The Farewell Performance.” It’s now clear that the U.K. date is part of a larger tour from Simon, which kicks off on May 16 with a show in Vancouver, will feature stops in Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit and Boston, and is currently slated to wrap in Nashville on June 20.

Check out the dates below, and click here to read Simon’s full statement.

May 16 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

May 18 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena

May 19 – Portland, OR @ MODA Center

May 22 & 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl

May 25 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena

May 27 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena

May 30 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green

June 1 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Arena

June 2 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center

June 4 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center

June 6 – Chicago, IL @ United Center

June 8 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center

June 10 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Center

June 12 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre

June 13 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

June 15 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden

June 16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center

June 19 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum

June 20 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena 

Click here for information on tickets.

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Paul Simon to Release New Album for Final Dates of Farewell Tour

By Jem Aswad

Executive Editor, Music

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Paul Simon

To coincide with the final dates of his farewell tour, Paul Simon will release his 14th solo studio album — called “In the Blue Light” — on September 7, Legacy Recordings announced today. The album features new versions, or, as the announcement says, “fresh perspectives on 10 of the artist’s favorite (though perhaps less-familiar) songs” from across Simon’s solo career.

“This album consists of songs that I thought were almost right, or were odd enough to be overlooked the first time around,” Simon said in a statement. “Re-doing arrangements, harmonic structures, and lyrics that didn’t make their meaning clear, gave me time to clarify in my own head what I wanted to say, or realize what I was thinking and make it more easily understood.”

Musicians joining Simon for the re-interpretations include trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, guitarist Bill Frisell, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Steve Gadd, as well as the chamber ensemble sextet yMusic, who are performing with on tour.

The songs originally appeared on the albums “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” (1973),  “Still Crazy After All These Years” (1975), “One-Trick Pony” (1980), “Hearts and Bones” (1983), “The Rhythm of the Saints” (1990), “You’re the One” (2000) and “So Beautiful Or So What” (2011).

Simon explains in the album’s liner notes, “It’s an unusual occurrence for an artist to have the opportunity to revisit earlier works and re-think them; to modify, even completely change parts of the originals.

“Happily, this opportunity also gave me the gift of playing with an extraordinary group of musicians, most of whom I hadn’t recorded with before. I hope the listener will find these new versions of old songs refreshed, like a new coat of paint on the walls of an old family home.”

Simon’s farewell tour ( read Variety’s review of the Hollywood show here ) concludes with four concerts in New York City, including a last show on Sept. 22 in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, just minutes from the neighborhood in which Simon and longtime musical partner Art Garfunkel grew up. It would be surprising if Garfunkel were not involved in the final show.

“In the Blue Light: track list: “One Man’s Ceiling Is Another Man’s Floor” “Love” “Can’t Run But” “How the Heart Approaches What It Yearns” “Pigs, Sheep and Wolves” “René and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War” “The Teacher” “Darling Lorraine” “Some Folks’ Lives Roll Easy” “Questions for the Angels”

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Paul Simon Announces Farewell Show In London With James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt

Simon

Paul Simon is the latest in a string of older artists that have recently acknowledged their impending retirement . The celebrated singer-songwriter will say “farewell” with a July 15th concert at  Hyde Park in London, dubbed “Homeward Bound: The Farewell Performance.” The show will also feature very special guests  James Taylor & His All-Star Band and  Bonnie Raitt . Additional performers will be announced at a later date.

As of now, “Homeward Bound: The Farewell Performance” is the only scheduled performance on Mr. Simon’s calendar, and its billing surely suggests that it will be his final stand. However, he has yet to officially make a statement regarding whether this show will officially mark the end of his decades-long touring career, and has previously announced his “farewell” several times before, only to eventually return to the road.

Simon’s performance will close out the British Summer Time festival, a 10-day event that will also feature sets from Roger Waters , Eric Clapton , Bruno Mars , the Cure and Michael Bublé .

Paul Simon has staged multiple memorable concerts at Hyde Park over the years. Last year, Simon released a live album/concert film,  The Concert in Hyde Park , documenting his performance as part of the Hard Rock Calling Festival in 2012.

Simon had previously hinted at the possibility of his retirement following a rigorously scheduled tour. In an interview with the New York Times in 2016, he contemplated the pitfalls of fame, the wear and tear it’s left on him both as a person and as an artist, and what he’d rather do with his remaining years. “You’re coming towards the end,” he mused. “It’s an act of courage to let go… I am going to see what happens if I let go. Then I’m going to see, who am I? Or am I just this person that was defined by what I did? And if that’s gone, if you have to make up yourself, who are you?”

Tickets for Paul Simon’s “Homeward Bound: The Farewell Performance” at London’s Hyde Park will go on sale to the public on February 2nd, with a pre-sale starting on February 1st. Grab your tickets  here .

paul simon farewell tour dvd

[h/t – Rolling Stone ]

paul simon farewell tour dvd

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Ninja-level musicians’: Paul Simon is joined by an expert crew for his Homeward Bound show in Manchester.

Paul Simon review – a poet and his 15-man band

T here may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but Paul Simon, it seems, requires 15 people to prise him away from his love of touring. The huge stage for the first night of the UK leg of his Homeward Bound farewell tour is crawling with ninja-level musicians. Many of them also sing, giving rise to a forest of microphone stands and – further into a 26-song set list – a South African-inspired 10-part (approximately) harmony on a knockout rendition of Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes .

This tour is taking the star, 76, on a foreign foray one last time before he steps back from a six-decade career. It’s not curtains though: Simon announced a new album, In the Blue Light , revisiting 10 classic tracks, for release on 7 September.

Clearly, farewell tours often end up as misselling scams, but Simon is the sort of upstanding tunesmith whose honesty you hate to question. Tonight he reminisces about the time he played a working men’s club in northern England in 1964: “This is probably my last chance to do it,” he quips. “‘Shut oop ’!” he quotes, in a brusque accent that wavers gamely between Liverpool and Yorkshire, “‘You’ve ’ad your fun, you’ve played bingo, now shut up and give the ah-tist a go’.” On the question of north v south, he adds mischievously: “I shouldn’t divide the nation, but it’s better up here.”

Inspired by that 1964-5 jaunt , and the platform at Widnes station “where the plaque keeps getting stolen”, the song Homeward Bound pined for Simon’s then girlfriend Kathy Chitty back in Essex where Simon was based at the very start of his solo career, thanks to a welcoming folk club in Brentwood. Previously, an embryonic Simon and Garfunkel had plied their wares as Tom and Jerry, but Simon the solo artist very much began in the folk clubs of England.

Homeward Bound nailed homesickness with easy grace, and tonight, it is rendered almost unadorned in the encore. But it is hard to square the melancholy of the song with the enthusiastic, border-spurning innovator Simon eventually became. His very earliest attempts at Brill Building hackery gave way to Simon and Garfunkel’s triumphal folk-pop formula, of which there is a generous helping tonight. At the opposite end of the set list from Homeward Bound, the duo’s hitchhiking song America kicks off the set almost too brashly, a pro rendition whose gaudy soprano sax solo bodes ill for the two hours to come. The next song, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover , falls prey to the same slickness.

Thankfully, these are two of only a few tonal missteps, with a back catalogue spanning half a century given arresting new arrangements and restless life. If farewells imply the prospect of greatest hits karaoke, Simon is emphatically not that kind of guy, and Homeward Bound is not that kind of tour.

He is also clearly not the sort of American who scuttles home from abroad, aghast at blunt landlords and other exotica. The schism with Garfunkel – the frictions are detailed in Robert Hilburn’s recent authorised biography – restarted Simon’s solo career. The 70s and 80s brought a series of explorations featuring a United Nations of musical styles. Simon unfurls most of them in Manchester, from the reggae lilt of Mother and Child Reunion (1972), recorded in Jamaica, to the Graceland album’s sonic jaunts to western and South Africa.

Other destinations include Brazilian drumming and Mariachi horns before we loop back to Cajun zydeco on That Was Your Mother . Here, a percussionist plays a washboard tunic with scary metal gloves, someone pings a triangle, and the accordion blare prompts Simon into a nimble shimmy. Throughout, his arms help him sing the songs when his fingers aren’t playing them.

The packed stage at Manchester Arena last week.

Simon seems to glory in the lush sounds made by the mob around him. Present and correct are old timers like bassist Bakithi Kumalo – he of the famous plunked solo on You Can Call Me Al – and mutton-chopped co-lead guitarist Mark Stewart, on board since 1999. Most missed is longtime Simon guitarist Vincent Nguini, a silver-fingered mainstay since 1990 whom a Brazilian faith healer could not save from liver cancer last December . Simon has been quoted as saying his decision to cease touring was influenced by the loss of his old friend. Nguini is replaced by Biodun Kuti, a Nigerian guitarist whose gifts are, thankfully, on a par.

Adding to the plethora of multi-instrumentalists (drummer Jim Oblon plays guitar, guitarist Stewart plays the maui xaphoon, a kind of bonsai sax, Mick Rossi interferes with the strings on his piano) are YMusic , a six-strong New York chamber group of strings and brass. Clustering around Simon for a couple of deep cuts, their input grows in relevance. René and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War (inspired, Simon recounts, by a snapshot in an art book he found at Joan Baez’s house) and Can’t Run But (off Rhythm Of the Saints , 1990) find them playing tensile, abstract rhythms while Simon jazz-raps on top. It sounds like digital R&B played as chamber music from circa 1718.

There are further revelations. The kid who got on the bus in America, says Simon, is the guy working in the carwash on Rewrite , one of the standout songs from 2011’s So Beautiful Or So What album – one of a series of “ghosts” that move through his songs. Here, Rossi’s prepared piano shimmers out metallic arpeggios.

Controversially, it is probably the Graceland songs that sing the very truest tonight, their cocktail of joy and darkness best expressed by the multitudes on stage. You can’t help but shiver at the line in a transcendent version of The Boy in the Bubble – “The bomb in the baby carriage was wired to the radio” – given what happened here last year.

And Simon’s reputation as a soft-pop titan (compared to, say, a fellow traveller like Leonard Cohen) does not hold up when you parse certain songs. The Cool, Cool River finds plenty to agonise about. “Sometimes even music cannot substitute for tears,” it concludes, as Rossi finishes off the sentiment with apocalyptic jazz dissonance on the keys.

It all ends, as it must, with The Sound of Silence , the song that changed everything for Simon. He felt “estranged… awkward” about the hit since he gave it to “Artie” to sing. “I’m going to repossess my song,” he says, and physically hugs it to him with his arms. Naturally, it is an offhand, almost Spanish rendition. Undersung from the stage, the backing vocalists in the crowd bellow the canonical version, creating a lingering harmony.

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Event Information

 Legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer Paul Simon has announced the final leg of Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, culminating with four shows in the New York City area: the Prudential Center on September 15 in Newark, NJ (the city where Simon was born), and two nights at Madison Square Garden on September 20 and 21, with an additional concert to be announced soon. As previously announced, Simon and his band will embark on the artist’s final tour May 16 in Vancouver, bringing to the stage a stunning, career-spanning repertoire of timeless hits and classic songs. Tickets for the third and final leg of Paul Simon’s Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour will go on public sale beginning Friday, March 16 @ 10am ET.

The complete tour itinerary is listed below. Go to PaulSimon.com (http://paulsimon.com) for ticketing information as it becomes available. According to Simon, the Homeward Bound tour is a fitting culmination of a performing career that began in the early 1960s and has coincided with his artistic journey as a songwriter and recording artist until the present day. He said of this farewell tour, “I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I'd consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief. I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly. I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in my music that touched their hearts.” Having created a distinctive and beloved body of work that includes 13 studio albums, plus five studio albums as half of Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon is the recipient of 16 Grammy Awards, three of which—Bridge over Troubled Water, Still Crazy after All These Years, and Graceland—were Album of the Year honorees. In 2003, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Simon & Garfunkel, and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. During his unparalleled career, Simon has achieved 29 Top 40 singles in the U.S. alone, with 14 of those reaching the Top 10 or higher, including “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (which reached #1), “Kodachrome,” “Loves Me Like A Rock,” “Mother and Child Reunion,” “Late In The Evening,” “You Can Call Me Al” and many others. With Simon & Garfunkel, he wrote and performed the #1 singles, “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and numerous other timeless hits. Paul Simon is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, both as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. Simon was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002 and was named one of Time magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World” in 2006. In 2007, Simon was awarded the inaugural Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011. And in 2012, he was named the recipient of the prestigious Polar Music Prize along with classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Simon’s philanthropic work includes the co-founding of the Children’s Health Fund (CHF), which donates and staffs 53 mobile medical units that bring health care to low-income children and their families in urban and rural locations around the United States. Since its inception in 1987, CHF has provided more than 3 million doctor/patient visits. Throughout his career, Simon has also raised millions of dollars for worthy causes as varied as Autism Speaks, The Nature Conservancy, CURE, Tibet House and the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s Half-Earth Project, which is committed to stopping the species extinction crisis by conserving half the planet’s lands and oceans.

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Paul Simon - Saturday, June 16

Paul Simon Brings Farewell Tour to Wells Fargo Center on June 16

Legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer Paul Simon is set to bring Farewell Tour to Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, June 16. 

Tickets go on sale on Saturday, February 10 at 10 a.m. exclusively through WellsFargoCenterPhilly.com or by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.

According to Simon, the Homeward Bound tour is a fitting culmination of a performing career that began in the early 1960s and has coincided with his artistic journey as a songwriter and recording artist until the present day.

He said of this farewell tour, “I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I'd consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief. I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly. I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in my music that touched their hearts.”

Having created a distinctive and beloved body of work that includes 13 studio albums, plus five studio albums as half of Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon is the recipient of 16 Grammy Awards, three of which—Bridge over Troubled Water, Still Crazy after All These Years, and Graceland—were Album of the Year honorees. In 2003, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Simon & Garfunkel, and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

During his unparalleled career, Simon has achieved 29 Top 40 singles in the U.S. alone, with 14 of those reaching the Top 10 or higher, including “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (which reached #1), “Kodachrome,” “Loves Me Like A Rock,” “Mother and Child Reunion,” “Late In The Evening,” “You Can Call Me Al” and many others. With Simon & Garfunkel, he wrote and performed the #1 singles, “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and numerous other timeless hits.

     

Paul Simon is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, both as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. Simon was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002 and was named one of Time magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World” in 2006. In 2007, Simon was awarded the inaugural Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011. And in 2012, he was named the recipient of the prestigious Polar Music Prize along with classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

    

 Simon’s philanthropic work includes the co-founding of the Children’s Health Fund (CHF), which donates and staffs 53 mobile medical units that bring health care to low-income children and their families in urban and rural locations around the United States. Since its inception in 1987, CHF has provided more than 3 million doctor/patient visits.

Throughout his career, Simon has also raised millions of dollars for worthy causes as varied as Autism Speaks, The Nature Conservancy, CURE, Tibet House and the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s Half-Earth Project, which is committed to stopping the species extinction crisis by conserving half the planet’s lands and oceans.

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Homeward Bound: Farewell Tour

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  6. Paul Simon Announces 'Homeward Bound: The Farewell Performance'

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COMMENTS

  1. Paul Simon Announces Homeward Bound

    Tickets for Paul Simon's Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour will go on sale beginning February 8 at 9 a.m. in Europe and February 9 at 10 a.m. in North America and the UK. The complete tour itinerary is listed below. Go to PaulSimon.com for ticketing information as it becomes available.

  2. Paul Simon Closes Out Farewell Tour With Euphoric Hometown Show

    Simon did everything possible to make his final concert a joyful affair, but by the end he was fighting back tears as he sang "Homeward Bound". By Andy Greene. September 23, 2018. Paul Simon ...

  3. Watch Paul Simon play an emotional farewell at his final ever concert

    Paul Simon's greatest ever solo songs. When explaining why he decided to play his final concert in Flushing, Simon said: "It feels more like fate than coincidence that I should do the final show on the final tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.". He added: "I could have ridden my bike from home to the park in about 20 minutes when I was ...

  4. Paul Simon Announces Third & Final Leg of Homeward Bound

    Today Paul Simon announced the final dates of Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour, culminating with four shows in the New York City area: the Prudential Center on September 15 in Newark, NJ (where Simon was born), and two nights at Madison Square Garden on September 20 and 21, with an additional concert on September 22 to be announced soon.

  5. Paul Simon Announces 'Homeward Bound' Farewell Tour

    Simon is the latest artist to reveal that they would retire from the road, following similar farewell tours announced by Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Slayer.. Paul Simon Tour ...

  6. Paul Simon Kicks Off U.S. Farewell Tour

    22. "The Boxer". 23. "Late in the Evening". 24. "Questions for the Angels". 25. "The Sound of Silence". Paul Simon kicked off the U.S. leg of his Homeward Bound farewell tour last night at Seattle ...

  7. Watch Paul Simon deliver an emotional farewell to fans during his ...

    Paul Simon played his final ever concert last night (September 22) in Queens, just minutes from where he grew up. 'The Boxer' star ended his 'Homeward Bound' farewell tour at Flushing ...

  8. Paul Simon Announces Historic Concert Event, Homeward Bound

    Legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer Paul Simon announced today he will perform the final concert of his Farewell Tour in the borough of Queens, where he spent his formative years. On Saturday, September 22 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Simon and his band will bring to the stage a stunning, career-spanning repertoire of timeless hits and classics, as well as a unique ...

  9. Paul Simon Plots Final Leg of Farewell Tour

    By Ryan Reed. March 12, 2018. Paul Simon announced the final leg of his farewell tour, a run of 11 North American shows. Kevin Mazur/Getty. Update: Paul Simon announced his final show will take ...

  10. Paul Simon: The Ultimate Collection

    Paul Simon Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour sees Paul perform in the UK for the final time. Discover all of Paul Simon's hits with the Ultimate Collection!

  11. Paul Simon's Farewell Concert In Queens Is an Emotional ...

    Paul Simon Brings Farewell Tour to Emotional Close With Outdoor Concert In His Native Queens, NY. Under a nearly full moon in Queens' Flushing Meadows Corona Park on a gentle Saturday (Sept. 22 ...

  12. Paul Simon Announces His Final Show, Near His Childhood Home

    June 20, 2018. Getty Image. Tonight in Nashville, Paul Simon will continue his farewell tour, which began in May and is set to run through September. When additional dates were announced back in ...

  13. Paul Simon Announces Final Concert of Farewell Tour

    Legendary singer/songwriter Paul Simon has announced the final performance of his farewell tour will take place in the same borough in which his career began: Queens, New York.. Though he was born in New Jersey, Simon spent his formative years in Queens. On Saturday, September 22, the singer will take the stage with his band at Flushing Meadows Corona Park to play a career-spanning set of hits ...

  14. Paul Simon Announces 'Homeward Bound' Farewell Tour

    Paul Simon is going to bid his fans a fond farewell. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer announced on Monday morning (Feb. 5) that he has set the dates for what he is calling Homeward Bound - The ...

  15. Paul Simon to Release New Album for Final Dates of Farewell Tour

    To coincide with the final dates of his farewell tour, Paul Simon will release his 14th solo studio album — called "In the Blue Light" — on September 7, Legacy Recordings announced today.

  16. Paul Simon Closes Farewell Tour In Queens

    It's an emotional night in Queens for legendary singer Paul Simon and his fans. After a career spanning seven decades, Simon is wrapping up his farewell tour...

  17. Paul Simon Announces Farewell Show In London With James Taylor, Bonnie

    Paul Simon is the latest in a string of older artists that have recently acknowledged their impending retirement.The celebrated singer-songwriter will say "farewell" with a July 15th concert ...

  18. Homeward Bound: Paul Simon Brings His Farewell Tour to Colorado

    Homeward Bound: Paul Simon Brings His Farewell Tour to Colorado. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 9. By Westword Staff. February 5, 2018. Paul Simon performed a sold-out show at Red Rocks on ...

  19. Paul Simon To Release New Album, In The Blue Light, On September 7

    Paul Simon to release new album - In The Blue Light - On September 7 coinciding with final leg of HOMEWARD BOUND - THE FAREWELL TOUR. With notable collaborations and fresh arrangements, Paul Simon revisits and lends new perspective to ten of his personal favorites from his body of work.

  20. Paul Simon review

    Sat 14 Jul 2018 07.00 EDT. T here may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but Paul Simon, it seems, requires 15 people to prise him away from his love of touring. The huge stage for the first night of ...

  21. Paul Simon

    As previously announced, Simon and his band will embark on the artist's final tour May 16 in Vancouver, bringing to the stage a stunning, career-spanning repertoire of timeless hits and classic songs. Tickets for the third and final leg of Paul Simon's Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour will go on public sale beginning Friday, March 16 ...

  22. Paul Simon Brings Farewell Tour to Wells Fargo Center on June 16

    Legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer Paul Simon is set to bring Farewell Tour to Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, June 16. Tickets go on sale on Saturday, February 10 at 10 a.m. exclusively through WellsFargoCenterPhilly.com or by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.

  23. London's Hyde Park Welcomes The Final European Performance of Homeward

    What an amazing and special night it was at London's Hyde Park for the final European performance of @paulsimonofficial 's Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour. July 15, 2018 : @PoonehGhana #TBT @BSTHydePark