I Just Read About That…

[CANCELLED: June 29, 2025] Paul Simon: A Quiet Celebration

Last year, my wife and I had tickets to see Paul Simon at The Academy of Music–a small space and we had very good, close seats (I could have gotten closer tickets, but we weren’t sure we wanted to get TOO close).  We have seen just about everyone that we really want to (I have a list of bands that I still want to see but it gets shorter all the time).  But one person on her bucket list was Paul Simon.

So when he announced this Quiet Celebration tour, I grabbed tickets immediately.  Then two days before our show, Paul announced that he would have to cancel the shows because of terrible back pain.  He was going to have surgery and hoped to get back on tour.

As it turns out, he was able to make the next night of his tour (which was about a week later).  So he only missed two shows and ours was one of them.  He never rescheduled that location, but instead, did another round of the tour.  The Philly show was at the Mann Center (a very different venue from The Academy of Music (and it turned out a rainy night).

But we didn’t get tickets for the Mann in part because I didn’t think it would be easy, but mainly because it was my son’s birthday.  So instead, we got tickets to the show in Bethel Woods, a 2 and a half hour drive away.

We got a room for the night and were excited to check out the area.  Especially when I learned that the venue was on the site of Woodstock.  And there’s a museum dedicated to the 1969 event.  I was three months old when Woodstock happened and my parents were as far from hippies as you could get, so there was no love for this event in my house growing up.

However, I understand its cultural significance as well as the musical significance.  And while I’m not someone who thinks it was the most amazing thing to ever happen, I still like the music and thought the museum would be cool.  The museum is pretty cool.  I enjoyed the memorabilia, in particular the woman who wrote down the music she saw and her thoughts about them–I’d love to see everything she wrote.  It was also fascinating to see that no one really had an idea of what each band played–they had to look at various documents to ensure the playlists.  But there’s even discrepancies in the museum itself.  One sign says The Who played 24 songs, but the other sign lists 21 songs.

So the museum was a little underwhelming, but because we were there when we were, we were able to buy one of these limited edition posters, which is pretty cool.

So the weather that morning was unreasonably hot (day 3 of a 5 day heat wave).  But on the way to the venue it started raining (and thundering).  I was first concerned that they might cancel the show from the heat (Paul Simon is old, after all) and then I was worried that they would cancel it because of lightning.  Either way would have been too much for us to bear, I fear.  But the rain stopped and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees and it was quite lovely.

But they delayed the opening of the gates for some 20 minutes and the line was INSANE, so we hung out in the (air conditioned) museum until just before 8.

The walk from the entrance to the venue is REALLY long.  Like, holy cow you have to walk a long way–easily ten minutes with the crowds.  But Paul didn’t go on until 8 and we found our seats and waited.   One complaint is that we brought refillable water bottles but there were no places to fill them.  I suppose if we were earlier, we could have spotted them, but they assured us that the show would start at exactly 8 and it was like 5 of as we got near our seats.

But soon enough, the lights dimmed and the band came out.

I had assumed, and I have no idea why I wasn’t disabused of this idea, that it was just Paul solo.  But he had a MASSIVE band–so much for a quiet celebration.

He came on stage to thunderous applause and told us that he was going to play all of Seven Psalms and then take a break.  For the Seven Psalms, he wore a suit.  I had listened to the record once or twice and found it pleasant enough.  I heard somebody behind me after the set say that when he closed his eyes and just let the music flow over him, he really enjoyed it, and I felt that way too.

The musicians were top notch.  Mark Stewart (guitar), Bakithi Kumalo (bass), Andy Snitzer (saxophone), Jamey Haddad (percussion), Mick Rossi (piano, keys), Gyan Riley (guitar), Matt Chamberlin (drums), Nancy Stagnitta (flute), Caleb Burhans (viola), and Eugene Friesen (cello).

And Edie Brickell herself on a few songs!

I didn’t realize the drummer was Matt Chamberlin who I have seen many times with Tori Amos.  But I was mostly taken with Mick Rossi who had the most amazing percussion setup I’ve seen–tubular bells, xylophones and even piano/keys.

The set was delightful as the sun went down.  I didn’t know the music, but it was really quite pretty–not exactly orchestral, but almost.  It was obvious when Paul sang that he was old.  He wasn’t bad, he was just old (he’s 84).  Some people have said he shouldn’t be singing now since he’s not in his prime anymore, but even if he wasn’t in his prime (and he wasn’t), it was still impactful to have the creator of these songs sing to us.  Edie Brickell came out and sang with him for a couple of these songs and yes, her voice is still fantastic and did show how far his was from his heyday.  But when they sang together it sounded really lovely.

The set ended and everyone left the stage.  My wife, who loves Paul Simon didn’t make a list of hoped for songs, but she did say she hoped he’d play Graceland.

So, when he opened the second set with Graceland, I jokingly asked if we should just leave now.

Set two was not very different from set 1.  Paul switched from a suit to a more casual look and, indeed, opened with Graceland.  It was pretty cool for me to hear, but I know it was really special for my wife–again, not that Simon sounded great, but because it was him singing it.

It didn’t really matter what he played next.  But of course we had some hopes.  In the gift shop earlier, they were playing Kodachrome and I was hoping he’d play that (he didn’t) and the more I thought about songs I’d like to hear, I realized just how many great songs he has written over the year.

But, as others have said, he played songs from every era of his career, but it was not a greatest hits set.  He played several songs that I’d never heard of and even a few that my wife didn’t know.  And sure that was a little disappointing, but again, he played a lot of songs that we were psyched to hear.

Like Slip Slidin’ Away, a song I totally wasn’t expecting to hear.  It didn’t have that 70s groovy sound–it was updated–and it sounded great.

I didn’t know Train in the Distance.  Then he made a comment about how he had written a lot of songs with guitar melody intros.  And he played three.  He started with the intro to I am a Rock, and we all gasped in delight and then sank back down when he stopped playing it and moved on to the next sing, which I don’t even remember.  But then he started Homeward Bound and that was wonderful.

And I will say that even if his voice didn’t sound great his guitar playing was excellent.  He seemed to start every song but then stopped midway through to let the band take over.  But when he played the various melodies, his fingers were sure.

He told a story about the Late Great Johnny Ace–I’d never heard of Johnny Ace or the song.  But it was interesting when they put a phot of the man on the screens as the song ended.  Similarly, he ended Father and Daughter with a picture of him and his daughter (I assume it was his daughter).  I didn’t know this song (which is from a 2006 album) and I see that he played St. Judy’s Comet instead of it on the last go around. I would have really liked to hear that song, especially on a calm night outside.

Edie Brickell came out and sang Under African Skies.  He dedicated it to the late Joseph Shabalala, who formed Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the South African chorus that sang on “Graceland.”  He also gave a shout out to bassist Bakithi Kumalo, the only surviving member of the Graceland touring band.

In an article I read, it noted that for every hit, there was a “Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War.”  My wife has always loved this song.  She desperately hoped he would play it.  I noted on the setlist last year that it did get played, but I never said anything just in case he didn’t play it for us.  But he did and it was wonderful.  She never knew if it was a particularly popular song (that article suggests not), but it sounded amazing and we were both so happy he played it.  He also gave the origin of the title.  In a book about Magritte, there was a photo with his wife and their dog that was labelled “Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War.”  Simple but effective.  I liked that they projected the image on screen after the song.

He then played three songs I didn’t know.  “Rewrite” from 2011.  The article that mentioned Rene above suggested he could have been playing Kodachrome, Mother and Child Reunion, and I’d add America (I assumed no on Mrs. Robinson anyhow).  Then there were two from Rhythm of the Saints, a famous album that I guess I don’t know at all.

As the show progressed, everyone on stage got a chance to solo and each person was properly applauded.  The two guitarists were wonderful.  I loved the flute solo and the drums and percussion were really fun throughout (the talking drum was a highlight).

I was concerned that he wouldn’t play anything else I knew, but he brought everyone to their feet with Diamonds on the Soles of Their Shoes.  It seemed a shame to put the encore break there as we all had just really gotten into the song.  But, heck, he can do what he wants, right?

After a brief encore break, everyone came out for a super fun rendition of Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard (which reminded me that I would have loved to hear Feeling Groovy–boy he’s written a lot of great songs).  The biggest fun of the night was when Edie Brickell came back out at the end oft he song and did the whistling part perfectly.  I loved that he stayed in the olde days with 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover which got everyone dancing in their seats.

Up next was Something So Right, a song I didn’t really know (much to my wife’s surprise–I would have preferred Love Me Like a Rock from that album–the oddly named Here Comes Rhymin’ Simon).

And then he blew my mind by singing The Boxer.  It sounded a little different at first–I sensed the whole crowd took a moment to realize what it was, but the applause was strong.  And everyone loved singing the Lie-Lie-Lies.  And when he got to the line “the fighter still remains,” I think we all knew he was talking about himself (at least a little) and everyone applauded extra loud for it.

I had cheated and looked ahead to see how long the show would g so I knew the final song, but I was still curious how it would be done.  The entire band stood at the stage for several bows.  Then everyone left except for Paul who accepted the applause and then raised his finger for one more?

With just him and his guitar he played a gorgeous solo version of The Sound of Silence.  His guitar sounded so crisp and clean–his playing flawless.  Sure, maybe his voice was softer than it could have been but that seemed appropriate for the song.

I secretly hoped that he would do something special for us, for Woodstock.  But nope.  And why should he?  He is a rock, after all (yea, I would have liked to hear that too).

1. The Lord ψ
2. Love Is Like a Braid ψ
3. My Professional Opinion ψ
4. Your Forgiveness ψ
5. Trail of Volcanoes ψ
6. The Sacred Harp ψ (with Edie Brickell) 
7. Wait ψ (with Edie Brickell) 
   SET TWO
   
8. Graceland ♦
   
9. Slip Slidin’ Away ∩
10. Train in the Distance ♥
11. Homeward Bound ¥ (Simon & Garfunkel song)
12. The Late Great Johnny Ace ♥
13. Father and Daughter ‰
14. Under African Skies ♦ (with Edie Brickell) 
15. Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War ♥
16. Rewrite §
17. Spirit Voices ≅
18. The Cool, Cool River ≅
19. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes ♦
    Encore
20. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard ¶ (with Edie Brickell whistling)
21. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover Ø
22. Something So Right ⇔
23. The Boxer ∞ (Simon & Garfunkel song)
     2nd encore [Paul solo]
24. The Sound of Silence ∀ (Simon & Garfunkel song) 

 

ψ Seven Pslams (2023)
§ So Beautiful or So What (2011)
‰ Surprise (2006)
≅ Rhythm of the Saints (1990)
♦ Graceland (1986)
♥ Hearts and Bones (1983)
∩ Greatest Hits, Etc.
Ø Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)
⇔ There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973)
¶ Paul Simon (1972)

Simon & Garfunkel
∀ Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (1964)
¥ Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966)
∞ Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)

The Academy of Music playlist from 2025 was very similar.  I definitely would have preferred to hear St. Judy’s Comet, but we got Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes and two more songs overall.

1. 1. Graceland
   2. Slip Slidin’ Away
   3. Train in the Distance
   4. Homeward Bound (Simon & Garfunkel song)
   5. The Late Great Johnny Ace
   6. St. Judy’s Comet
   7. Under African Skies (with Edie Brickell)
   8. Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War
   9. Rewrite
   10. Spirit Voices
   11. The Cool, Cool River
   12. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell) (Whistling)
       Encore
   13. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
   14. The Boxer  (Simon & Garfunkel song) 
   15. The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel song) (Solo Acoustic)