To be attending a Paul Simon concert in 2026 is something I never thought would happen after the diminutive singer announced his retirement from touring in 2018 because of a near-complete loss of hearing in his left ear. That we are here tonight is thanks to researchers at Stanford University’s Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss programme, who worked with Simon to facilitate his return to the stage. What we have as a result is a carefully selected set list played through strategically positioned monitors that account for his deafness.
Dressed in all black, Simon walked onstage to a standing ovation, such is the affection his audience has for him. The first half of the show focused on Simon’s latest album, Seven Psalms, a 33-minute song cycle in seven movements that is meant to be performed and heard as one piece of music. He has said that the album is a discussion he has had with himself about his faith, or the absence of it, given that he has more years behind him than he has in front of him: an old man confronting his mortality and wondering what comes next.
From the opening bells of ‘The Lord’ to the bluesy and witty ‘My Professional Opinion’, the live versions of the songs surpassed the recorded versions. The band and Simon gently lift the different parts of the work by varying the intensity and offering subtle nuances so that no individual musician stands out. Between each part, the audience hesitates to applaud. Some clap lightly; others refrain so as not to disturb the mood. A highlight of the evening came when singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, Simon’s wife, elevated the songs ‘The Sacred Harp’ and ‘Wait’ with her beautifully clear and whispery alto to end the first half.
After a brief intermission, Simon and his band returned to play a second set of hits and deep cuts, including his meditation on gun violence, ‘The Late Great Johnny Ace’ (from 1983’s Hearts and Bones), ‘Mother and Child Reunion’ (from 1972’s self-titled Paul Simon), and ‘Rewrite’ (from 2011’s So Beautiful or So What). Brickell returned for Graceland’s ‘Under African Skies’, beautifully interpreting the vocal originally performed on the record by Linda Ronstadt. Simon stated that his current and longtime bassist, Bakithi Kumalo, who began working with him on the Graceland album, is the last surviving member of the Graceland band. Also on this tour is drummer Steve Gadd, whose drum part for ‘50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ is instantly recognisable, and it was a privilege to hear him play it live.
The arrangements are familiar yet presented in a new way that emphasises subtle, often understated variations, allowing different parts of the band to shine at different moments.
Beautiful versions of ‘Spirit Voices’ and ‘Cool, Cool River’ (from 1990’s The Rhythm of the Saints) followed, full of intricate interplay between Simon and his musicians. ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’ and the Simon & Garfunkel classic ‘Homeward Bound’ sounded fresh, as if the 84-year-old Simon had refined them through the eyes and ears of an older man, adapting them for the voice he has today.
Simon & Garfunkel were further represented in two of the encore songs: ‘The Boxer’ and, of course, ‘The Sound of Silence’, for which he remained alone on stage. The evening is over, and Simon must finally leave us. But before he goes, he takes his time, time to be honoured by the audience and time to thank them.
In all likelihood, this will be the most intimate concert I’ll attend this year: a truly special experience. Tearful, goosebump-inducing, and moving.
Paul Simon A Quiet Celebration tour continues and tickets can be found here,
https://www.paulsimon.com/events/
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 07.05.2026
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