There Went Rhymin’ Simon

Bittersweet evening seeing the great Paul Simon tonight in Queens for the final performance on his farewell tour, wishing my brother Bill were here like he and Terence were for Art Garfunkel in 2015. Bill introduced us to Simon and Garfunkel as kids -- we’d play their albums constantly in our basement on 13 Mile while hanging out or playing table tennis -- and the love never faded.

The show opened with "America" -- perhaps my favorite Simon and Garfunkel song -- "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" and "The Boy in the Bubble" and while the middle was a little heavy on some of Simon's post-peak solo years, didn't disappoint. "Kodachrome" and "Late in the Evening" got the crowd really going, yet no one sat for ever the most somber of songs. "Rene and Georgette Magritte" was a very pleasant surprise -- "Hearts and Bones" is an unsung masterpiece -- and the final encore including "Homeward Bound," "The Boxer, ""American Tune" and "The Sound of Silence" were a stern reminder of why Simon is one of the preeminent songwriters of all time. 

Always a pleasure with my Damian, There's only one way the night could have been more perfect.