[shekie]

I had seen him perform in the 1987 soon after releasing "Graceland" and although the band was superb, I found Paul Simon to be somewhat detached & uninspired, and seemingly unsettled by the audience's adulation.

Last night was a very different story. He was relaxed, engaging, funny, wistful, accepting of the audience's need to say goodby, and most of all, still a terrific musician and performer. He must have had close to 20 musicians with him, who seamlessly slid on and off the stage while he played songs with everything from the entire ensemble to a string & winds sextet, to a rock band, to solo. At the age of 76, to not only be able to play and sing flawlessly (yes, he can still sing!), but to also lead these various groupings as he wound his way through the setlist below, was extaordinary.

He also played at various times, 4 different Martins, a 12 string dread, what looked to be two versions of either an M-36 or 0000-28, and what I believe to be an OM-42. If you have the opportunity to see him during this final tour, I highly recommend.

The setlist:

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
Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War
Can't Run But
Bridge Over Troubled Water
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:
Graceland
Still Crazy After All These Years
Late in the Evening

Encore 2:
Homeward Bound
Kodachrome
The Boxer

Encore 3:
American Tune
Sounds of Silence