Review: Paul Simon Observes on First Nights Retirement Finale: “Strange times…don’t give up”

I saw The Who retire a few times, springing up form the late 70s. They’re still playing somewhere. There’s no doubt that Bernie Williams retired with the Yankees thrice.

Tonight, Paul Simon acted initially what he states are his three last dates on tour ever. That one what food was in Madison Square Garden. He didn’t look or seem sick. There were nothing within the demeanor to point out how the end was near. Art Garfunkel was nowhere on the horizon. Simon didn’t play a retrospective evening. Indeed, he included numerous songs from very recent albums. The show isn’t that better than the main one I saw in Forest Hills some summers ago.

What’s occurring? That knows? A quote for attention? A hook out of which to sell tickets?

Well, celebrities came: Clive Davis, comedian John Mullaney, the now infamous Louis CK, Joan Baez, veteran promoter Ron Delsener, probably some i always missed.

Simon looks extremely refreshed. Come on, man, extremely. He’s 76, he was fit for a fiddle, has a very straight jawline and glistening cheeks. He appears like he’s ready for the overseas tour. Two more shows? Huh?

He announced that was his 101st show at Madison Square Garden. (“Tell Billy,” he joked about Billy Joel.) He involved a practically three hour show with many Simon & Garfunkel, and several solo numbers. “Bridger Over Troubled Water” was relegated towards middle, carried out in a fresh arrangement. He gave a fantastic shout in the market to Aretha Franklin, who were built with a hit with it. There was nary a mention of Art Garfunkel, who isn’t involved in this weekend’s faretheewell.

Simon says he may do a couple of traveling now that she has time on his hands. (It’s not wish we stopped him from going anywhere.) He was quoted saying he’ll continue to keep compose music. My prediction is, he’s last two years, bored as hell.

Just for the record, bigger absolutely nothing to prove. Before Billy or Bruce, he was New York’s pop poet laureate. (Dylan part of Hibbing, Minnesota). Simon’s songs just grow deeper as the years go. His “American Tune,” written in 1973 about Nixon and Watergate the absymal state of yank politics, the death of 60s optimism, rings truer today.

“I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have an acquaintance who feels at ease
I don’t know an aspiration that’s not been shattered or driven for your knee”

I mean, can happen. Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Katie Perry…that’s a song.

The audience — which filled 2/3 on the Garden, one third with the seats weren’t sold– sang along to “The Boxer.” Lai-la-lai.? “The Sound of Silence” echoed inside our ears.

Paul Simon had better stay in a few form, that’s all I’m saying. I passed out Blimpie’s menus while in the fall of 1975 for making enough money to check out him at DAR Constitution Hall. Forty several years later, I have got no regrets.