Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are bona-fide legends. No doubt about it. To watch Simon & Garfunkel perform together is equal parts privilege and historic.
Simon & Garfunkel chose to perform this one-off tour for Australia and New Zealand. In fact, it was their first time together here in almost 30 years.
As a songwriter, Paul Simon is one of the greats. He stands alongside Lennon & McCartney, Bob Dylan and Jagger & Richards.
Art Garfunkel is one of the great vocalists of the 20th Century.
Watching Simon & Garfunkel together you get an appreciation for the equal parts they bring to the music. They interweave their vocals that are mostly Art as lead singer but often Paul. They both work as lead singers, backing singers and harmony singers with each other. It was what made the magic.
The songs made music history.
‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is arguably one of the greatest songs ever written. “Paul wrote it for me 40 years ago,” Art Garfunkel said still amazed at what a gift he was given.
“I’m Artie Garfunkel and this is my friend Paul Simon. I had no idea in the 60s that it would last this long,” Art said.
The setlist itself was more than 40 years of some of the greatest moments ever in music, and we heard it from the two guys who made it.
Songs like ‘Mrs Robinson’, ‘Scarborough Fair’ or ‘El Condor Pasa’ could have been used for an encore but for Simon & Garfunkel made up the body of the set.
Paul introduced his solo hit ‘Slip Slidin’ Away’ as a song that would have been a Simon & Garfunkel song had they not broken up.
The solo moments sat equally with the duo songs. Art did his huge hit ‘Bright Eyes’ and ‘A Heart in New York’ as well as his new song ‘Perfect Moment/Now I Lay Me Down’. He said he only became a songwriter 5 years ago.
Paul gave us ‘Me and Julio Down By The School Yard’, ‘Boy In The Bubble’ and ‘Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes’ - all solo classics.
Art told the story of how they first met. “We go back to the 6th grade when we were 11 and met doing Alice In Wonderland. It was 50 years ago when I met the white rabbit and I followed him down the hole for the next 50 years”.
“It is true,” Paul responded. “I did start my career as a rabbit.”
Here is the setlist for the Simon & Garfunkel show from Rod Laver Arena, June 25, 2009.
Act 1
Old Friends/Bookends
Hazy Shade of Winter
I Am A Rock
America
Kathy’s Song
Hey Schoolgirl
BeBop A Lula
Scarborough Fair
Homeward Bound
Act 2
Mrs Robinson/Not Fade Away
Slip Slidin’ Away
El Condor Pasa
Art solo:
Bright Eyes
A Heart In New York
Perfect Moment/Now I Lay Me Down
Paul solo:
Me and Julio Down By The School Yard
Boy In The Bubble
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Only Living Boy In New York
My Little Town
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Encore1:
The Sounds of Silence
The Boxer
Encore 2:
Leaves That Are Green
Cecilia
Get tickets for Simon and Garfunkel in Australia here:
June 26, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
June 30, Adelaide, Entertainment Centre
July 2, Perth, Burswood Dome
