Paul Simon

At 83, he acknowledged that most all of his songs are old, and Edie Brickell stepped in on three (or four, if you count just whistling) of the songs, to support the harmonies. His new material was the whole first set, Seven Psalms. He was personable and gave some back stories on compositions, to add context, and provide interest to the audience. As the 2 hour show progressed, his energy waned a bit, but his voice and stage presence, experience and up to 12 person backing band supported the musical composer, such, that the only nominal weariness was easily dismissed, with the understanding that he is 83. He was more engaging with the audience than when we saw Dylan (10-6-23), but that's no surprise. As one would expect, his sound engineering and guitar techs brought world class precision to this rock and roll, as the line array, stage monitors and subs were top notch, the guys at the console were precise with the mix. He still has the verve and the enthusiasm; the performance provided a tremendous experience. In a brief conversation with the band's longtime musical director (from Appleton, Wisconsin) after the show, it was a great vibe, across delightful evening, for night 1 of a 3 show run in Chicago, and the tour is going well. 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼