Halfway through Paul Simon’s last ever show in Tampa Friday night, he made it very clear that something was very different about his stage. A man (no, not Art Garfunkel) who played with him live and in the studio for over 30 years was not present.
In December of last year, guitarist Vincent Nguini passed away. He was present on Paul’s brief US tour last summer for maybe four or five dates, before heading home to receive treatment for an unspecified illness.
Nguini’s unfortunate passing was a key reason to why the genius behind Graceland announced Homeward Bound: The Farewell Tour in an open letter back in February. He had kicked the idea around for the last few years, but two new albums (one of which released Friday) and two tours proved that it was probably blasphemy.
Though his final show in Queens, NY is still a few weeks away, Simon’s final stop in Tampa, felt like his first stop here. In 60+ years, Paul is not very familiar with Tampa, as his last time in the area was in 2011 at Ruth Eckerd Hall. But him and Garfunkel did bring their reunion tour with surprise guests The Everly Brothers to the same venue in late 2003. If at least some fans at the farewell show hadn’t seen the reunion tour, that’s an honest shocker.
Simon’s 9-piece band, with the 6 members of yMusic hit the stage around 8:15, and the man came slowly walking out in an orange t-shirt and purple blazer. After plucking the opening chords to the Simon & Garfunkel classic, America, and swaying to 1973’s 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, he told a humorous Tampa story, about a time he was asked to throw the first pitch at a Yankees spring training game held here. Apparently, some of the players were betting on how many times the ball would bounce in the event of a celebrity such as Paul threw the first pitch. “The only person that bet on me was Tino Martinez!” he closed the story with.
He then granted permission to get up and dance “if we felt the urge to,” but to “keep in mind the couple behind you may disagree with your urge.”
While only five Simon & Garfunkel songs were played in the two-and-a-half hour musical odyssey, he hardly missed a moment in his solo career. As he’s done in most shows over the years, Mother And Child Reunion and Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard, off his first proper solo album, were blasted back-to-back. Graceland’s follow-up, The Rhythm Of The Saints was not snubbed either. Four tracks, one of which was a recently revamped song, Can’t Run But, made the cut for the first time on tour in nearly 20 years.
“I’ve been writing songs since I was twelve years old,” he bragged before proceeding to emphasize his life of songwriting. Or at least up until he broke up with Artie, because he didn’t want to continue going on and on.
Some songs on this tour haven’t appeared on many, or any, tours before this one. With the release of In The Blue Light the day of the show, in which Simon revisits obscure songs he penned that he felt had an impact on him, there had to be some tunes off of there. And three, one mentioned before, made it. The Joan Baez inspired Rene And Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War, which has not been played since 1984, and never played on tour, featured the breathtaking talents of yMusic, of whom came forward to the carpet Simon stood on to surround him. And 2011’s Questions For The Angels, of which the new version was previewed during last summer’s mini US tour, was very unfamiliar to the crowd, except for one of the very few die-hards in the house.
There was also 1973’s Kodachrome during Simon’s final of two encores, and a newer version of the legendary Bridge over Troubled Water, which was later dedicated to the Queen Of Soul, Aretha Franklin. “Very seldom do I sing it,” he began. And an emotional Homeward Bound featured a montage of photos from Paul’s 60+ year career on the screen behind him.
That’s the major difference about this tour from any other he’s done before. Normally, Paul plays smaller, intimate venues. But this time around, he wanted to give everyone in town a chance to say goodbye to him. And also, there’s normally not a big screen behind him, showing neither graphics nor a magnified view of himself. So while some of his shows (including this one) were not sold out, I think it’s safe to say that this is a dazzling way to go out on top.
The show closed with a trio of his most beautiful songs. A devastating rendition of The Boxer brought tears to the eyes of boomers, Gen-X’ers, and millennials. Before the highlight of the night, The Sound Of Silence tore the house down, the 1973 lament American Tune, featured just Simon and his trademark acoustic guitar. “Strange times, huh?” he asked, swiping the opening chord.
“Don’t give up.”
For the age of 76, those are pretty solid final remarks to Tampa Bay. That’s the closest he came to mentioning politics. (other then getting booed when mentioning the first pitch for Yankees)
Even with Bob Dylan on the way to Clearwater next month, Simon’s advice has some serious significance, especially for the music lovers. Many of the great singer-songwriters have either died or retired, so we’re losing people to see live. Not to say there aren’t any left, but regardless of what anyone says, never again will there be anyone with the same potential and love for music owned by Aretha Franklin, Joan Baez, Elton John, and in any case, especially here, the genius, sharp-wit; and underrated musical skills of Paul Simon.
Josh Bradley Live 