Concert Review: Paul Simon At A Wet Forest Hills Stadium -A Triumphant Return Home to Queens
Paul Simon
was born in Newark, New Jersey. His family moved to Kew Gardens Hills, Queens,
while he was four years old. So he grew up living on 70th Rd. near Jewel Ave,
Main St. & Flushing Meadow Park.
As a teen he attended Forest Hills High
School where he met Art Garfunkel starting a brilliant career. Many of his
early songs were written on 70th Rd.
Tonight just a mile away from his old high
school Paul Simon put on a fantastic show (the second of two sell outs) that was only dampened by the
weather.
There was a rain delayed late start, over an hour, followed with a brief shower during &
then a heavy down pour lasting just to the end of Simon's set to his first
encores.
The rain was heavy, lightning was crackling in the skies as everyone
crowded into the ancient stadiums underbelly below the grand stands. It was a
mess but everyone survived.
God forbid Forest Hills Tennis Stadium postponed
the show earlier in the day, since there was even a tornado watch. I guess if
it may snow the entire city shuts down, but here it was ok to risk thousands of
lives in the dangerous weather conditions.
But Simon & his band did the
best to play to the wet crowd. The show even played past the usual 10PM curfew,
ending at 11:10PM due to the late start.
Tonight Paul
Simon played a variety of songs from his rather eclectic career. Songs ranging
from his Simon & Garfunkel sixties days (which seemed to be the most
popular with the crowd) to his solo career right, covering all types of world
music influences & cultures, right up to his latest album, which is selling
very well.
His nine piece band added great
support behind him, but when Simon was alone with his guitar it made for the
best parts of the show.
Anytime one of his songs had a New York reference or
Queens reference, the crowd gave a loud cheer of approval.
NY References: Dazzling
Blue: "Sweet July we drove the Montauk Highway" / That Was Your
Mother: "Well I'm standing on the corner of Lafayette, Across from the
Public heading down to the Lone Star Cafe" / Me & Julio Down By Schoolyard:
"Goodbye Rosie, the Queen of Corona" / The Boxer: "Going Home, Where
the New York City winters aren't bleeding me" / The Sound of Silence:
"the words of the prophets were written on the subway walls."
The lyrics "Girls out on the stoop" from Late In the Evening as well as "stepped outside to smoke myself a j" got surprisingly loud cheers as well. Simon also had them dancing in the isles on many of the more up beat songs ie: Mother & Child Reunion / Julio / Obvious Child/ Diamonds on Sole of Her Shoes / You Can Call Me Al / Late In Evening . Oh & if rain was mentioned in the lyrics the crowd jeered!
There was
even a treat covering That's All Right Mama certainly in tribute to the passing
of Elvis guitarist Scottie Moore.
Tonight was
the last night of his American tour, fittingly ending in Forest Hills for the
home town boy. Simon himself has recently suggested this may be his last tour
as thinks about retirement.
In any event he gave the Queens crowd a real treat
as he ended the show with two surprises, breaking away from this tour's
customary set list.
He did the classics: Sound of Silence & Bridge Over Troubled Waters. With the
latter he stated I don't sing this one too often but everyone seems to want to
hear it. And in my opinion these may have been his best vocals of the evening.
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| Simon & Garfunkel at Simons 70th Rd. Queens Childhood home 1975 |
Simon looks
good at 74 years of age, donning a grey Queens t-shirt changing his sports
jackets to a variety of different colors
throughout the show.
His voice still sounds great even if not still having all
the elegance it once had. Simon still carried the tunes beautifully through the
Queens night, drifting over the Forest Hills Tennis club & into the overcast
skies. It was certainly an amazing performance & one hell of a concert.
thanks to these youtube posts from the forest hills concert:
set list Forest Hills Stadium 7/1/16
The Boy In the Bubble
50 Ways To Leave
Your Lover
Dazzling Blue
That Was Your
Mother
Rewrite
Honky Tonk
Slip Slidin' Away
Mother & Child
Reunion
Me & Julio Down
By The Schoolyard
Spirit Voices
The Obvious Child
Stranger to Stranger
Homeward Bound
El Condor Pasa (If
I Could)
DuncanThe Werewolf
The Cool Cool River
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
You Can Call Me Al
encore1
Wristband
I Know What I Know
Late In the Evening
Still Crazy After
All These Years
encore2
That's All Right Mama
The Boxer
The Sound of
Silence
Bridge Over Troubled
Water
thanks to these youtube posts from the forest hills concert:
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