The legendary singer-songwriter returns to the stage, blending his new album Seven Psalms with iconic hits spanning six decades
by Paul Cashmere
After announcing plans to retire due to hearing loss, Paul Simon has returned to live performance with renewed energy, extending his A Quiet Celebration Tour through North America following its European leg. The 2026 run kicks off on June 4 in Palo Alto, California, with the singer-songwriter set to revisit the intricate melodies of his 2023 album Seven Psalms alongside the timeless hits that defined his career.
Simon’s 2025 comeback tour marked a significant moment in contemporary music, taking him through over 50 cities in the United States and Canada, including multiple-night engagements in major markets. Those shows demonstrated his enduring appeal, highlighted by five sold-out performances at New York’s Beacon Theatre that grossed over $2.4 million from 13,859 tickets. The upcoming tour continues in a similar vein, with stops at iconic venues such as the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, and Forest Hills Stadium in New York.
The tour is divided into two parts. The first half features Seven Psalms, Simon’s 33-minute meditation on life, death, and faith, performed with uninterrupted focus and subtle instrumentation. The second half celebrates his extensive catalog, including classics from both his solo career and his work with Art Garfunkel. Fans can expect everything from The Sound of Silence and Mrs. Robinson to solo-era highlights like 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover and You Can Call Me Al.
Simon will be accompanied by a distinguished ensemble, including Edie Brickell on vocals, Mark Stewart and Gyan Riley on guitars, Bakithi Kumalo on bass, Andy Snitzer on saxophone, Mick Rossi on piano, Matt Chamberlin on drums, Jamey Haddad on percussion, Nancy Stagnitta on flute, Caleb Burhans on viola, and Eugene Friesen on cello.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1941, Simon began performing with Art Garfunkel in elementary school, eventually achieving international fame as Simon & Garfunkel. Their blend of folk and rock scored defining hits of the 1960s such as The Sound of Silence, America, Mrs. Robinson, and The Boxer, culminating in the landmark album Bridge over Troubled Water in 1970. As a solo artist, Simon explored a wide range of musical styles, from the reggae-infused Mother and Child Reunion to the South African-inspired Graceland, which won the 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year and has sold over 16 million copies worldwide.
Simon has continued to innovate into the 21st century, releasing acclaimed albums including You’re the One, So Beautiful or So What, Stranger to Stranger, In the Blue Light, and most recently, Seven Psalms. His work has earned him 16 Grammy Awards, two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a place in the National Recording Registry for both Sounds of Silence and Graceland.
Despite a planned retirement in 2018 due to partial hearing loss, the artist’s creative drive and connection to audiences have kept him performing. The new tour offers fans a rare opportunity to experience Simon’s reflective, intimate compositions alongside the classics that have influenced generations of musicians.
Tickets for the North American dates go on sale February 6 via paulsimon.com, with shows scheduled to sell rapidly due to Simon’s enduring reputation and smaller venue settings designed to match the contemplative nature of Seven Psalms.
A Quiet Celebration Tour Dates:
June 4 – Frost Amphitheater – Palo Alto, CA
June 7 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA
June 9 – Rady Shell at Jacobs Park – San Diego, CA
June 12 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
June 13 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
June 16 – Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, MO
June 18 – PNC Pavilion – Cincinnati, OH
June 20 – Meadow Brook Amphitheater – Rochester Mills, MI
June 23 – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH
June 25 – RBC Amphitheater – Toronto, Canada
June 27 – Tanglewood – Lenox, MA
June 30 – BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
July 3 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel Woods, NY
July 5 – The Mann Center – Philadelphia, PA
July 8 – Forest Hills Stadium – Forest Hills, NY
July 11 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
July 13 – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park – Atlanta, GA
July 15 – FirstBank Amphitheatre – Franklin, TN
July 17 – Ravinia – Highland Park, IL
July 18 – Ravinia – Highland Park, IL
A Quiet Celebration 2025 setlist:
Set 1 (Seven Psalms, 2023 complete performance):
The Lord
Love Is Like a Braid
My Professional Opinion
Your Forgiveness
Trail of Volcanoes
The Sacred Harp (with Edie Brickell)
Wait (with Edie Brickell)
Set 2:
Graceland (from Graceland, 1986)
Slip Slidin’ Away (from Greatest Hits Etc, 1977)
Train in the Distance (from Hearts and Bones, 1983)
Homeward Bound (from Parsely Sage Rosemary and Thyme, 1966)
The Late Great Johnny Ace (from Hearts and Bones, 1983)
St. Judy’s Comet (from There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, 1973)
Under African Skies (from Graceland, 1986) (with Edie Brickell)
Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War (from Hearts and Bones, 1983)
Rewrite (from So Beautiful or So What, 2011)
Spirit Voices (from The Rhythm of the Saints, 1990)
The Cool, Cool River (from The Rhythm of the Saints, 1990)
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (with Edie Brickell)
Encore:
Father and Daughter (from Surprise, 2006)
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (from Still Crazy After All These Year, 1975)
The Boxer (from Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water, 1970)
Encore 2:
The Sound of Silence (from Wednesday Morning 3AM, 1964)
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