Paul Simon Plays Melbourne SETLIST - Noise11.com
Paul Simon, Rod Laver Arena, 2013, Ros O'Gorman, Photo

Paul Simon, Rod Laver Arena, 2013, Photo By Ros O'Gorman

Paul Simon Plays Melbourne SETLIST

by Paul Cashmere on March 29, 2013

in Live,News

Seeing Paul Simon, one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th Century, performing other people’s songs shows the reverence he must have for those artists.

Paul Simon, Rod Laver Arena, 2013, Ros O'Gorman, Photo

Paul Simon, Rod Laver Arena, 2013, Photo By Ros O'Gorman

At his Melbourne show he paid homage to George Harrison by performing his classic ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and Bo Diddley ‘Pretty Thing’. Junior Parker and Chet Atkins were also given a nod with ‘Mystery Train’ and ‘Wheels’ woven into a ‘Hearts and Bones’ medley.

Paul Simon is in Australia to headline Bluesfest this weekend and is doing his own shows around the country.

The music of Paul Simon has transcended generations and that was evident with a surprisingly young crowd gathering at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne for a rare look at a legend. Late teens to early 20s were in equal numbers of 30-50 year olds and a select number of 50+. It is no wonder. The music of Paul Simon is ageless and timeless.

I couldn’t help but notice the humour in Frank Sinatra’s version of Simon’s ‘Mrs Robinson’ being played over the speakers as the audience left the venue. It was a black comedy moment that went over the head of most people. Sinatra’s cheesy ‘Scooby dooby doo’ version of the Simon penned classic made for a fitting ending to a great few hours of music history.

Paul was last in Australia with Art Garfunkel in 2009. Prior to that his previous visit was 21 years ago. This current tour is the first time in decades Simon has performed his solo songbook for Australia and he covered a good chunk of solo hits during his 1 hour 45 mins on stage.

The Simon & Garfunkel era was kept to a minimum with just three songs ‘’The Only Living Boy In New York’, ‘The Sound Of Silence’ and ‘The Boxer’ as the final song.

The centerpiece album of this show was his classic 1986 ‘Graceland’.

Here is the setlist for Paul Simon at Rod Laver Arena, March 28, 2013.

Gumboots (from Graceland, 1986)
Dazzling Blue (from So Beautiful Or So What, 2011)
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (from Still Crazy After All These Years, 1975)
Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard (from Paul Simon, 1972)
That Was Your Mother (from Graceland, 1986)
Hearts And Bones/Mystery Train/Wheels (from Hearts and Bones, 1983/Junior Parker cover/Chet Atkins cover)
Slip Slidin Away (from Greatest Hits Etc, 1977)
My Little Town (from Still Crazy After All These Years, 1975)
Obvious Child (from The Rhythm of the Saints, 1990)
The Only Living Boy In New York (from Bridge Over Troubled Waters, 1970)
Crazy Love Vol. II (from Graceland, 1986)
So Beautiful Or So What (from So Beautiful Or So What, 2011)
Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes (from Graceland, 1986)
Late In The Evening (from One Trick Pony, 1980)

The Sound Of Silence (from Sounds of Silence, 1966)
Kodachrome / Gone At Last (from There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, 1973 / Still Crazy After All These Years, 1975))
Here Comes The Sun (George Harrison cover)
You Can Call Me Al (from Graceland, 1986)

Graceland (from Graceland, 1986)
Pretty Thing (Bo Diddley cover)

The Boxer (from Bridge Over Troubled Waters, 1970)

Remaining Paul Simon Australian dates are:

March 30, Newcastle, Entertainment Centre
April 1, Byron Bay, Bluesfest
April 2, Sydney, Entertainment Centre

New Zealand:
April 6, Dunedin, Forsyth Barr Stadium
April 8, Auckland, Vector Arena

Related Posts

The Doors Live In Vancouver 1970
The Doors Live In Vancouver 1970 Added To Streaming Services

The Doors live album ‘Live in Vancouver 1970’, released physically in 2010, has been finally added to streaming services.

9 hours ago
Al Jardine Islands In The Sun
Neil Young Teams With Beach Boys Legend Al Jardine on ‘My Plane Leave Tomorrow’

Neil Young and The Beach Boys co-founder Al Jardine have a new song ‘My Plane Leaves Tomorrow’ (Au Revoir) from Al’s new four track EP ‘Islands In the Sun’.

4 days ago
Marcie Jones photo by Ros O'Gorman
Australian Music Pioneer Marcie Jones Passes Aged 79

Marcie Jones, the Marcie from 60s Australian girl group Marcie and the Cookies, has died at the age of 79.

6 days ago
John Lennon, music news, noise11.com
John Lennon’s Psychedelic Rolls Royce Is Back On Display At Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada

John Lennon’s 1964 Rolls-Royce Phantom is on display at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada until January 2026.

May 31, 2025
The Beatles in Mono
The Beatles In Mono Returns For First Time In A Decade

The Beatles In Mono, the 14LP set of albums, is being reissued for the first time in a decade, no doubt to dilute the second hand trade of the release than has been selling for thousands of dollars.

May 30, 2025
John Fogerty Does ‘Taylor’s Versions’ Of His Creedence Clearwater Revival Songs

John Fogerty has done a Taylor Swift, re-recording his classic Creedence Clearwater Revival catalogue to mark the return of his copyright and 80th birthday.

May 30, 2025
The Who, Pete Townshend. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Roger Daltrey Plays Semantics, Says Zak Starkey Was ‘Retired’ Not Fired

Zak Starkey says The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey told him he had been "retired, not fired" as the band's drummer.

May 28, 2025