A Strange Farewell Desire!

Paul Simon

By José Oliveira and Rosine Alleva–Journalist/Photographers–Rock At Night France Correspondents

Venue : PALAIS DES CONGRES – PARIS- November 14, 2016

Unlike Tony Joe White, PAUL SIMON is in really good shape for a 75 year old! You see it in the way he moved his hips on stage, while playing guitar. For sure behind all this, there is a lot of yoga sessions and spa!

 Having declared recently to the specialized press in New York, his will to stop his career, there was something in the air like “farewells”! God only knows if this was his last concert in Paris! But between his songs, the emotion was palpable in his dialogue with the audience.

 All the artists having known huge sales success and laid planetary hits, are necessarily forced to give a musical space, very close to a “Best Of”, in their set list. And a Paul Simon concert does not escape the rule. But unlike many of his peers, less prolific in the art of recording, Paul came to Europe to defend the colours of his thirteenth solo studio album “Stranger to Stranger”.

 An album with colorful tracks, Spanish grooves, traditional African rhythms, traces of gospel, doo wop but also with the exoticism of Brazil. Paul Simon seems to have built Stranger to Stranger from the rhythm up, quite a familiar way since Graceland, in 1986.

 On acoustic guitar accompanied by 9 musicians (strings, horns, keyboards and percussion), Paul Simon opened “Stranger to Stranger”with “The Werewolf”. This amazing singer – songwriter has delivered us a whirlwind of emotion throughout this beautiful evening of autumn… And it was difficult not to shiver when he began to play”Bridge Over Trouble Water”. It was no longer time for convoluted searches, but to let emotions speak. There was a kind of recollection, like a prayer, in this sublime concert. What is exciting about Paul Simon is his ability to be reborn at every album. He’s pushing forward, not looking back, which leads to fascinating results.

 For us, it was AMERICA at its best!

 Photo Gallery

 The images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission to Rock At Night and the photographer. Use of any image is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws.

Jose Oliveira

Forest Live Festival – UK

Forest Live Festival – UK

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