Photo provided by Ravinia

Following “Homeward Bound – The Farewell” Tour in 2018, Paul Simon was presumably retired, though after an unexpected album of “Seven Psalms” a half-decade later, he did indeed return to the road and will even release an audio edition of a Disney+ special, “The Quiet Celebration Concert,” on October 9. 

Rather than resuming in arenas, the former Simon & Garfunkel singer/songwriter turned solo superstar resorted to the slightly smaller likes of the breathtaking Ravinia during its ongoing outdoor launch of the brand new Hunter Pavilion, which will also house an encore appearance on Saturday, July 18. 

As far as the first show was concerned on the prior evening, an acoustic guitar-wielding Simon, backed by an eight-piece band, essentially opened for himself, presenting the latest project in its entirety and allowing the freshly-installed, top-shelf sound system to accentuate every gentle strum or poetic lyric. 

At 84, the double Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s distinctive baritone was noticeably lower than yesteryear, yet was all the more suited for such mortality and spirituality-themed reflections as “The Lord,” “My Professional Opinion,” “The Sacred Heart” and “Wait,” the latter two featuring his wife and fellow artist Edie Brickell as a duet partner.

Following an intermission, another three musicians joined the fold for 100 additional minutes of iconic selections stretching back to the early 1960s, including the adventurous rhythms of “Graceland,” the easygoing glow of “Slip Slidin’ Away,” the duo’s delightful “Homeward Bound” and Brickell beautifully accompanying “Under African Skies.”

At one point, someone shouted a request for the classic “Kodachrome,” which wasn’t necessarily on Simon’s agenda, but something he promised to play if the guy ponied up twenty bucks, although four folks wound up racing to the stage and simultaneously offered the suggested fee.

One bill went to a security guard, another to a sideman, while the remaining pair went to the headliner, who warmly obliged, then called out a few extra audibles in the form of “Mother And Child Reunion” and “Mrs. Robinson.”

The sold out crowd unsurprisingly gave him a standing ovation and stayed up for the dazzling “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes,” straight into an encore of the similarly jovial “Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard.”

A resilient rendition of “The Boxer” seemed to mark the end, until just Simon stuck around for the almost hauntingly hushed “The Sound Of Silence” when the enraptured masses could’ve probably heard a pin drop, and within a mere week of cutting the ribbon on Ravinia’s Hunter Pavilion, realized they were already sitting the midst of history being made.

For additional information on Paul Simon, visit PaulSimon.com.

Upcoming shows at Ravinia’s Hunter Pavilion include St. Vincent & Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Jul. 25); Emmylou Harris and Graham Nash (Jul. 26); Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band (Jul. 28); Laurie Berkner (Aug. 1); Chance The Rapper (Aug. 8); Hugh Jackman & Chicago Philharmonic (Aug. 9); Brian McKnight and Gladys Knight (Aug. 11); Joe Bonamassa (Aug. 12); The Music Of Quincy Jones (Aug. 13). Brahms X Radiohead (Aug. 14); Moe. and Umphrey’s McGee (Aug. 15); Gregory Alan Isakov & Chicago Philharmonic (Aug. 19); Ricky Martin (Aug. 20); Alabama Shakes (Aug. 21); Bonnie Raitt (Aug. 22); “Grease” Sing-Along (Aug. 23); Deep Purple (Aug. 25); Brandi Carlile (Aug. 26); Kool & The Gang (Aug. 27); Alabama (Aug. 28); Ray LaMontagne (Aug. 29); Miranda Lambert (Aug. 30); Snoop Dogg (Sept. 4); Rod Stewart (Sept. 5); Squeeze (Sept. 6); Erykah Badu (Sept. 10); Alison Krauss & Union Station (Sept. 12); Los Tigres del Norte (Sept. 13); Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation (Sept. 17); Tom Jones (Sept. 18) and Martina McBride (Sept. 19). For additional details, visit Ravinia.org.

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