PAUL SIMON IN CONCERT: A QUIET CELEBRATION Comes To Davies Symphony Hall In July

On July 19 & 21–22, Another Planet Entertainment and the San Francisco Symphony will present Paul Simon in Concert: A Quiet Celebration at Davies Symphony Hall.

The concerts are part of Simon's “A Quiet Celebration Tour” taking place this spring and summer, where he will present the live-debut performance of his critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated album Seven Psalms, as well as perform a celebration of his timeless classics. The evolution of this extraordinary artist continues to unfold with this offering, in which Simon chose to perform in intimate venues like Davies Symphony Hall, where the acoustics are optimal in consideration of the severe hearing loss that he incurred over the last few years.  

It was during the recording of Seven Psalms, as revealed in the acclaimed In Restless Dreams documentary, that Simon began to steadily lose the hearing in his left ear, which initially made extended live performances impossible. Together with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss and his own Production Team, Simon redesigned his stage setup to make performing viable. This included moving monitors to surround him, as he recently discussed on CBS Mornings. 

Inspired to perform again, Simon began rehearsing and figuring out how to bring Seven Psalms to the stage along with new arrangements of familiar favorites. Recorded entirely on acoustic instruments and performed predominantly by Simon, Seven Psalms transcended the concept of the “album” and was released as a single piece of continuous music in seven movements. Simon often says the listener completes the song, and he was eager to expand the experience into the live forum by performing this intricately layered work in intimate rooms with pristine acoustics.  

Simon's band will include Caleb Burhans (viola), Eugene Friesen (cello), Jamey Haddad (percussion), Gyan Riley (guitar), Mick Rossi (piano, keys), Andy Snitzer (saxophone), Nancy Stagnitta (flute), and Mark Stewart (guitar). Steve Gadd and Matt Chamberlin will alternate on drums.  

Please note that the San Francisco Symphony does not appear in this performance. 

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