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The neck of my Guitar

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November 11, 2006 - United Kingdom
Birmingham - NEC

Setlist


Gumboots
The boy in the bubble
Outrageous
50 ways to leave your lover
Slip slidin’ away
You’re the one
Me and Julio down by the school yard
Train in the distance
How can you live in the Northeast?
Loves me like a rock
That was your mother
Duncan
Graceland
Father and daughter
Cecilia
The only living boy in New York
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

Encore 1
You can call me Al
Still crazy after all these years
Mrs. Robinson

Encore 2
Homeward bound
Bridge over troubled water
Late in the evening

Encore 3
The boxer



The band (not all members are present at all shows)

Vincent Nguini - Guitar
Bakithi Kumalo - Bass
Steve Gadd - Drums
Mark Stewart - Guitars, Cello, Saxophone, selfmade instruments
Robin diMaggio - Drums, percussion
Tony Cedras - Accordeon, Keyboard, Guitars
Andy Snitzer - Saxophone, Synthesizer
Harper Simon - Guitar
Adrian Simon - Keyboards




Fans who attended this show

 
Sue Ridgway
Marko Breidung
Matthew Semple





Review by:
Denis Le Prevost

I have been a Fan of Paul Simon for many years and was lucky enough to see him in Hyde park performing with Art and again on November the 11th at the NEC Birmingham United Kingdom.I would just like to say that as I have always suspected the man is a genious and look forward to seeing him again in the near future whether it be here in the UK or in his home Country of America. Keep writing Paul From your fans in Guernsey , Channel Islands

Review by:
Simon


Sorry to hear about Bodo´s problems with security at Wembley - sounds dreadful especially after looking forward to something for so long.
We were amazingly fortunate at Birmingham tonight.
Taking our 7 year old son and more importantly his toy bunny who goes everywhere was a masterstroke.
We were about 15 rows from the front (aisle seats) and as we stood during Cecelia a steward moved us forward to 3 rows from the front to some spare seats so that we could see better.
That was good enough for us but then we were directed again by the stewards to the front of the stage during Diamonds ... then it got better. I sat my son (and Bunny)on the edge of the stage directly in front of Mark Stewart and Bunny started to dance. This caught someone´s eye .... only Paul Simon and he came over thinking that Bunny was a present for him.. Bunny, my son and I all shook his hand and I introduced my son and Bunny to him. I did draw the line at giving PS Bunny as nothing would take him away from our family.
In my shock I managed to tell PS that he was a great guy - god knows what he made of me !!
Mark S also gave us a plecktrum so our night was complete - he seems a really genuine / fun guy.
Outside I shook Baghiti Khumalo´s hand and he gave my son a Hi-5 and told him to start playing the guitar now that he had a plecktrum !!
Again a fantastic night, Paul did look very down and sad during the Boxer and let´s all hope that he returns to these shores in the future.
The set list was similar to previous nights but no ´Wartime Prayers´ which was a bit of a disappointment.
Art got a mention when Paul said ´I used to be in a band called Simon and Garfunkel .... I was Simon.´
My wife and I both thought that Duncan / Only Living Boy and Late in The Evening were the highlights.

Review by:
arniebunny

You often think once is enough . . . . but it´s not . . . . . Paul Simon, TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW. First time ever, and as a 15 year old in `87 I saw the Graceland Tour.

The run from Wembley the night before was a tough one. I know I´m preaching to the converted here but I was going back to see my MUM AND DAD . . . . ok? and painting my hair the colour of mud too . . . . mud, OK? About 4 sit-ups a day, the gravity is poor up here in the Midlands.

Oh, he was geat again. I felt he enjoyed it more tonight.The NEC crowd were scuppered by the tubes of superglue on every seat. My Mum at 68 gave a great account of herself before she figured ´He´s so lively, for 65´!

Well Paul, you are. Not sure where you left ´Wartime Prayers´ last night but at 68, my Mum danced like never before´

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you . . . . ´Mt. Paul Simon´ . . .




Review by:
matthewsemple

I first saw Paul Simon perform in the Birmingham NEC as part of the Born At the Right Time tour on 17th May 1991, so it was with great pleasure that I was able to attend the last date of the UK leg of the Surprise Tour at the same venue 15 years later.

Some things had changed - there was a stall selling Twinings teas in the lobby and the T-shirts weren´t as good. Then there was the free CD-Roms on each seat - we didn´t have those in 1991.

Paul Simon came on stage at exactly 7.45 as written on a blackboard near the entrance. Not everyone had got to their seats but the lights went down and there he was with his band and the show began.

Paul Simon performed song after song, barely pausing for breath, sometimes changing his guitar in between but rarely stopping to speak. This is what I had come to see and hear. I don´t think there is anyone else in Rock who could perform like that moving effortlessly from genre to genre with that common thread of intelligent lyrics, beautiful melodies, intricate guitar work and that pure innocent voice.

The choice of songs was superb. A nice splattering of hits mainly from his solo work but with a few Simon & Garfunkel songs for good measure. The new songs were the best for me as I had not heard them performed live before - How Can You Live In the Northeast was a amazing with that powerful coda and superb lighting to match.

It was also great to hear You´re the One - a real favourite of mine that sent shivers down my spine as it was hauntingly reworked. Duncan was another song I had not seen live before - so that was a real surprise. Yet another song to showcase the quality and purity of Paul Simon´s voice.

I would have liked to have heard Wartime Prayers but at 2 hours long the set sparkled from start to finish. Long live Paul Simon...

Review by:
Kat

Wow, this concert was amazing. This was my first P.S. concert and it was perfect. Right at the beginning, we found ´How can you live in the northeast´ CDrom on the seats which was a nice touch and then Paul came on and played for 2 hours straight hardly pausing at all, which is incredible considering his age.
Before the concert I liked Paul S. but I didn´t really know any of his music well. Since the show I have become a true fan (and maybe a tad obsessive...). I think everyone there enjoyed it immensely although at first the audience was a bit muted. Unlike others, I think it was good he didn´t include Wartime prayers (although I know it´s very popular). My sister thinks Paul pointed at her when she sang a few lyrics far too loud too early :) but the concert was great. I have nothing bad to say whatsoever. Who could?