“The Obvious Child”:
Hard to imagine a more ebullient introduction to a show than to witness the Brazilian percussion ensemble Olodum get a park filled with revelers on its feet.
“The Boy in the Bubble”:
Handclaps, a wordless sing-along, jaunty accordion and South African groove meet Louisiana zydeco.
“She Moves On”:
Simon sings about his breakup with Carrie Fisher while the brass section brings jazzy commentary.
“Kodachrome”:
Bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco leads a vivid overhaul of the Simon hit, even quoting Donovan’s “Jennifer Juniper” at one point.
“Born at the Right Time”:
A matrix of finger-picked guitars over simmering percussion.
“Train in the Distance”:
Guitarist Vincent Nguini weaves spiderwebs of notes around Simon’s wistful lyrics.
“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”:
Brazilian samba with zydeco accents and Simon’s whistling.
“I Know What I Know”:
Simon sends up small talk at a New York City party over Ray Phiri’s guitar groove and sassy horns.
“The Cool, Cool River”:
A gorgeous prayer with atmospheric, finger-picked guitar that builds to a triumphant, horn-punctuated finale.
“Bridge over Troubled Water”:
Gospel harmonies with a reggae underpinning.
“Proof”:
“It’s a perfect night in New York City,” Simon says, and so it is.
“Dogs in the Wine Shop”:
A showcase for saxophonist Michael Brecker, a fixture on key Simon studio sessions and a towering figure in jazz.
“The Coast”:
Can music make you feel like you’re floating? Here’s your answer.
“Graceland”:
One of Simon’s towering achievements, as he channels the mystic power of Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train.”
“You Can Call Me Al”:
So much fun he does it twice, a frequent occurrence on this tour. This time, Simon is joined by “Saturday Night Live” alum and saxophonist Chevy Chase, formerly in a band with the pre-Steely-Dan-era Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.
“Still Crazy After All These Years”:
A sparse version of Simon’s ‘70s hit.
“Loves Me Like a Rock”:
Simon’s voice rises to a falsetto in the call-and-response with backing vocalists the Waters siblings.
“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”:
More gospel vocals with an exuberant percussion workout to finish things off.
“Hearts and Bones”:
A moment to catch your breath with some low-key melancholy.
“Late in the Evening”:
Drummer Steve Gadd’s Cuban rhythm anchored the original recording, now augmented by a company of percussionists.
“America”:
Simon echoes his younger self looking ahead to what’s next. Could he have imagined a night like this?
“The Boxer”:
An ode to persistence that still feels relevant.
“Cecilia”:
The Simon and Garfunkel romp gets a Cajun makeover, with Simon on harmonica.
“The Sound of Silence”:
Closing hymn.