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Music

Paul Simon Is Done Touring

In a new statement, he said "I'd like to leave with a big Thank You to the many folks around the world who've come out to watch me play over the last 50 years."
Lauren O'Neill
London, GB

Paul Simon has announced that 2018 will be his last year of touring. In a statement released via Facebook, Simon stated that making the decision had been "a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief."

He cites a few reasons for coming off the road: mainly, the loss of his lead guitarist Vincent N'guini last December, and the challenge of being away from his home, wife, and family while touring. Simon isn't, however, committing to no more live shows for the rest of his life: the statement notes "I anticipate doing the occasional performance in a (hopefully) acoustically pristine hall, and to donate those earnings to various philanthropic organizations, particularly those whose objective is to save the planet, ecologically." :')

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It's sad news, though Simon himself acknowledges that he's quitting while he still feels at the top of his game ("I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly," his statement says). Alongside the announcement, Simon has released a set of 2018 US and Canada tour dates, that will mark his last.

See the dates and read the full statement below:

Paul Simon tour dates: May 16 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
May 18 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
May 19 - Portland, OR @ MODA Center
May 22 & 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
May 25 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
May 27 - Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 30 - Denver, CO @ Fiddler's Green
June 1 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Arena
June 2 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
June 4 - Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
June 6 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
June 8 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
June 10 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Center
June 12 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
June 13 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
June 15 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden
June 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
June 19 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
June 20 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena

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