Maybe for Paul Simon it was the equivalent of performing the Super Bowl halftime. On Sunday night, he opened the “SNL 50: The Anniversary Special,” singing “Homeward Bound” with — go figure — Sabrina Carpenter. The performance reminded the world that Simon is still singing after all these years, and that he played a key part in “SNL’s” history.
And then he pulled a Super Bowl-like maneuver and made a big announcement shortly thereafter of a concert tour that includes three nights in Minneapolis in April at the Orpheum Theatre.
His A Quiet Celebration Tour will kick off April 4 in New Orleans, with its fourth stop in Minneapolis on April 20, 22 and 23 at the Orpheum.
For this intimate show, Simon, one of America’s most esteemed singer/songwriters, will be accompanied by nine musicians, including a cellist, violist and flutist. He will perform material from his 2023 album, “Seven Psalms,” as well as classics from his extensive Grammy-winning catalog.
Last year, Simon, 83, revealed that he has lost hearing in his left ear, but he has redesigned his stage setup to accommodate his situation.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer did a farewell tour in 2018, playing for a generous 140 minutes at Xcel Energy Center. Two years earlier, he performed for two nights at the Orpheum as well as on “A Prairie Home Companion.” In 2011, he took the stage at First Avenue, of all places, for his most intimate Twin Cities gig since Simon & Garfunkel’s local debut in 1966 at Dayton’s Auditorium in downtown Minneapolis.
Tickets for the Orpheum concerts will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at ticketmaster.com. There is a presale on Thursday; go to paulsimon.com for details.
