Paul Simon Live at The Chicago Theater

Paul Simon is the quintessential songwriter of the 20th Century, having devised some of the most beautiful and memorable songs over the last six decades. For a long time, it has been a dream of mine to see him live in concert. When it was announced that he would tour this summer to promote his latest studio album "So Beautiful of So What" I knew I would be in attendance, and last night in Chicago my dream came true. To begin with, The Chicago Theater is a beautiful venue and a great place to see a show of this caliber. After an expected delay, when the band took the stage followed by Simon himself, it was the commencement of a night that exceeded expectations. Playing wonderful songs from his new albums along with standards such as "Kodachrome", "The Sound of Silence", and "Still Crazy After All These Years", he also played unexpected gems such as "The Obvious Child, Hearts and Bones, and The Only Living Boy in New York." The whole set was played wonderfully by the band, using a wide array of musical instruments spanning many different countries and culture's which is indicative of Simon's work. Paul Simon himself sang beautifully, making improvisations on his classic songs and realizing the limitations of his voice. As the night progressed, I was overtaken by the experience and was really in a state of reverie as I got to see a virtuoso perform.