Paul Simon says goodbye during his 2018 farewell tour.
Courtesy photo
If you're a fan of Paul Simon, it's time to grab Julio off that schoolyard and head to the Frank Erwin Center. The iconic singer-songwriter announced on February 5 that he is spending his summer conducting a worldwide farewell tour, and will be making a stop in Austin along the way.
Simon brings his "Homeward Bound — The Farewell Tour" to the Frank Erwin Center on June 4. In addition to Austin, Simon will be making stops in Dallas on June 1 and Houston on June 2.
“I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I'd consider bringing my performing career to a natural end," Simon said in a release. "Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief."
Famous for such songs as The Sound of Silence, Mrs. Robinson, and You Can Call Me Al, Simon first rose to prominence in the 1960s as part of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel. After he and Art Garfunkel split ways in 1970, Simon continued a solo career, nabbing 12 Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Credited with helping shape modern American folk music, Simon has also won a Kennedy Center Honor, as well as a Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song alongside such luminaries as Willie Nelson, Carole King, Paul McCartney, and Smokey Robinson. He is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
"Homeward Bound — The Farewell Tour" begins on May 16 in Vancouver, Canada and ends on July 15 in London. Tickets for the Texas dates of Simon's farewell tour go on sale on February 9 at 10 am. Information on ticketing will be available here closer to the on sale date.
Neil Diamond — a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold — is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue — named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song — serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.
Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.
Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth — gives every performance his all.
What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.
Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight”? The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.
Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.
While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.
