Paul Simon: A Quiet Celebration

On 25 April 2026 Paul Simon brings his A Quiet Celebration to AFAS Live in Amsterdam. The American songwriter who rose to fame in the 1960s with Simon & Garfunkel later built a solo oeuvre that blends folk, pop and rock with a keen eye for everyday life. Over time he opened his sonic palette to rhythms and harmonies from South Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. From Paul Simon and There Goes Rhymin' Simon to Still Crazy After All These Years: songs with acoustic melodies, touches of soul and gospel, and spare, thoughtful arrangements.

With Graceland and The Rhythm of the Saints his sound opened further, in dialogue with South African and Brazilian musicians and with percussion that carries the songs. Later work such as You're the One, Surprise, So Beautiful or So What, Stranger to Stranger, In the Blue Light and Seven Psalms reveals an artist who moves effortlessly between intimate folk and more layered compositions. A Quiet Celebration promises a restrained, attentive evening centered on his songbook: voice, guitar, a small ensemble and space for the stories and details that have shaped his songs for decades. For one evening AFAS Live will serve as the setting for this retrospective, in the heart of Amsterdam.