Musical artist Paul Simon will perform at the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, NC, on July 11, 2026. Simon is extending his Quiet Celebration Tour, which began in Spring 2025. 

I went to one of Simon’s shows in June 2025, at Wolf Trap National Park in Virginia. The performance was incredible, and I will definitely be taking the opportunity to see Simon perform again in my hometown.

Before attending his concert in Virginia, I was uncertain about how good the show would be; I knew Simon was in his eighties, and hadn’t toured in years. However, all of my doubts about his performance dissipated the second Simon walked onto the stage. 

He was energetic and expressed his gratitude to be able to perform for an audience. His voice was strong, carrying the spirit of his youth mixed with the knowledge of his life experience. His guitar playing clearly displayed the style of his early days in Simon and Garfunkel, while also highlighting the skill and creativity he developed over a decades-long career.

Simon began the show with a full performance of his most recent album, The Seven Psalms, which he released in 2023. The album is a continuous 30 minute track, with seven movements, consisting of intricate fingerstyle guitar pieces. Throughout the rest of the show, Simon played hits like “Graceland” and “The Boxer,” as well as deep cuts like “The Cool, Cool River” and “Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War.” His wife, Edie Brickell, also sang alongside him for several songs, including “Under African Skies.”

For his last song, Simon proved to his audience that he’s still got it. He performed “The Sounds of Silence” solo, just him and his acoustic guitar, captivating the crowd. The show was not just an exciting opportunity to see a legend; it was a genuine high quality performance.

While producing The Seven Psalms, Simon suffered hearing loss in one ear. Simon had to work around this issue by choosing mellower songs — no “You Can Call Me Al” — and selecting more intimate venues. 

Tickets for Simon’s upcoming shows went on sale on February 6. If you live in Raleigh and are a Paul Simon fan, visit his website.

Darcy Meehan, editor in chief, 2025-26

It makes my day better when I go in my car and smell my Febreze air freshener.