Tuesday, 24 September 2024

The Simon & Garfunkel Story, SEC Armadillo, Tuesday 24th September, 2024.


This was my wife's pick. I'd dragged her to enough gigs of my choice, and not necessarily to her taste, that I knew not to complain when she suggested we go. I even booked the tickets straight away while we were still sitting (typically early) in The Tron's auditorium awaiting Two Doors Down. 

When we arrived in Glasgow at around 6.45 pm (for a 7.30pm showtime), the streets were unusually quiet, and there were plenty of places to park. The walk to the venue was also less busy than usual. After passing through security and getting our tickets scanned, we entered the Armadillo (not in a zoological sense) and noticed the queues at the main bar were short. They usually go all the way into the main hallway, but not tonight.

Forty minutes to showtime and not a queue in sight


The reason became quickly apparent as the show began. It wasn't anywhere near a sellout. Tranches of seats remained empty, and the downstairs auditorium was perhaps just over half full. There were people on the balcony, too, but from my seating position, I could not see how many.

I didn't know what to expect from this show. The stage set-up had two microphones at the front, various guitars on stands, and a drumkit in the middle at the back. A big screen sat above them against a curtain backdrop depicting New York City. 

No video or photography was allowed during the performance.

What we got was a performance of Simon and Garfunkel's songbook in chronological order with story interludes explaining the pair's journey through their career, from school chums to the biggest-selling musical artists of the early seventies. The interludes detailed their troubled relationship as the duo moved creatively in different directions, eventually breaking up. Mainly, though, the show focused on the music. The singers' harmonies were fantastic throughout. The band was tight. The sound in the auditorium was the best I've heard in there. It helped that our seats were in the middle.

This was neither a simple tribute act nor a theatrical production—it was something in between. Whenever the leads spoke, they spoke as themselves. They used their real names when they referred to each other. The actor playing Art had an actorly, overpronounced diction, while the one playing Paul had a more Northern English regional accent.   

At times, it felt like I was watching a band entertaining a group of pre-geriatrics in a nursing home, the elderly audience responding to the singers' requests to clap or sing along with old-time glee (but without the stamina to continue for very long). Near the end, one woman got up to dance, her arms extended at ten and two, moving up and down to the music, one hand still clutching her pint tumbler. She sang her heart out but only lasted half the song before realising she was the only one standing and sank back down again.

A man behind us had an awful cough, which somewhat spoiled the musical offering. During every song in the first half, he'd punctuate the air with the sound of resistant phlegm. At one point, I even considered turning around and shoving a Werther's Original in his mouth, telling him to shut up and suck it. I didn't. I only had two left and was saving them to share with my wife during the interval (we are so hip replacement). His singing voice was not much better. It could best be described as a disharmonious drone, albeit a stealthily quiet one.  

At the end, the performers received a standing ovation but only for a short time. As people were already on their feet, many made a beeline for the exit. It didn't take long for everyone to get out. 

I still enjoyed it. It was something a little different.

Blurb:
Direct from a weeklong run in London’s West End at the Vaudeville Theatre, a SOLD-OUT Worldwide tour and standing ovations at every performance, The Simon & Garfunkel Story continues to stun audiences across the globe! Using huge projection photos, original film footage and a full live band performing all the hits including 'Mrs Robinson', 'Cecilia', 'Homeward Bound' and many more."

Ticket Price: Ticketmaster
2 Full Price Ticket £41.45 x2 = £82.90 
Per Item Fees £1.70 (Facility Charge Full Price Ticket) x2 = £5.60 
(Service Charge Full Price Ticket) x2 = £14.60 
Order Processing Fees Handling Fee £2.00 
Total £99.50 

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