Paul Simon has officially revealed that he will close his extensive international Homeward Bound — The Farewell Tour with a performance at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens on September 22nd. The show in the park will follow a pair of arena performances at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan on September 20th and 21st, which cap the three-night NYC tour-closing run.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park could not be a more appropriate place for Paul Simon to host his live send-off. The park, which played host to the 1964 World’s Fair and features the iconic Unisphere statue, is located in Flushing—the same area of Queens where he spent most of his childhood. Simon has also delivered a number of highly notable performances in major parks in New York and beyond over the course of his career, including the famed 1981 Concert in Central Park, where Simon & Garfunkel broke records performing for more than half a million fans.
As Simon explained to Variety, “It seems more like fate than coincidence that I should do the final show on this final tour at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. … I could have ridden my bike from home to the park in about 20 minutes, when I was a kid. But this is less a goodbye than a farewell. Thank you all for the ride, I had a great time.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also was quoted in the Variety article, adding, “When Paul Simon sings ‘Homeward Bound,’ there’s no doubt he means New York.” He continued, “The grit, beauty, and complexity of this city are woven into Simon’s most haunting songs, and our greatest venues have formed the backdrop of his performing career. It’s only fitting that this son of Queens comes home to Flushing Meadows Corona Park.”
Paul Simon’s farewell run is currently in full swing, as he heads to Nashville tonight, June 20th, to close the tour’s first North American leg. From there, he will head to Europe for a string of performances before jumping back across the pond for another run of U.S. shows culminating with the two-night MSG stint and the outdoor tour finale in Queens.
Tickets for the MSG shows are on sale now, and presale for the Corona Park show starts this coming Monday, June 25th. Head to Simon’s website for more info. See below for a full list of Homeward Bound — The Farewell Tour dates:
[H/T Billboard]