Bonnaroo Updates and Speculation

Next Tuesday, February 9th will be the official announcement of the Bonnaroo 2010 line-up, however some artists have already blown their cover and others have garnered much speculation. The Flaming Lips will perform a late-night set this year in which they will cover Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety as they did for their New Year's Eve show this past year. Also, LiveDaily reports, Paul Simon will be one of the headliners at this years Bonnaroo. As for the other headliners, many suspect that Paul McCartney will fill one void, while the other is a bit of a tossup (Pavement? Furthur? Jay-Z?).
Many jam fans are banking on a solid lineup for Bonnaroo this year due to the cancellations of Rothbury and 10,000 Lakes Festival. I have a voice in the back of my head telling me not to hold out for the 'Roo though. My phavorite Vermont band will be announcing their summer tour in the next week or so, and I wouldn't be surprised if they will be doing a New England festival like they traditionally do. So Bonnaroo, you may have some competition this summer because Phish has the history of attracting mammoth sized crowds to their New England festivals. Just thought I'd give you a heads up!

Tuesday Tribute: Paul Simon

It doesn't take much effort to get on YouTube and be overwhelmed by the Paul Simon relics that flash before you, so this week, I will honor the man himself. Paul Simon gained fame as one half of the Simon and Garfunkel duo and the group prospered until their breakup in 1970. After the breakup, both artists went their separate ways, but Simon proved to be the most successful. The duo reunited for the first of many occasions for a free concert in New York's Central Park. The show was attended by over 500,000 and helped the two musicians reform for a brief tour in 1982. Perhaps Simon's greatest solo work is 1986's Graceland. Much of the album was recorded with the assistance of the African collective Ladysmith Black Mambazo and is famous for such hits as "Graceland," "You Can Call Me Al," and "Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes." The album helped relaunch Simon's name back into the forefront of American music and helped shine a spotlight not only on Ladysmith Black Mambazo, but on African music in general. Simon has done various solo projects over the past two decades and has reunited with Garfunkel on various occasions. Today, he is recognized as one of America's greatest living songwriters and has become an icon of America and more specifically New York City.

The first clip this week comes from a concert in Zimbabwe in 1986. Ladysmith Black Mambazo joins Simon on stage for a take of "Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes." Some great stage presence from all parties involved, but check out how well the bass player can get around.



Up next is a video that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Paul Simon is shown here performing "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" on Sesame Street. The spotlight is almost stolen from Simon by an anxious young girl who tries to encourage her peers to get up and dance.



Much of Simon's best songwriting is from his days with Art Garfunkel. Here is a clip of him doing "The Only Living Boy in New York" on a British television show.



Lastly is one of the better feel-good tracks of all time. Chevy Chase lends a helping hand for the goofy music video for "You Can Call Me Al." If you do not have Graceland, it is an essential for any collection.



www.paulsimon.com