Paul Simon is back on campus this week, settling into Stanford's Frost Amphitheater for two nights of A Quiet Celebration today and tomorrow. The show pairs a straight-through performance of his 2023 song cycle Seven Psalms with a second set of career-spanning favorites, starting in hushed, acoustic territory before building into the familiar sing-alongs fans come for. Tomorrow's performance is already sold out, while tickets are still available for today.
Presented by Stanford Live and Goldenvoice, the Frost dates are listed for a 7 PM start time, with doors typically opening at 5:30 PM, according to Stanford Amphitheater. Simon, a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and 16-time GRAMMY winner, headlines the evenings, per GRAMMY.com. As noted by Palo Alto Online, ticket prices for Frost ran roughly from $62.50 to $312 depending on seating and vendor, and Goldenvoice has cautioned that campus parking tends to fill up quickly on show nights.
What to expect on stage
The Quiet Celebration format unfolds in two distinct halves. First, Simon performs Seven Psalms, the 33-minute, single-track composition he released in 2023, in full. After a short intermission, he returns for a set stacked with hits and deeper cuts, a structure originally outlined in a Tanglewood press release. Reviewers have praised how the intimate, reflective first act sets up a bigger emotional payoff in the second, with the quiet opening stretch making the crowd-pleasing moments land that much harder.
Stanford's role in making the tour possible
While working on Seven Psalms, Simon began to lose much of the hearing in his left ear, a development that put future live performances in doubt. He ultimately teamed up with Stanford researchers to rethink his stage monitors and overall sound setup so he could safely and comfortably perform again, a collaboration documented by the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss. According to the artist's official website, the A Quiet Celebration run is framed as a chance to present Seven Psalms live alongside his classics, with an emphasis on intimate venues and detailed musicianship.
Tickets, sold-out status and other stops
AXS currently lists the June 4 Frost show as sold out, while tickets for June 3 remain available through primary vendors and resale platforms, with the AXS listing carrying the latest updates on availability. Doors are expected to open at 5:30 p.m., and fans are encouraged to check vendor pages for accessibility information and parking details before heading to campus. For those who miss the Stanford dates, the summer North American leg also includes stops at the Hollywood Bowl and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, according to Ticketmaster.
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