BY SIMONE MEDONOS
[star rating =5/5]
I still have my parent’s Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits cassette tape; it was one of three
albums on rotation in my Dad’s 1980s blue Volvo on our family holidays in the Norwegian wilderness – whilst squabbling with my sister over the armrest on the back seat.
I never saw the legends in concert but was over the moon to see that Bookends, a world-class tribute to the unforgettable music of Simon & Garfunkel had returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for their fifth year.
Made up of Dan Haynes on vocals and guitar and Pete Richards on vocals; Bookends are clearly accomplished musicians in their own right, but have dedicated their careers to performing Simon & Garfunkel songs in a truly captivating way, against a backdrop of iconic imagery.
We are lucky enough to see them play in the Symposium Hall, an intimate venue well suited for the required acoustics. They make no attempt to look like Paul Simon or Art Garfunkel and make no apologies for this – this is all about the music and the gentle narrative on the famous duos life on the road.
If you close your eyes and imagine you are in Central Park in 1981, it’s almost real. The beautiful recreation of their hits includes The Sound of Silence, Bridge over Troubled Water, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and the 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy). The final song is a great rendition of Cecilia where the audience is invited to sing along. It’s a fitting ending to a night dedicated to the unmistakable sound of the American folk-rock duo.
This is the closest thing you will get to the real Simon & Garfunkel, a real masterpiece.
