With a bare-bones set—composed of just the band’s instruments and a projection screen as a backdrop—The Simon and Garfunkel Story musicale took Filipino audiences to different times and places, spanning from 1950s New York to London, and back to the U.S.A.
From the word “go,” the show hooked the audience with its opening number, "The Sound of Silence," arguably the most recognizable song by the folk-rock duo.
Here are some of the most memorable moments from this one-night-only show in Manila held at the Theatre at Solaire on the evening of March 2, 2024:
stunning harmonies, production details
Charles Blyth and James William Pattison in their stellar performances at the musical tribute truly embody the essence of Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon.
Even knowing that the two actors onstage are, in fact, not Simon and Garfunkel, the combination of lighting, music, vocal harmony, and even the meticulous replication of Art’s iconic hairstyle by Charles, created an immersive experience.
It captivated and transported the audience to a place where, if you closed your eyes, you'd think the real duo was performing, or at the very least suspend disbelief for the entire two-hour show.
Audience Participation
Not that Filipinos need permission to sing along and clap to songs they especially love, but the actor-singers encouraged the audience to participate, most notably, to "Hey, Schoolgirl" (that they performed and recorded as ‘Tom & Jerry’) and "Cecilia." To most of the other songs, many audience members sang or hummed along.
Nostalgic dancing
It is worth mentioning the very energetic and enthusiastic performance of Harrison White—lead guitarist, keyboard player, and also, whistler—who went above and beyond providing the melody and accentuating the songs. He was dancing like those band members in the TV shows Dick Clark’s American Bandstand (1952-1989) and The Ed Sullivan Show (1948-1971, now streaming on YouTube).
Overall, Harry Denton on drums, Leon Camfield on bass, and James William Pattison on guitar seamlessly performed every song not just with precision as covers, but with a lot of passion as well.
Lead-Up to Encore
The band did an act where they pretended to end the show—this time, with the Everly Brothers’ "Bye Bye Love"—then immediately walked off the stage after saying:
“Thank you! Good night!” But of course, no one expected them to [they wouldn’t have been let out of the hall] without singing "Bridge over Troubled Waters" and "The Boxer" from Simon and Garfunkel’s final album.
The Songs, Period
The lighting, images, videos and photographs projected on-screen, and the singers’ voices transported the audience to that time and place not so long ago, with all the emotions attached to the memories that Simon and Garfunkel evoked.
One of the crowd-pleasing highlights was the rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," originally released by the duo in 1970.
@pepalerts Take a journey back in time with British talents Charles Blyth and James William Pattison as they serenade us with the timeless classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in "The Simon & Garfunkel Story" at Solaire on March 2, 2024. #SimonandGarfunkel #PEPNews #NewsPH #EntertainmentNewsPH ? Aesthetic - Tollan Kim
They performed "Leaves that are Green," "Homeward Bound," "Scarborough Fair," "A Hazy Shade of Winter," "America," "He Was My Brother," "Kathy’s Song," "At The Zoo," "Richard Cory," "The Only Living Boy in New York," "The 59th Street Bridge Song," "Bookends," "Late in the Evening," among others.
They also played the "Voices of Old People" audio montage from the album Bookends.
@pepalerts British talents Charles Blyth and James William Pattison performing “America” at “The Simon and Garfunkel Story in Manila” last March 2, 2024. #PEPNews #NewsPH #EntertainmentNewsPH ? vlog, chill out, calm daily life(1370843) - SUNNY HOOD STUDIO
@pepalerts Immerse yourself in nostalgia with British talents Charles Blyth and James William Pattison as they perform the iconic song "Cecilia" in "The Simon & Garfunkel Story in Manila” at Solaire on March 2, 2024. #PEPNews #NewsPH #EntertainmentNewsPH ? Cute - Aurel Surya Lie
Good job to all the performers.
The duo's fans adored the show, and they garnered a new following among the younger audience.
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