Paul Simon, photo by Jessica Gilbert

Paul Simon retired from touring last summer, though he kept the door open for an occasional one-off performance if for a special cause. In the case of this summer’s Outside Lands Music Festival, Simon received an offer he couldn’t refuse.

The legendary songwriter has agreed to come out of retirement in order to close the San Francisco festival on Sunday, August 11th. The headlining performance will double as a benefit gig, as Simon will donate his entire appearance fee to local environmental non-profit organizations, according to a press release.



“I’m looking forward with great anticipation to playing at Golden Gate Park this summer. This will be my first appearance there, and it’s an honor to join the long line of musicians who’ve given the park its sanctified musical heritage,” Simon says in a statement. “I’m equally pleased to be playing in San Francisco with its well-deserved reputation for being in the forefront of environmental issues. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be of service to this vital cause.”

As a press release notes, Outside Lands has the highest waste diversion rate of any music festival in the US, and it also features a number of dedicated programs entirely focused on sustainability and environmental education.

The rest of Outside Lands’ 2019 lineup will be revealed on March 26th.

In the meantime, revisit Simon’s most recent live appearance, an early 2019 performance of “Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War” on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.